If you intend to visit Kazakhstan, you may need to apply for a visa. Fortunately, the Kazakhstan visa policy allows nationals from several countries to travel visa-free for short-term purposes, or simply apply via a facilitated online procedure.
Anyone who is not eligible to apply online or exempt from visa requirements will have to get a Kazahgstan visa at an Embassy or Consulate and an invitation from the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Do You Need a Visa to Go to Kazakhstan?
You need a visa for Kazakhstan unless you are from one of the visa-exempt countries, such as the US, all EU States, and other so-called “migrationally secure” countries.
Kazakhstan Visa-Exempt Countries
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for up to 90 days within a 180-day period:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Georgia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Russia
- Ukraine
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for up to 30 days within a 180-day period:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Serbia
- South Korea
- Tajikistan
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
Citizens of Hong Kong do not need a visa for stays of up to 14 days within a 180-day period.
Citizens of the countries listed below do not need a visa for Kazakhstan for up to 30 days:
- European Union States
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Liechtenstein
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Vatican City
- Vietnam
Everyone who is not visa-exempt has to apply for a Kazakhstan visa via one of the methods detailed below.
Types of Kazakhstan Visas
Kazakhstan visas are issued for single or multiple entries for the following and divided in the following types:
- Kazakhstan Tourist Visa. Issued to people travelling for tourism and recreational reasons.
- Kazakhstan Business visa. Issued to foreign nationals travelling for work or business-related purposes, such as meetings, conferences, etc.
- Kazakhstan Investor Visa. Issued to foreign nationals who are in charge of any investment activities in Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan Student Visa. Issued to foreign nationals who will undergo training or an internship in Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan Work Visa. issued to foreign nationals travelling for employment in a Kazakh company, for self-employment in an in-demand profession, and to seasonal workers.
- Kazakhstan Family Reunification Visa. Issued to the foreign family members of Kazakhstani nationals or people who are permanent residents of Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan Medical Treatment Visa. Issued to foreign nationals seeking medical treatment in a Kazakh medical institution.
How to Get a Kazakhstan Visa?
You can get a Kazakhstan visa in one of the following ways:
- Online, through the Kazakhstan eVisa portal. Citizens from over 100 countries are eligible to apply for a Kazakhstan eVisa for tourism, business, or medical treatment.
- At the Kazakhstan Embassy in your country. You need prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- On arrival at a Kazakhstan airport. You need prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Find the methods of Kazakhstan visa application detailed below:
Applying for Kazakhstan Visa Online
If you are from one of the eligible countries listed below, you can apply for a Kazakhstan visa online through the Visa-Migration Portal (here):
- Register on the Visa-Migration Portal
- Enter the Invitation Number that your sponsor sends you. Your sponsor can be an individual in Kazakhstan, a travel agency, a company/organization, or a medical institution. They have to apply for the invitation through the same portal.
- Complete the Kazakhstan Visa Application Form.
- Pay the visa fee. The Kazakhstan eVisa costs USD 80 and you have to pay it via credit or debit card.
- Wait for the visa application to be processed. You will receive an email confirmation.
- Print the Kazakhstan visa.
- Bring it with you when you travel.
You can use Kazakhstan’s eVisa to enter the country only through Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport or Almaty International Airport.
Nationalities eligible for Kazakhstan eVisa for tourism:
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- Ivory Coast
- Cuba
- South Korea
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Algeria
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Macau
- North Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Eswatini
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Aruba
- Faroe Islands
Nationalities eligible for Kazakhstan eVisa for business and medical treatment:
- Bahamas
- Burundi
- Honduras
- Laos
- Macau
- Morocco
- Vatican City
- Haiti
- Cambodia
- Cuba
- North Macedonia
- Nicaragua
- Serbia
- South Africa
- Montenegro
- Virgin Islands
- Bermuda
- Greenland
Applying for Kazakhstan Visa at an Embassy
If you are not eligible for an online visa, you have to get a Kazakhstan visa at an Embassy or Consulate. The process of getting a visa at the Embassy is in two parts:
- Your sponsor applies for a Letter of Invitation at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan. The sponsor can be an individual person, a tour agency, or a company or organization in Kazakhstan. Once the MFA issues the Letter of Invitation:
- You apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of Kazakhstan in your country. Find a list of the diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan here.
Applying for a Kazakhstan Visa on Arrival
You can apply for a Kazakhstan visa on arrival if there is no Kazakhstan Embassy in your country, but you need still prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similar to the Embassy visa, the process is divided into two parts:
- Your sponsor applies for the Letter of Invitation and Approval from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- You travel to Kazakhstan and apply for the Visa on Arrival. You must have the Letter of Invitation and the approval from the MFA with you, as well as any other documents related to your purpose of travel.
You can get a Kazakhstan Visa on Arrival only at the following airports:
- Aktau Airport
- Almaty International Airport
- Atyrau Airport
- Oral Ak Zhol Airport
- Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport
Note: Check with your sponsor and the Kazakhstan MFA that you can get a Visa on Arrival before you travel.
Kazakhstan Visa Requirements
To apply for a Kazakhstan visa, you have to submit the following documents:
- A valid passport. Make sure it has at least 2 blank pages and will remain valid for at least another three months past the expiry of the visa.
- Kazakhstan Visa Application Form. You can download the form on the website of the Kazakh Visa-Migration Portal.
- A recent picture with a white background and 3.5 x 4.5 dimensions
- The number and date of the Invitation, registered by your sponsor at the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your sponsor should provide you with this.
- Proof of having paid the visa fee
- Any additional documents explaining the purpose of your travel.
Kazakhstan Transit Visa
You do not need a Transit Visa for Kazakhstan if:
- You transit through Almaty or Nur-Sultan International Airport
- You have a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours
- You don’t leave the international transit area of the airport
- You have a visa for the third country (if a visa is required)
If you do not fulfill the aforementioned conditions, you have to apply for a Kazakhstan Transit Visa at an Embassy or Consulate before you travel. This visa allows you to transit in Kazakhstan for up to 5 days.
What Is the Duration of a Kazakhstan Visa?
Kazakhstan visas are valid for up to 90 days, but change depending on whether it is a single-entry or multiple-entry visa:
- Single-entry: Maximum number of days you can stay in Kazakhstan is 30.
- Multiple-entry: Maximum number of days is 30 days on each entry within the 90-day period.
Can a Kazakhstan Visa Be Extended?
If you need to stay longer than your Kazakhstan visa allows, you may be able to request a visa extension at the Kazakhstan Migration Services or the Migration Police.
Kazakhstan Visa Cost
A Kazakhstan visa cost changes depending on the type and duration of the visa. A tourist visa is approximately USD 80.