uk government travel advice kazakhstan

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Kazakhstan (Asia)

Advice for all destinations, vaccinations and malaria risk.

Review both the Vaccination and Malaria sections on this page to find out if you may need vaccines and/or a malaria risk assessment before you travel to this country.

If you think you require vaccines and/or malaria risk assessment, you should make an appointment with a travel health professional:

• How to make an appointment with a travel health professional

A travel health risk assessment is also advisable for some people, even when vaccines or malaria tablets are not required.

• Do I need a travel health risk assessment?

Risk prevention advice 

Many of the health risks experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccines and other measures need to be taken.

Always make sure you understand the wider risks at your destination and take precautions, including:

• food and water safety
• accident prevention
• avoiding insect bites
• preventing and treating animal bites
• respiratory hygiene
• hand hygiene

Our advice section gives detailed information on minimising specific health risks abroad:

• Travel Health Advice A-Z

Other health considerations

Make sure you have travel insurance before travel to cover healthcare abroad.

Find out if there are any restrictions you need to consider if you are travelling with medicines .

Know how to access healthcare at your destination: see the GOV.UK English speaking doctors and medical facilities: worldwide list

If you feel unwell on your return home from travelling abroad, always seek advice from a healthcare professional and let them know your travel history.

Vaccinations

• Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain - including for example, seasonal flu vaccine (if indicated), MMR , vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions.
• Courses or boosters usually advised: Tetanus.
• Other vaccines to consider: Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Rabies; Typhoid.
• Selectively advised vaccines - only for those individuals at highest risk: Tick-borne Encephalitis.

Yellow fever vaccination certificate required  for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

Risk is higher if travelling to countries where there hepatitis A is circulating in the local population, or to areas where personal hygiene and sanitation is poor.

Risk is higher for long stays, frequent travel and for children (exposed through cuts and scratches), those who may require medical treatment during travel.

• Tetanus :  spread through contamination of cuts, burns and wounds with tetanus spores. Spores are found in soil worldwide. A total of 5 doses of tetanus vaccine are recommended for life in the UK. Boosters are usually recommended in a country or situation where the correct treatment of an injury may not be readily available.
• Tick-borne Encephalitis :  spread mainly through tick bites. Risk is higher during the warmer months between spring to autumn. Spending long periods of time outdoors in forests or rural areas whilst undertaking outdoor activities such as camping, rambling or mountain biking increases your risk. For most travellers the risk is extremely small and can be avoided through prevention of tick bites.
• Typhoid :  spread mainly through consumption of contaminated food and drink. Risk is higher where access to adequate sanitation and safe water is limited.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes.You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.

Malaria precautions

• Malaria is not normally present unless the illness was contracted abroad.

Other Health Risks

Altitude and travel.

There is a risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) in this country.

Please be aware that the risk of COVID-19 in this country may change at short notice and also consider your risk of exposure in any transit countries and from travelling itself. 

• The 'News' section on this page will advise if significant case increases or outbreaks have occurred in this country.

Prior to travel, you should:

• Check the latest government guidance on the FCDO Foreign travel advice and country specific pages for travel to this country and the rules for entering the UK on return.
• Ensure you are up to date with UK recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination.
• You can check this in the FAQ's.
• If you are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 you should carefully  consider your travel plans  and consider seeking medical advice prior to making any decisions.

For further information, see  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)  and  COVID-19: Health Considerations for Travel  pages.

• 43 additional items in the news archive for this country

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Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were established on 19 January 1992.

The Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK opened in February 1996. On October 6, 2022 Magzhan Ilyassov was appointed as an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Embassy operates within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and represents the interests of Kazakhstan in the UK.

The Embassy fulfills the following core functions:

- provision of national interests and implementation of Kazakhstan's foreign policy in the UK;

- protecting the rights and interests of citizens and legal entities of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the United Kingdom;

- developing co-operation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom, assisting governmental bodies, public organisations and businesses  in establishing contacts and developing relations with the United Kingdom;

- participation in preparing international agreements between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom, proposals on signing, fulfilling and terminating agreements, as well as establishing control over the fulfilment of agreements between the two states;

- consular issues;

- other issues.

The Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK also represents Kazakhstan in the Republic of Ireland and Iceland.

  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:

from 9:30 to 12:30 – document submission

from 16:00 to 17:00 – document collection

Wednesday: processing documents

Reception at the Consular Section of the Embassy of Kazakhstan is available by appointment only. Please use the link: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-london/online-booking?lang=en

If you require urgent help or advice on consular matters, including visa services, please do not hesitate to contact us during regular office hours by e-mail: [email protected]  or by phone: +44 (0) 207 925 7532.

Please be informed that a Telegram bot has also been launched in test mode for consultations on consular issues:

https://t.me/consulatekzuk_bot

Kazakhstan Travel Restrictions

Traveller's COVID-19 vaccination status

Travelling from the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan

Open for vaccinated visitors

COVID-19 testing

Not required

Not required for vaccinated visitors

Restaurants

Not required in public spaces, enclosed environments and public transportation.

Ready to travel?

Find flights to kazakhstan, find stays in kazakhstan, explore more countries on travel restrictions map, destinations you can travel to now, netherlands, new zealand, philippines, switzerland, united arab emirates, united states, know when to go.

Sign up for email alerts as countries begin to open - choose the destinations you're interested in so you're in the know.

Can I travel to Kazakhstan from the United Kingdom?

Most visitors from the United Kingdom, regardless of vaccination status, can enter Kazakhstan.

Can I travel to Kazakhstan if I am vaccinated?

Fully vaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Kazakhstan without restrictions.

Can I travel to Kazakhstan without being vaccinated?

Unvaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Kazakhstan without restrictions.

Do I need a COVID test to enter Kazakhstan?

Visitors from the United Kingdom are not required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test or antigen result upon entering Kazakhstan.

Can I travel to Kazakhstan without quarantine?

Travellers from the United Kingdom are not required to quarantine.

Do I need to wear a mask in Kazakhstan?

Mask usage in Kazakhstan is not required in public spaces, enclosed environments and public transportation.

Are the restaurants and bars open in Kazakhstan?

Restaurants in Kazakhstan are open. Bars in Kazakhstan are .

How can we help you?

Find answers to popular travel questions. Search above or browse by topic below

Travel Advice

Kazakhstan travel advice.

Entry requirements differ by country. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office issues country specific travel advice including Health, Visa and Vaccination requirements.

You can access the FCDO advice for Kazakhstan please read the FCDO advice available here https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kazakhstan

Entry Requirements

Visa requirements.

• UK nationals no longer need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days within a 180-day period, unless they are residents. Proof of an onward or return journey is strongly advised. If you need a visa, make sure you have the right visa for the purpose of your travel. Contact your nearest Kazakh Embassy for further information.

Registration

• Since 10 January 2020, it has been the responsibility of the host person or hotel to notify immigration authorities of a foreigner’s arrival within three working days. This should be made on the Visa and Migration portal or in writing to the Migration Service.

Passport validity

• Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of three months beyond the expiry date of your visa and have at least one blank page for your visa.

Dual nationality

• Dual nationality is not recognised in Kazakhstan. If you enter on a Kazakh passport and also hold British nationality, the British Embassy can only provide very limited consular assistance.

UK Emergency Travel Documents :

• UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted for entry, airside transit, and exit from Kazakhstan.

Entry Requirements for Children

• There are no specific requirements for children and young people.
• Fully vaccinated travellers : All COVID-19 related restrictions, including PCR testing and vaccination certificates, have been lifted. Proof of vaccination status is not required when travelling to Kazakhstan.
• Not fully vaccinated travellers : The PCR certificate requirement for entry into Kazakhstan has been removed. No quarantine is required when arriving in Kazakhstan for travelers from the UK.
• Travellers who had COVID-19 in the past year : From 8 June 2022, travelers do not need to show proof of vaccination, proof of having had COVID-19 in the past, or a PCR certificate for entry into Kazakhstan.
• The Government of Kazakhstan imposes limits on how much foreign currency can be imported or exported, and certain goods are subject to custom regulations. For further information, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan website .

Yellow Fever Certificate Requirements

• Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate by visiting the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s TravelHealthPro website .

Irish Passport Holders

Please note that this information is for British Passport holders only. If you hold an Irish passport then please visit the Department of Foreign Affairs for travel advice

Help Centre Topics

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Here you’ll find answers to any questions you may have before booking your holiday, escorted tour or river cruise.

Before You Travel

We want to make preparing for your holiday as easy as possible. Find answers to your pre-departure questions here.

If you are currently on holiday or have any questions about what to expect you will find the answers here.

After Your Holiday

Just returned from your holiday? Then this is where you’ll find answers to any questions you may have.

Airports & Flights

You’ll find information on any questions you may have about your airline and airports here.

General advice on travel abroad including COVID-19, country specific information and other useful tips.

Global IT outage: Computer havoc caused by CrowdStrike outage could take days to fix — as it happened

A massive IT outage caused by issues with CrowdStrike software has caused havoc with computer systems around the world.

Airport check-in systems across the globe have been disrupted, while banks, supermarkets and media companies are among the other businesses reporting the "blue screen of death" and network outages.

Download the ABC News app  and  subscribe to our range of news alerts  for further updates.

Here's how Friday's news unfolded:

• 12:38 PM 12:38 PM Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 12:38pm CrowdStrike CEO admits it could take 'some time' for some customers' systems to 'recover'
• 12:23 PM 12:23 PM Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 12:23pm CrowdStrike CEO apologises 'to anyone affected' by outage
• 11:50 AM 11:50 AM Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 11:50am Microsoft acknowledges continuing impacts on apps and services despite CrowdStrike 'fix'

Live updates

Here's what we know.

By Joseph Dunstan

• Reports of the outage in Australia began flooding in about 3pm AEST
• Outages hit banks and payment systems, forcing some supermarkets and petrol stations to close
• Airport check-in systems have been disrupted and businesses have reported the "blue screen of death" and IT outages
• The Australian government says the outages are not the result of a cybersecurity incident but has been caused by a CrowdStrike update  
• CrowdStrike's CEO says a defect in a recent update for Windows hosts has been identified and a fix has been deployed but some systems could be down for 'some time'  
• Microsoft says apps and services are still experiencing residual impacts
• The prime minister says there has been no impact to critical infrastructure in Australia, such as triple-0 services and core emergency services
• Outages continue to impact health services and air travel around the world

Thanks for reading

By Daniel Nancarrow

That is all for our blog on the major outage that has impacted systems worldwide today.

We will continue to cover the ongoing impact of the CrowdStrike defect on the ABC News website .

Thousands of flights cancelled and delayed across the US as outages continue

By Brad Ryan

In the US, airlines are working to restore systems and resume flights.

More than 1,000 flights had been cancelled and 2,000 delayed by 8:30am Friday morning (US eastern time), according to the FlightAware tracking website.

Still plenty of blue screens at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

CrowdStrike CEO admits it could take 'some time' for some customers' systems to 'recover'

Kurtz told Today that the impact of the outage could be felt for 'some time' due to the systems of some of the company's customers still experiencing issues.

"Many of the customers are rebooting the system, and its coming up and it'll be operational because we fixed it on our end," Mr Kurtz said.   "And some of the systems that aren't recovering we're working with them.   So it could be some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover."

CrowdStrike boss says the issue was related to a 'bug' in the company's update

Kurtz told Today a "bug" in the CrowdStrike update caused the issue with the Microsoft operating system.

"This system was sent an update and that update had a software bug in it and it caused an issue with the Microsoft operating system," he said. "We identified this very quickly and remediated the issue, and as systems come back online, as they're rebooted, they're coming up and they're working and now we are working with each and every customer to make sure we can bring them back online. "But that was the extent of the issue in terms of a bug that was related to our update."

CrowdStrike CEO apologises 'to anyone affected' by outage

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has appeared on US television network NBC, telling viewers the company was sorry for the impact of the defect on people around the world.

"I want to start with saying we're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this including our company," he told NBC's Today show.

Outage impacts doctor services in the UK

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) says the outage is causing problems at most doctors' offices across England.

NHS England said in a statement that the glitch was hitting the appointment and patient record system used across the health service.

The NHS said the issue was affecting the majority of family doctors' practices, but was not hitting the 999 number used to call for emergency ambulances.

The regulatory service at the London Stock Exchange has also stopped working but the outage has not affected trading.

Paris Olympics 2024 IT systems hit by global cyber outage

By Nelli Saarinen

The Paris Olympics' organising committee says its IT operations have been impacted by the global cyber outage, just a week before the Games are set to begin.

"We have activated contingency plans in order to continue operations," the organising committee said in a statement.

The organisers said the outages had impacted the arrival of some delegations. But they said impact was limited and the outages had not affected ticketing or the torch relay.

Reporting with Reuters and AP

Microsoft acknowledges continuing impacts on apps and services despite CrowdStrike 'fix'

Microsoft says while the underlying cause for the outages has been fixed, a "residual impact" is continuing to affect some Microsoft 365 apps and services.

"We're conducting additional mitigations to provide relief", the company Tweeted.

Air travel impacted worldwide by outages

We've been bringing you images of the long lines at Australian airports following the computing outage today.

Similar images have been seen all around the world as travel ground to a virtual halt in many countries.

The US's Federal Aviation Administration says United, American, Delta and Allegiant airlines have all been grounded by the outage.

As we mentioned earlier, airlines and railways have been affected in the UK and Germany, as well as other parts of Europe.

In India, Hong Kong and Thailand, many airlines were forced to manually check in passengers, while an airline in Kenya was also reporting disruptions.

ABC local radio presenter Andre Leslie was in Kuala Lumpur today, and took images of long lines at the airport with AirAsia's self-service kiosks shut down.

CrowdStrike shares fall nearly 12 per cent in premarket trading

Reuters is reporting that CrowdStrike's   Nasdaq-traded shares were down 11.8 per cent in premarket trading early Friday, US time.

Delays of up to 120 minutes expected on Victoria's regional train network

V/Line , the operator of regional rail and coach services in Victoria, has released a statement indicating customers can expect delays of up to 120 minutes as the company works to restore services.

Trains on the V/Line network were stopped at approximately 4.35pm due to a radio system fault linked to a widespread computing outage. Trains resumed about an hour later but significant delays are expected on all lines for a number of hours.

Coaches are in place at major train stations on the network.

For more information visit the V/Line website or call 1800 800 007.

Calls for inquiry into national outage as well as penalties for CrowdStrike's 'bad governance'

Here is associate professor at RMIT's School of Engineering Dr Mark A Gregory speaking on ABC News about the CrowdStrike outage and the need for the government to call an inquiry.

Dr Gregory says questions needed to be answered about compensation for the national outage as well as what penalties the company should face.

He said Australia was quite lax when it came to regulating foreign multinational companies like CrowdStrike.

"We don't appear to have the legislation and regulation to hold them to account to ensure that they follow good engineering practice, and that definitely has not happened in this case, as an inquiry should find," Dr Gregory said.

He attributed the outage to "bad governance" at CrowdStrike.

"There should have been no roll-out to an entire country or to the entire world without testing within CrowdStrike, and also testing on, for example, a company that has agreed to be a test site for that software," he told News Channel. "The idea that this update has been rolled out globally and has caused this sort of problem is unthinkable."

He said after a number of cybersecurity incidents in recent years, such as the 2023 Optus outage, Australia needed to consider stronger legislation and regulation "to ensure this type of event does not happen again".

"In every circumstance to date, Australia and our legislation and regulations have been found wanting," he said.

with Alicia Perera

Expert expects situation to be 'pretty well back to normal' by midday tomorrow

By Greig Johnston

Dr Mark Gregory , a network engineering expert at RMIT University, says he expects the problems to be largely resolved by tomorrow morning .

"Software like CrowdStrike's Falcon platform are typically rolled out from a central part of an organisation," Dr Gregory said. "They have IT support teams … they should be able to quite quickly apply the patch. "As we've heard, a problem exists if a computer has been turned off after the blue screen occurred, the computer will need to be turned back on so the patch can be applied. "But generally, I would expect this type of problem should be resolved by tomorrow morning. "IT teams are going to be working late tonight because they'll need to apply the patch, then there'll be a lot of testing. "I would expect by about midday tomorrow things should be pretty well back to normal."

Full statement from CrowdStrike regarding 'defect' causing worldwide outages

Earlier we posted the Tweet from CrowdStrike 's CEO regarding the cause of the worldwide computing outages . Here is the statement from the company again in full:

"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. "We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. "We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. "Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."

Small businesses frustrated by eftpos down

By Liana Walker

Business owner Danielle Hempseed said Fridays are always a busy day in her Rockhampton florist and gift shop, making the outage "frustrating".

"Having point of sales down, eftpos down, and emails down, it makes it really hard for us to operate," she said.

Ms Hempseed said the business has been experiencing dodgy reception recently, so they already had alternative payment options in place for when disaster struck, such as offering direct bank account transfers or processing the payment at a later time.

"We just have to trust [our customers] a little bit more," she said.

"We have always taken cash, that has never been an issue for us."

She said this is a reminder of how dependent her business is on technology.

Reporting by Scout Wallen

Victorians urged to call 000 in case of fire due to outages impacting automatic alarm calling

Victorian fire services are aware that some residential and business buildings that have monitored fire alarms may not automatically call the fire brigade due to current computing outages.

Victorians have been asked to call 000 if their building fire alarm is activated, or if they see flames or smoke, while the issue is being investigated by alarm companies.

Hospitals, airports and ports being impacted internationally

By Alicia Perera

Michelle Rimmer from the ABC's London bureau says the outage is having widespread impacts globally on industries ranging from transport to infrastructure and even healthcare.

"Across Europe, at airports in Spain, in Germany, there have been incidents that have been reported at almost all of the airports. They've had to revert to manual operations just to try and keep things running at this stage," she told News Channel. "The German government has said that critical infrastructure and operators have been impacted. "The Paris Olympic Committee have released a statement saying that they've been affected as well, however, they have contingencies in place to make sure that they can continue with their planning and preparations ahead of the opening ceremony in just one week's time. "Poland has said that its main shipping container terminal is struggling to keep up with any incoming ship loads — it's asked to not have any more containers dropped off. "So we're really seeing broad impacts across a range of industries across Europe."

She says the outage is even leading to healthcare delays in the UK, where hospitals and GP surgeries are currently "only able to treat some of the most urgent cases".

"That's because they can't access medical records," she says. "So they're reverting back to pen and paper to make sure that the most urgent emergency cases are still being seen, but others have been delayed."

Memories of 'Y2K'

Quite a few people in our comments have mentioned the outage has shades of "Y2K".

For those of our readers too young to remember, that was when — in the year 1999 — there were widespread fears of a technological catastrophe because old computers formatted the date with just the final two digits of the year, rather than the full four-digit year.

There were worries this glitch would turn into a full-scale meltdown as the clock ticked over into the year 2000.

Companies rushed to make sure their systems were "Y2K compliant".

Thankfully the problems reported on January 1, 2000 were pretty minor.

But this was in a time when cash was still in widespread use, before "tapping" was the preferred currency.

Consumers feel ripple effect due to CrowdStrike being 'heavily entrenched' in global IT supply chains

David Cullen from CISO Lens , the body that represents cybersecurity professionals in Australia and New Zealand, says CrowdStrike's software is "heavily entrenched" in global IT supply chains, so the issue doesn't just affect its customers, but its customers' customers and so on.

"This is a classic case of what happens when one supplier catches a cold, and the rest of us end up with the flu," he says. "Resolving this issue will take some time. It won't be as simple as turn it off and turn it on again." "When the dust settles, I hope that governments take the opportunity to partner with industry to capture lessons learned from this incident, to understand how we can better prepare ourselves for future major incidents and IT outages. "While this wasn't a cyber attack, the impacts are the same."

Introducing Kazakhstan

About kazakhstan.

• Images of Kazakhstan
• History, language & culture
• Weather & geography
• Doing business & staying in touch

Plan your trip

• Travel to Kazakhstan
• Where to stay

While you’re there

• Things to see & do
• Shopping & nightlife
• Food & drink
• Getting around

Before you go

• Passport & visa
• Public Holidays
• Money & duty free

Book your flights

• Almaty International Airport

Kazakhstan travel guide

Unexplored by many, Kazakhstan is a curious yet little-known land of vast plains, mountainous horizons and beautiful culture. Bordering Russia in Central Asia, it's truly massive in size – this is, after all, ranked as the world's ninth biggest country. It's also the most economically successful of those countries surrounding it, known fondly as the 'stans'. This is largely thanks to oil reserves, as well as other natural resources. The upshot? You can expect more modern, higher-quality hotels, restaurants and travel options compared to some of the country's poorer neighbours.

South Kazakhstan is a focus of Central Asian history, featuring many famous monuments. It is a scenically diverse region where the snow-capped peaks, lakes and glaciers of the Tian Shan range give way to steppe and desert. The desert is home to the Singing Barkhan - a sand dune 3.2km (2 miles) long, which, as it crumbles, produces a peculiar singing sound.

Almaty was until very recently the former capital of Kazakhstan and it enjoys a beautiful setting between mountains and plains. Still the country's biggest city, it is a hub of modern architecture, cool fountains, parks and spectacular mountain views. You can also expect irreverent nightspots, trendy cafes, and palatial malls there. The present capital of Nur-Sultan (Astana) is following in its predecessor's footsteps as a modern metropolis, with its space-age buildings clinging to the northern steppe.

The truth is, though, that travellers are more likely to be attracted to Kazakhstan's natural wonders. It's a beautiful country in its own haunting way, where intrepid travellers will enjoy hiking through the lofty mountains and down in the valleys of the Tian Shan. Its sparseness can seem mind-boggling, but you'll find plenty of wildlife if you look for it, especially in the lake-strewn steppe. It's also worth seeking out the underground mosques and villages that are scattered about the land. All in all, Kazakhstan is a special, unique country well worth discovering despite it being low on the radar of most tourists.

2,724,900 sq km (1,052,089 sq miles).

17,855,384 (UN estimate 2016).

6.7 per sq km.

President Kasymzhomart Tokayev since 2019.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov since 2024.

Travel Advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:

• women travellers
• disabled travellers

LGBT+ travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Kazakhstan set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Kazakh Embassy in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Kazakhstan.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Kazakhstan, your passport must be valid for at least 30 days from the date you arrive.

If you have a visa, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after your visa’s expiry date and at least one blank page

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.  

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. 

Kazakh-British dual nationality

Kazakhstan does not recognise dual nationality. If you are found to have a Kazakh passport and another passport, you will be fined and your Kazakh citizenship will be withdrawn.

Visa requirements

You can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days. You can make as many visa-free visits as you like, but you must not stay more than 90 days without a visa in any 180-day period.

To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons), you must meet the Kazakh Government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the  Kazakh Embassy in the UK . Also see  visa information from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs .  

Check the validity dates of your visa and any restrictions before you travel.

Applying for a visa

You can apply for a visa from the Kazakhstan government’s visa website .   

From 1 January 2024, British nationals who apply for a visa or residency in Kazakhstan will be required to submit biometrics (fingerprints) as part of the application process.

Registering with the Kazakh authorities

Your hotel or the person hosting you must register your arrival with the Kazakh authorities. They must do this within 3 working days of your arrival in Kazakhstan. They can register you online . The visa-migration portal has more details.  

Travelling overland between Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus

Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus are in a single customs union. If you want to travel overland in your own vehicle between these countries, make sure your customs declaration and temporary import licence are valid for your whole stay in all 3 countries. You can extend the import licence for up to one year by contacting the customs authorities in any of the countries.

Vaccination requirements

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Kazakhstan guide .

Depending on your circumstances, this may include a yellow fever certificate.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kazakhstan . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.  

Taking money into Kazakhstan

There are limits on how much foreign currency you can bring to Kazakhstan or take with you when you leave. For further information visit the  State Revenue Department if you have specific questions.

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad .

Terrorism in Kazakhstan

Terrorist attacks in Kazakhstan cannot be ruled out.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. Be alert for any security related announcements by the Kazakh authorities.

Political situation

Public demonstrations are only permitted when authorised by the Kazakh authorities in advance. Occasional unauthorised small-scale public protests take place. This may put participants at risk of arrest. Avoid any demonstrations or political gatherings. If you become aware of any nearby violence or disturbance, leave the area immediately.

Robbery and violent crime

There have been violent thefts in expatriate communities in Atyrau and Aktau in western Kazakhstan and in Astana and Almaty. This happens mainly at night in and around local nightclubs and bars or when arriving home late at night. Robberies are uncommon in cities and rural areas but do happen.

Avoid walking alone and pre-arrange your transport. Do not use unofficial taxis or a taxi already occupied by a passenger. You should agree the price of your journey, or book the taxi via an app where you can see the price.

Protecting your belongings

Pickpocketing is very common in crowded places such as markets and on public transport. Criminals may target foreigners as they are assumed to be carrying valuable items. Keep valuables in a safe place and out of public view.

Thieves may target luggage on trains. Always lock your railway compartment on an overnight train.

Beware of internet scams. Scammers may target you on dating apps or on visa-related websites.

Make sure you know the arrangements for you being met at the airport, and make sure the person is who they say they are.     

Drink and food spiking and sexual assault    

Drink spiking can happen in nightclubs and bars. Alcohol and drugs can reduce your vigilance, making you less in control.

Attacks, including sexual assaults, do occur. Avoid splitting up from your friends, do not leave drinks unattended and do not go off with people you do not know. Save the location of your accommodation on your maps app, so it’s easy to find.  See TravelAware ‘Stick with your mates’  for tips and advice.

Laws and cultural differences

Kazakhstan has a secular constitution, but you should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times.

Be careful how you use social media. Take care of the context in which you use images so that they do not offend. Take particular care with any images that show the Kazakh flag. 

Personal ID

Carry original ID such as your driving licence or passport at all times. Police patrolling the streets may ask for your ID, and copies are not acceptable. You will be need to show your original ID to enter state buildings.

Ramadan    

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. Cafés and restaurants may amend their menus, and be busy around fast-breaking (‘Iftar’). Areas around mosques are also likely to be busy around prayer times. Take particular care not to offend religious sensitivities at this time.

Alcohol laws and bans    

Shops are not allowed to sell alcohol between 11pm and 8am. Alcoholic drinks which have an alcohol content level of more than 30% cannot be sold between 9pm and 12 noon. Bars, restaurants and cafés are not affected by this.

If you are found drunk on the street by the police, they can take you to the police station, check your ID, issue you with a fine or detain you in a police cell overnight.

Smoking and e-cigarette bans 

Smoking including e-cigarettes is illegal in and near to:

• schools and playgrounds
• healthcare facilities
• public places - museums, libraries, cinemas, sport centres, public transport, nightclubs, airports, rail stations, underpasses
• cars with children travelling

The fine for smoking in an unauthorised place is around £90, and can be more if it’s a repeat offence. 

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

The police conduct regular drug raids in bars and night clubs. Stay calm and follow instructions.  If you do not possess and have not used illegal drugs you will likely be asked for identification and then allowed to leave.

If you possess or use illegal drugs, you could face a lengthy prison sentence, including:

• possession, manufacturing of drugs with distribution purposes – 5 to 10 years
• possession, manufacturing of drug with distribution purposes in large amounts – 6 to 12 years
• advertising drugs – fine or up to 3 years imprisonment

Prison conditions are basic.

Using cameras and sharing images

It is illegal to take photographs of or near military sites, border areas, airports and some official buildings. There may not be any signs warning about these restrictions. Some large shops and supermarkets do not allow photography.

Do not share or publish images that could be disrespectful to religion or culture, or national symbols. If you share or publish such images, you could get a fine or short detention depending on the situation.

Although same-sex relationships are not illegal, they are often not tolerated, especially outside of the major cities across the country.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .

Wildlife, animal products and souvenirs 

You are not allowed to export:

• art or antiques that have historical, cultural or scientific value
• gold, precious stones, rare minerals
• rare specimens of flora or animals

Take local expert advice.

Bringing drones into Kazakhstan

You can bring a drone to Kazakhstan without a licence. However, you must have a licence to use one. You risk a fine, detention and the confiscation of your drone if you do not have a licence. Apply for a drone licence from the Civil Aviation Committee. You should include technical characteristics of the drone and details of planned use (when, where and how long). See local regulations on drone licensing requirements (in Russian).

Transport risks

Road travel.

If you are planning to drive in Kazakhstan, see information on driving abroad and Kazakhstan’s rules of the road (in Russian).

You need a 1968 international driving permit ( IDP ) to drive in Kazakhstan. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.

The minimum legal age for driving is 16 for motorbikes and 18 for cars.

Hire car companies often have stricter requirements for their customers, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP .

Driving standards

Driving standards can be erratic. Many cars are not safely maintained and do not have rear seatbelts.

Many roads are poorly maintained. Roadworks and damaged roads are often not signposted. In remote rural areas, there are often stray animals on the roads. In winter, roads can be hazardous due to snow or ice.

Service stations are limited outside the main cities. Take all that you need for your journey, including water. Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained and in a good condition for long journeys.

Traffic police officers should provide you with official papers related to any alleged offence. 

Closed areas

The following areas are closed to visitors unless you have received prior permission from the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Kazakh National Security Committee:

• Gvardeyskiy village in the Almaty region of south eastern Kazakhstan
• the town of Baikonur
• the districts of Karmakchi and Kazalinsk in the southern Kyzylorda region

Border crossings

Officials may close the border crossing points at short notice.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

See further information about how to be prepared for extreme weather and natural hazards.

Since early April, severe flooding has affected Western and Northern Kazakhstan. A State of Emergency has been declared in Atyrau region. Infrastructure has been damaged and transport links within the region disrupted. Check with the local authorities if planning to travel within or to these regions and follow their advice.

Mudslides and landslides can occur in the mountain areas of south-east Kazakhstan.

Forest fires    

Forest fires affected east Kazakhstan in 2023. Regions in the Kazakh steppe can also be affected by grass fires. Take local advice.

Earthquakes 

Kazakhstan has several areas which are at high risk of earthquakes. Almaty is in an active seismic zone. The last major earthquake involving loss of life was in 1927. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake .

Before you travel check that:

• your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
• you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Emergency medical number

Dial 103 and ask for an ambulance. The operator answering may not speak English.

Contact your insurance company promptly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Vaccinations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip check:

• the latest information on vaccinations and health risks in TravelHealthPro’s Kazakhstan guide
• where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page

Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Kazakhstan. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro .

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.

Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro .

Make sure you have enough medication to cover your trip.

Basic medications such as aspirin are available without a prescription. For prescription medication you will need a valid prescription either from a local doctor or your UK prescription translated into Kazakh or Russian. Medications often come under different brand names, so ask for the drug’s generic name. If they are not available locally, it may be possible to get drugs to be couriered through a private clinic, for example, International SOS clinic.

Healthcare facilities in Kazakhstan

The medical facilities in Kazakhstan are not as advanced as in the UK. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of medical treatment or evacuation by air ambulance and repatriation. Medical personnel do not typically speak English.

FCDO has a list of English-speaking doctors in Kazakhstan .

There is also guidance on healthcare if you’re living in Kazakhstan .

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health . There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro .

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.

Emergency services in Kazakhstan

Ambulance: 103

Emergency and rescue service: 112 

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans , including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including: 

• finding English-speaking  lawyers ,  funeral directors  and  translators and interpreters  in Kazakhstan
• dealing with a  death in Kazakhstan
• being  arrested or imprisoned in Kazakhstan
• getting help if you’re a  victim of crime
• what to do if you’re  in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis , such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.

You can also contact FCDO online .

Help abroad in an emergency

If you’re in Kazakhstan and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the British Embassy in Astana .

FCDO in London

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

Find out about call charges

Risk information for British companies

The  Overseas Business Risk service  offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Book a Hotel

© Columbus Travel Media Ltd. All rights reserved 2024

IT outage: What has been impacted and where?

Airlines, banks and broadcasters across the world are affected by the meltdown - caused by an update global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike rolled out which affected Microsoft Windows PCs.

Friday 19 July 2024 20:00, UK

A global IT outage is affecting major services including airlines, banks, healthcare and broadcasters across the world.

The meltdown is related to a bug in an update from global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which has affected Microsoft Windows PCs and knocked systems across the globe offline.

CrowdStrike's chief executive said on Friday afternoon the company has identified the bug and is rolling out a fix - but warned it will still be "some time" before all systems return to normal.

Follow live: Major services across the world affected by outage

Here's what we know has been impacted so far. The list will be updated as we find out more.

Healthcare: NHS England says the "majority of GP surgeries" are affected - many have been unable to book appointments or access patient records

Two thirds of GP practices in Northern Ireland have been impacted, its Department of Health said - some practices are operating on an emergency appointment only basis as clinical systems are inaccessible

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Independent pharmacies - some are unable to access prescriptions and medicine deliveries have been affected No known impact on 999 or emergency services

Israel says 16 hospitals have been affected by the outage there

Airports: Heathrow - flights mostly "operational" but there are delays and some cancellations Luton - using manual systems for check-in services London Gatwick - warning of delays and some flights cancelled Manchester - cancellations and check-in taking longer for some airlines Edinburgh airport - cancellations and longer wait times due to outage Stansted Airport - cancellations and check-in services being done manually, causing queues outside the terminal Liverpool Airport - airlines affected Birmingham Airport - delays at check-in and some airlines affected Belfast Airport - whiteboard being used to provide flight details amid delays Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany All Spanish Airports Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Budapest Airport Sydney Airport in Australia Singapore's Changi Airport Hong Kong Airport Delhi Airport in India Narita Airport in Japan Prague Airport in Czechia Melbourne Airport in Australia Zurich Airport in Switzerland US airports including Miami International, Chicago O'Hare and John F. Kennedy in New York Swissport - one of the world's biggest ground handling services for airports, check-ins, and baggage - has also been impacted Traffic control provider National Air Traffic Services has not been affected

Anyone with a flight booking is being advised to check with their airline for the latest updates.

Avanti West Coast Gatwick Express Great Northern c2c Great Western Railway Hull Trains London Northwestern Lumo Railway Northern Railway Southern Railway Thameslink TransPennine West Midlands Rail Merseyrail Transport for Wales Malaysia's railway operator KTMB

Today was expected to be the busiest day for flight departures, but the following airlines are impacted by the tech outage:

UK and Ireland

British Airways Easyjet Ryanair Jet2

Wizz Air (Hungary) KLM (Netherlands) Eurowings (Germany) Swiss International Airlines TUI Turkish Airlines

United States Delta Air Lines American Airlines United Airlines Allegiant Airlines Spirit Airlines

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Virgin Australia Jetstar Qantas

SpiceJet Akasa Air Indigo Air India Express Vistara

Jeju Air (South Korea) HK Express (Hong Kong) Spring Airlines Japan AirAsia Philippines Singapore Airlines Cathay Pacific

Ferry services Port of Dover - people told to expect longer waiting times

Emergency Services:

911 lines in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Ohio

Broadcasters:

Sky News UK Sky Sports News ABC News in Australia CBBC - the BBC children's channel

Nationwide Santander Lloyds HSBC NatWest Bendigo Bank in Australia Adelaide Bank in Australia Capitec Bank in South Africa - services restored after disruption

Supermarkets: All major UK outages reported outages: Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and Lidl

Retailers: Waterstones - book shop has switched to cash only Wetherspoons - cash only and app down

London Stock Exchange News Platform (RNS)

Football clubs

Manchester United - ticket release postponed Hibernian Football Club - general ticket sale delayed Celtic Football Club - ticket sales postponed

A number of other English Football League clubs have also reported issues this morning:

Blackburn Bolton Bradford Chesterfield Everton Huddersfield Leyton Orient Lincoln Plymouth Preston Rotherham West Ham

🚨Unfortunately, due to a global Microsoft Servers outage which is affecting many systems, including ours, this morning’s ticket release will be postponed until midday. The website will also remain unavailable until the issue is resolved. Further updates will be provided here,… — Manchester United Matchday (@ManUtdMatchday) July 19, 2024

Online apps

Ladbrokes bookmakers Schoolcomms - an "all-in-one parent app"

What hasn't been impacted?

UK government IT infrastructure Supermarkets Asda and Iceland Metropolitan Police London Fire Brigade Transport for London services The UK ATM network No Chinese airlines affected

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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Huge Microsoft Outage Caused by CrowdStrike Takes Down Computers Around the World

Banks, airports, TV stations, health care organizations, hotels, and countless other businesses are all facing widespread IT outages, leaving flights grounded and causing widespread disruption, after Windows machines have displayed errors worldwide.

In the early hours of Friday, companies in Australia running Microsoft’s Windows operating system started reporting devices showing Blue Screens of Death (BSODs). Shortly after, reports of disruptions started flooding in from around the world, including from the UK, India, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US: TV station Sky News went offline, and US airlines United, Delta, and American Airlines issued a “ global ground stop ” on all flights.

The widespread Windows outages have been linked to a software update from cybersecurity giant ​​CrowdStrike. It is believed the issues are not linked to a malicious cyberattack, cybersecurity officials say, but rather stem from a misconfigured/corrupted update that CrowdStrike pushed out to its customers.

“Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally," said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement. "We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery.”

Engineers from CrowdStrike posted to the company’s Reddit forum that it has seen “widespread reports of BSODs on Windows hosts” occurring across its software, is working on the problem, and has advised a workaround for impacted systems . It also issued instructions to its customers in an advisory .

The incident has only impacted devices running Windows and not other operating systems. It's unclear exactly how widespread the issues are and how long they will take to resolve.

Hours after the issues started to emerge, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz issued a statement about the outages, saying the company has found a “defect” in an update for Windows that it issued. “This is not a security incident or cyberattack,” Kurtz said . “The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed.” In the statement, Kurtz confirmed that Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted by the update and said that its customers should refer to its support portal. He later apologized for the incident during a television interview .

At the same time as the CrowdStrike issues emerged, Microsoft was also dealing with its own, apparently unrelated, outage of its Azure cloud services . The company says the two incidents are not linked.

The outages could result in “millions” being lost by organizations impacted who have had to halt their operations or stop business, says Lukasz Olejnik, an independent cybersecurity consultant, who says the CrowdStrike update appears to be linked to its Falcon Sensor product. The Falcon system is part of CrowdStrike’s security tools and can block attacks on systems , according to the company.

“It reminds us about our dependence on IT and software,” Olejnik says. “When a system has several software systems maintained by various vendors, this is equivalent to placing trust on them. They may be a single point of failure—like here, when various firms feel the impact.”

The outage stemming from the CrowdStrike update has had a huge knock-on impact on public services and businesses around the world. Scores of airports are facing delays and long queues, with one passenger in India sharing a hand-written boarding pass that they have been issued. In the hours after the outages first emerged, more than 4,000 flights around the world have been canceled, although not all of them may have been directly linked to the disruption .

Within health care and emergency services, various medical providers around the world have reported issues with their Windows-linked systems, sharing news on social media or their own websites. The US Emergency Alert System, which issues hurricane warnings, said that there had been various 911 outages in a number of states. In Portland, mayor Ted Wheeler declared a city emergency as a result of some of the outages, although also said many systems were being restored. White House officials say president Joe Biden has been "briefed" on the CrowdStrike outages and his team is monitoring the situation.

Germany’s University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein said it was canceling some nonurgent surgeries at two locations . In Israel, more than a dozen hospitals have been impacted, as well as pharmacies, with reports saying ambulances have been rerouted to unimpacted medical organizations.

In the UK, NHS England has confirmed that GP appointment and patient record systems have been affected by the outages. One hospital has declared a “critical” incident after a third-party IT system it used was impacted. Also in the country, train operators have said there are delays across the network, with multiple companies being impacted.

Indicating the far-reaching nature of the disruption, the organizers of the Paris Olympics, which is due to start next week, said that its systems have been impacted in a “limited way.” According to a statement from the organizers, the affected systems are linked to the delivery of uniforms and its ticketing system hasn’t been impacted.

Among other services, CrowdStrike provides endpoint detection and response (EDR) to companies around the world. This EDR technology runs on thousands of “endpoints”—such as computers, ATMs, and internet-of-things devices—and scans them to identify real-time threats, such as malicious activity from cybercriminals. The company has more than 24,000 customers around the world.

Cybersecurity researcher Kevin Beaumont posted on X that he has seen a copy of the CrowdStrike update that was issued and says the file isn’t properly formatted and “causes Windows to crash every time.” Beaumont says, in further posts, that it appears there isn’t an automated way to fix the issues, at least currently. This may mean that impacted machines need to be manually rebooted before they can come back online, a process that could take hours or days depending on the impacted entity.

Brody Nisbet, the director of overwatch at CrowdStrike, also posted on X indicating that the workaround fix the company had issued involves booting up Windows machines into safe mode, finding a file called “C-00000291*.sys,” deleting it, and then rebooting the machine normally. “There is a fix of sorts so some devices in between BSODs should pick up the new channel file and remain stable,” Nisbet posted.

Update 7/19/24 1:35pm ET: This story has been updated with further comment from Microsoft, and additional details about the outage's impacts.

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35 Useful tips for traveling to Kazakhstan

By Joan Torres 1 Comments Last updated on May 8, 2024

Kazakhstan is, by far, one of the strangest countries I have ever been to, along with Azerbaijan .

On the one hand, it is a surprisingly developed country, home to the most Westernized city in Asia, Almaty, whose inhabitants are very European-minded, as well as some striking mountains. 

On the other hand, this oil-rich, barely populated country is also the 9th largest in the world and it is also home to some of the most bizarre places on Earth, like an old nuclear testing town, a drought sea, the Russian Cosmodrome and an extremely vast steppe with the occasional 2-humped hairy camel.

Kazakhstan has two faces and, for this reason, it can really have a place in everybody’s heart, both the traveler who likes to explore a cosmopolitan city and beautiful mountains and the avid traveler who likes to get deep into obscure places off the beaten track.

After traveling in Kazakhstan for a month, I have compiled this guide with all the travel tips you need to know.

In this Kazakhstan travel blog you will find:

Table of Contents

• Travel insurance for Kazakhstan
• The country, people and their culture
• Tourism in Kazakhstan
• Food and alcohol
• Transportation
• Accommodation
• More resources

our recommended travel insurance for Kazakhstan

With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Kazakhstan.

🪪 Visa requirements for traveling to Kazakhstan

1 – Visa-free –  Travelers from around 60 countries can travel to Kazakhstan without a visa and they can get it on the arrival at any international airport or land border. This includes EU passport holders, the USA, Canada, most Latin American countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and a large etcetera. The visa is valid for 30 days.

2 – Extending your visa – Like in the rest of Central Asia , extending your visa seems tricky but, if you leave the country and re-enter on the same day, you will automatically renew your visa for 30 more days. The easiest way would be going from Almaty to Bishkek, as Kyrgyzstan has even more liberal visa rules. However, I think the maximum you can stay is 90 days within a 180-day period.

3 – Registration –  For people traveling in Kazakhstan, there is a very strange rule: basically, when you enter the country, they will give you an immigration form which you need to fill in. Once you get it, the authorities will stamp it twice and that second stamp is your police registration. If you lose your card, upon your exit you will have to pay a fine.

Moreover, in the unlikely event that you don’t have a second stamp, you will have to register at the migration police station within 5 days of your arrival. If you don’t register, you could get into some serious trouble.

If you aren’t sure about whether you are eligible for a free visa, check the Caravanistan site .

🚑 Travel Insurance for Kazakhstan

4 – Get IATI Insurance for traveling to Kazakhstan.Why?

• It covers all sorts of adventure activities, including trekking
• It offers long-term plans, perfect for big overlanding trips around the Stans.
• All types of plans: from families to budget backpackers
• Covers senior citizens too
• Readers of this blog can get a 5% exclusive discount

💻 Internet when you travel in Kazakhstan

5 – Wi-Fi – It’s all right throughout the country. Nothing wow but I managed to work online without any problem. 

6 – Sim Card and 3G – SIM Cards and 3G data are really cheap and work well. Plans may vary depending on specific promos but I paid 2,000TEN and they gave me 20GB of data for 1 month. Amazingly cheap. 

eSIM for browsing, calling and traveling in Kazakhstan

Basically, an eSIM is a regular SIM card with a digital format that works like a normal physical SIM card, with the added benefit that you can buy it from home before the beginning of your trip, hence avoiding the hassle of buying it at your destination. 

With Holafly , you can get a SIM Card for a wide range of destinations, including Kazakhstan . 

Moreover, you can benefit from a 5% discount with the following code:  AGAINSTTHECOMPASS

Get a VPN for traveling in Kazakhstan

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Kazakhstan. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 Money when you travel in Kazakhstan

7 – Currency – In Kazakhstan, they use the Kazakh Tenge and approximately

1 USD = 440.90 KZT

8 – Currency exchange – You can easily exchange Euros or American Dollars in many banks and offices across the country. Just remember that, except for Russian Rubles, they aren’t very big fans of their neighbors’ currency. I am not sure about Kyrgyz SOM but I was never able to exchange the Uzbek money I had left.

9 – ATMs – In the big cities, ATMs are plentiful and in Almaty, you can pay by card in many places. However, do have cash whenever you are in the countryside.

10 – How much does it cost to travel in Kazakhstan – Personally, I found Kazakhstan particularly expensive, as it was the last country from all the Stans I visited, after 5 months in Central Asia. It is, definitely, the most expensive one but, when I looked at its prices in absolute terms, it became very affordable. These are the prices of the most typical things:

• Dorms – 2,000 to 4,000KZT
• Private rooms – from 5,000KZT
• Meals in local restaurants – Mains from 1,000 to 2,200KZT
• Meals in international, cool places – Mains from 2,000KZT
• Trains – Atyrau to Aralsk, 20 hours, 1,400km, 2nd class (4,000KZT)

Read: Useful tips for traveling to Uzbekistan

11 – Bribes – Would you believe when I tell you that a very common question I receive from travelers is about policemen asking for bribes in Central Asia ? Corruption in Kazakhstan and in the rest of the region is a well-known fact overseas. I personally didn’t have any problems but I heard from a traveler that the police asked him for money after checking his passport, claiming that there was something wrong with his visa.

Honestly, if you decide to pay them, not only are you really stupid but you will also be feeding their corrupt system. Because, seriously, how the hell is there going to be something wrong with your visa?

That guy didn’t pay obviously, basically because he told the policeman that, if there was something wrong, he preferred to be arrested and taken to the police station, so the policemen backed off.

Furthermore, a friend of me told me that he was arrested and taken into a room while he was smoking at the train station in Aktau, which was awful, as there were other people smoking as well. The policeman claimed that they had to pay a 100USD fine each. Smoking was technically allowed and if it wasn’t, no way would the fine be that expensive.

However, the policeman kept insisting, as he knew they were about to miss the train and they were going to Aralsk, which was 1,700km away, so it would have been a big deal to miss that train. They held the pressure, however, and, in the end, they agreed on paying around 20USD between the two of them, so they could catch the train.

Personally, I would have tried to hold a bit more, not because of the money but because I would hate that corrupt policeman to get away with it.

Read: Useful tips for traveling to Kyrgyzstan

🛫 Getting to Kazakhstan

12 – By plane – I strongly recommend flying to Almaty, as there are very cheap flights from Europe operated by Pegasus. Alternatively, you could also fly to Bishkek, as it is very close to Almaty and has cheap flights as well. Flying to Astana (today called Nur-Sultan) would also be an option and, if you are in Iran or Azerbaijan , consider flying to Aktau, as there is a daily budget flight.

13 – Overland (bus or train) – There are open land borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan . Practically, all of them are open and friendly, at least from the Kazakh site. I personally crossed by train from Uzbekistan .

14 – Overland (by boat) – Long-term overlanders like to take the ferry from Baku to Aktau, which takes 24 hours. I haven’t taken it but my friends from Journal of Nomads did. Check their report here .

Read: Kazakhstan 1-month itinerary

🕌 The country, people and their culture

15 – Welcome to the ex-Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan is a republic which, like most former Soviet republics, got its independence from Russia in 1991. It is, however, the country with the largest Russian influence in Central Asia, not only due to its buildings and remaining infrastructure but you can see it in their culture, and Kazakh people actually like Russia:

We like Russia because she takes cares of us’, a Kazakh friend of mine said. Kazakhstan is the only Stan that borders Russia, so it is obvious that their presence and influence is highly visible. 

16 – Kazakhstan today – The development of Kazakhstan is explained by its abundance of natural resources, such as oil and gas. It has really major, rich cities which have been totally built with the help of oil and have become business hubs filled with expats, like Atyrau, the first city I visited in Kazakhstan.

Moreover, the Government has been investing a lot in terms of education, one of their most successful policies being the opportunity of giving loads of scholarships to students to study abroad in major worldwide universities, with the only condition that they must come back and work in Kazakhstan after X years. This has led to a highly educated work-force for Kazakhstan.

However, Kazakhs claim that, given its abundance of natural resources, the situation should be much better and they blame a very corrupt and human rights-abusive President named Nursultan Nazarbayev , the first and only President that Kazakhstan has ever had. Since he was elected president of Kazakhstan back in 1991, Kazakhstan has never celebrated fair elections. 

17 – The Kazakhs – Kazakhs are descendants from Turkic and Mongolian tribes. They are very ethnically mixed but most of them have strong Mongolian features. The Kazakhs used to be a nomadic nation that moved across the steppe and their biggest contribution to the Silk Road trade was animal-related products, like fur.

18 – Language – Kazakh, a Turkic language, is the official language in Kazakhstan. Russian, of course, is widely spoken, more than anywhere else in Central Asia and, in Almaty, it is the preferred language. Actually, many Kazakhs from Almaty claim that their Russian is better than their Kazakh.

As per English, most young well-educated people from the main cities can speak English but, other than that, you should try to learn some Russian words if you decide to visit Kazakhstan. 

19 – Religion – Officially, Kazakh people are Muslim but, like in the rest of Central Asia, they are what I call Soviet Muslim , as their devotion to Islam was pretty much lost during the USSR .

Sure, you will see a few mosques with a couple of worshippers but most people are actually atheist and even those who do go to the mosque, also drink vodka whenever they have the chance. Saudi Arabia has actually invested millions in trying to reverse that.

Read: How to travel by train in Kazakhstan

🚶‍♂️ Tourism in Kazakhstan

20 – The land of the weird stuff – Like I said in the introduction, tourism in Kazakhstan is about very strange, remote places, so it is the perfect place destination those people who really like to get off the beaten track.

On the one hand, you have those long journeys on a Soviet train through thousands of kilometers of boring steppe, yet, it is a great way to meet locals.

Then you have those dark tourism places, like the Aral Sea or Semipalatinsk, a nuclear testing site whose inhabitants are still suffering from its brutal consequences today.

Moreover, there is also the forbidden Russian town where the Cosmodrome is (Baikonur), as well as extremely remote villages surrounded by nothing but steppe and hairy camels. Oh, and if that was not enough, you also have Astana (Nur-Sultan), one of those fake capitals built with the money from natural resources and composed of the most nonsensical buildings, sort of a Dubai concept I would say.

21 – Apart from weird stuff – I fully understand that there are many travelers out there who aren’t really into dark tourism nor visiting remote places just to see strange things, However, this shouldn’t stop you from visiting Kazakhstan, as I strongly believe that the city of Almaty and its surrounding mountains are a first-class touristic destination, as well the Silk Road city of Turkestan and the more traditional-oriented city of Shymkent. 

For more information, don’t forget to check my 1-month itinerary to Kazakhstan

🍲 Food and alcohol when you visit Kazakhstan

22 – Food sucks – I traveled for 5 months in Central Asia and Kazakhstan was the last country I visited, so I am completely biased, but seriously, the food is the same across the region and let’s say that high-cuisine is not their strength, precisely. In Kazakhstan, pelmeni (dumpling soup) would be the most common option, so is lagman  (noodles soup with terribly chewy and fatty beef). 

23 – You must try beshbarmak when you visit Kazakhstan – A national dish which consists of pasta layers, vegetables, and the star-ingredient being horse meat, all served in a huge flat dish with a bit of broth. Usually, it is a sharing dish, so the few restaurants that serve it require a minimum order of a couple of people. Kazakhs reserve beshbarmak for special occasions.

24 – Yes, horse meat is a thing – You can find horse meat in many countries from around the world but nowhere else like in Kazakhstan, where horse meat is the base of many of their dishes, so that’s why you can find farms all around the country.

I actually visited one horse-farm in Zhabagly, a mountain village around Shymkent. They had hundreds of horses and they told me that, when the horse gets into a certain age, they decide whether they keep it as a workforce or send it to the butchery. It was sad but this is life…

25 – Get drunk on vodka with the locals, at least once – In rural Kazakhstan, in places like Aralsk or even when you travel by train , you are likely to meet friendly locals who want to invite you to drink some vodka.

If you say yes, they will order a bottle and you can’t just drink one shot but you need to finish the bottle with them, otherwise, you will be considered a pussy. If you don’t feel like drinking more than a shot, then just say no from the beginning.  Vodka is always served very cold and a bottle costs just a few dollars. 

26 – In big cities you can find everything – I spent 8 days in Almaty and never ever ate any Kazakh food, like no way. It was my last destination in Central Asia before going back home, so I tried Japanese, Thai, Italian, and all sorts of international cuisine. You can seriously find everything. In Atyrau and Shymkent, I also found a few international options. 

27 – Vegetarians are nearly fucked – Local cuisine is meat-based, even salads sometimes, and usually, this is the only options outside Astana (Nur-Sultan), Almaty, and Atyrau pretty much. 

🛺 Kazakhstan travel guide – Transportation

28 – Train – Multi-day train journeys over the Kazakh steppe is an experience by itself and so much fun. For more information, I put together a train guide to Kazakhstan . 

29 – Bus – I never got in any bus when I was traveling in Kazakhstan but I always took the train. However, I know that it is also an option to move around cities.

30 – Shared taxis – In some more remote places where trains don’t go, the locals move around in shared taxis. They are significantly more expensive than any other transportation.

31 – City taxis – To avoid any hassles, I recommend you download Yandex , which is like the Russian Uber. 

🏨 Accommodation

32 – There all of sorts of accommodation – From backpacking hostels to 5-star hotels, in Kazakhstan, you can find all sorts of accommodation. I always booked them through Booking.com .

In my Kazakhstan itinerary , you can find different accommodation options from each city I visited.

Here are the 3 most popular options but, if you want to get deeper into the region, here’s my list of the best books on Central Asia

33 – Kazakhstan travel guide by Bradt –  Bradt just released the latest guide for traveling to Kazakhstan. You won’t find any more complete guide. Seriously, I have the Kindle version of all Bradt guides from all the countries I go because they are great.

34 – Central Asia Travel Guide by Lonely Planet – If you are traveling all around Central Asia, you may prefer to buy one book for the whole region. It’s all right but you will just get an overall picture.

35 – Once in Kazakhstan – If you are looking for good literature and get some political context, this is the one I would recommend, as it tells the story of all the struggles of Kazakhstan when it became an independent country

❗ More resources for traveling to Kazakhstan

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Kazakhstan destination

• Travel Guide to Astana
• Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan border crossing
• Train Guide in Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan Itinerary

Travel guides to other countries in Central Asia

• Tajikistan Travel Guide
• Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Uzbekistan
• Pakistan Travel Guide
• Afghanistan Travel Guide

One reply on “35 Useful tips for traveling to Kazakhstan”

Hi. You did a great job writing those 35 tips based on your experience travelling to Kazakhstan. As a Kazakh woman who returned to the US and really misses the place she grew up in, may I ask you to update the information about: 1 – currency (it’s around 485 KZT) 2 – president 3 – prices in the 10th tip (I think it’s too cheap) 4 – yeah, most people are nominal muslims, but there are also many Christians (orthdox or protestants like me) 5 – food doesn’t suck. vodka is a cheap drink to drink. but we also have fancy bars with high quality cocktails, that won many competitions in Central Asia. Thanks!

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Check the latest travel advice on visiting Kazakhstan from official government sources (in english) from around the world including entry requirements and travel restrictions.

• UK traveller advice for Kazakhstan - UK FCDO
• Irish traveller advice for Kazakhstan - Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
• Canadian travel advice for Kazakhstan - Government of Canada
• US travel advisories for Kazakhstan - US Department of State
• Safe travel advisories for Kazakhstan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, New Zealand
• Smarter traveller advice for Kazakhstan - Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia

Learn more about the current safety and security risks from terrorism, natural disasters and more. Read about the local laws and customs to consider when travelling around Kazakhstan.

Note : UK FCDO - UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

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Kazakhstan travel health

Find out more about staying safe when travelling to Kazakhstan with the latest guidance on required vaccinations and recommended medication to take with you.

• Vaccines & medicines for Kazakhstan - CDC
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• How to stay safe & healthy in Kazakhstan - Fit for Travel, Public Health Scotland

Check out the general travel tips for staying safe and healthy in Kazakhstan, risks of preventable diseases and what to pack.

Note : CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Kazakhstan covid live updates

Check the latest live updates on Covid-19 in Kazakhstan with the vaccination requirements, current available statistics and up-to-date travel advice from government agencies.

• Travellers' health for Kazakhstan - Ministry of Healthcare, Kazakhstan
• Coronavirus timeline in Kazakhstan - Our World in Data

Kazakhstan travel features

Do you want to learn more about Kazakhstan? Read our latest features covering travel tips and insider destination guides on where to go and what to do in Kazakhstan.

We don't currently have any travel features on Kazakhstan. Discover more about holiday destinations around the world with this selection of general travel articles.

Kazakhstan FAQs

Read our frequently asked questions about travelling to Kazakhstan including the current entry restrictions, covid rules, driving side, electrical plugs used and much more.

Are there entry restrictions to Kazakhstan due to Covid-19?

Kazakhstan is open for tourism from the UK. There are no special entry requirements for Kazakhstan. Check out Ministry of Healthcare, Kazakhstan for more information.

Do I need to quarantine in the UK if I travel from Kazakhstan?

You do not need to quarantine on arrival in the UK from Kazakhstan. The UK no longer requires a passenger locator form, Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination.

What is the time difference between Kazakhstan and the UK?

The time difference between Kazakhstan and the UK is UK time+5 to UK time+6 hours .

What is the main language spoken in Kazakhstan?

The main languages spoken in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian . Learn a language for Kazakhstan with Rosetta Stone * , Babbel * and Mondly * .

What is the currency in Kazakhstan?

The currency in Kazakhstan is the Kazakhstani Tenge ( KZT ).

Which plugs are used in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan uses electrical plug type C + F (220 Volts) .

Which side of the road do they drive on in Kazakhstan?

They drive on the right side of the road in Kazakhstan. Find out more about driving in Kazakhstan with International Drivers Association * .

Transport options for Kazakhstan

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Travel Advisory June 30, 2023

Kazakhstan - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Reissued after periodic review with updates to the Travel Advisory Level. Exercise normal precautions in Kazakhstan.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Kazakhstan.

If you decide to travel to Kazakhstan:

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Kazakhstan.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Embassy Messages

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Quick Facts

Three months.

Yes, for stays longer than 30 days

Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy astana.

Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Avenue 3 Astrana 010010 Kazakhstan Telephone: +(7) (7172) 70-21-00 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(7) (7172) 70-21-00 (or 011-7-717-270-21-00 from the U.S.) Fax: +(7) (7172) 70-22-80 Email:   [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Almaty Zholdasbekov Street 97 Samal-2 Almaty, Kazakhstan 050051 Telephone : +(7) (727) 250-49-01 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +7 727-250-76-12 (or 011-7-727-250-76-12 from the U.S.) Email:   [email protected]

Destination Description

See the Department of State’s  Fact Sheet on Kazakhstan  for information on U.S.-Kazakhstan relations.  

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Please see the  visa page of Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Washington  for the most current visa information.

• U.S. travelers may enter Kazakhstan without a visa for stays up to 30 days on each visit and may not stay more than a cumulative 90 days within a six-month period.
• Individuals seeking to stay beyond the 90-day limit within a six-month period may apply for a 10-year Kazakh tourist or business visa. These visas contain restrictions, permitting maximum stays of 60 or 30 days per visit, depending on the type of visa.
• Violating the authorized period of stay in Kazakhstan or engaging in activities inconsistent with your visa category may result in fines, imprisonment, and/or delays upon exit.

If you wish to apply for a permanent residency permit in Kazakhstan, prior to travel you should determine what documentation is required, including criminal background checks, and obtain any necessary authentication for those documents.

• For information about U.S. background checks, refer to the  Federal Bureau of Investigation’s website . The U.S. Mission in Kazakhstan does not fingerprint U.S. citizens.
• For information on authentication of documents, please see the Department of State Website .
• You must receive permission from the Kazakh government before traveling to certain areas bordering China and cities close to military installations. Please check the  Ministry of Internal Affairs website  for the list of closed areas or contact Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Washington, DC .

Russian Arrest Warrants:  Kazakhstan and Russia have law enforcement cooperation agreements in place that obligate information sharing on certain security and law enforcement matters. Russian authorities may request that their Kazakh counterparts give increased scrutiny to former and current U.S. government and military personnel with prior work in Russia. Additionally, Russian law enforcement or security services may request that the Kazakh authorities detain U.S. citizens upon entry or exit based on existing mutual assistance agreements.

HIV/AIDS Entry Restrictions: Some HIV/AIDS-related restrictions exist for foreign residents and workers in Kazakhstan.

• Visitors who receive a Kazakh work or residency visa must submit a health certification form, including negative HIV test results, with their application to the Migration Police in the city where they intend to work or reside in order to receive a work or residency permit after arriving in Kazakhstan. The results must be less than three months old.
• The city HIV clinic in the place of registration can conduct the test or may certify test results performed abroad.
• If the original test results are in a language other than Russian or Kazakh, they must be accompanied by an official, notarized translation.
• Please verify this information with Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Washington.

Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction , and  custom regulations  on our websites.

Safety and Security

Demonstrations  may occur. They may take place in response to political or economic issues, or on politically significant holidays. They may be accompanied by internet outages, and communications may be disrupted.

• Demonstrations can be unpredictable. Avoid areas around protests and demonstrations. 
• Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.
• Past demonstrations have ended in mass arrests.
• Check local media for updates and traffic advisories.

Terrorism:  Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack – including knives, firearms, and vehicles – to target crowds more effectively. Frequently, their aim is unprotected and/or vulnerable targets, such as:

• High-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.)
• Hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists
• Places of worship
• Shopping malls and markets
• Public transportation systems (including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights)

For more information, see our  Terrorism  page.

Crime:  The most common crimes encountered by foreign visitors are purse snatching, pickpocketing, assaults, and robberies, although all of these incidents are rare. Be vigilant and do not carry large sums of money or valuables on the street. Financial fraud, such as ATM skimming, is prevalent.

The police sometimes conduct identification checks in public areas. Police are not required to demonstrate probable cause to detain individuals. Upon request, you must produce either a passport or an Embassy or Consulate-certified copy of your passport.

Kazakh security personnel may at times place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms and telephones may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched.

Harassment and extortion by imposters, genuine law enforcement, and other officials does occur. Never voluntarily give your wallet to anybody. If pressured by a police officer, tell the officer that you will report the behavior to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate and to the officer’s supervisors. Try to obtain the officer's name, badge number, and license plate number, and note where and when the incident happened.

Do not use unmarked taxis. At the airport, do not leave with anyone who does not show pre-arranged identification, even if the person is holding a sign with your name.

The  U.S. Mission in Kazakhstan  is aware of isolated incidents when foreigners have been drugged, robbed, and physically assaulted at bars and nightclubs as well as in unmarked taxis.

International Financial Scams:  See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information.

Victims of Crime:  U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. Report crimes to the local police at 102 and contact the U.S. Embassy at (+7) 7172-70-21-00 or the U.S. Consulate at (+7) 7272-50-49-01. Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• Help you find appropriate medical care.
• Assist you in reporting a crime to the police.
• Contact relatives or friends with your written consent.
• Provide general information regarding the victim’s role during and after the local investigation.
• Provide a list of local attorneys.
• Provide information on victim’s compensation programs in the United States.
• Provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution.
• Help you find accommodation and arrange flights home.
• Replace a stolen or lost passport.

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence are encouraged to contact the Embassy or Consulate for assistance.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance. See our webpage for more  information on insurance providers for overseas coverage .

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  When traveling to a foreign country, you are subject to that country’s local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities, prior to practicing or operating a business.

• Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Kazakhstan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
• You may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you or if you take pictures of certain buildings or other sensitive infrastructure.
• Kazakh customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning the export of items such as antiques. Please see our  Customs Information  page for more information.
• Kazakhstan has a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of alcohol. You can be detained immediately if you are driving under the influence of alcohol.

Furthermore, certain acts of U.S. citizens overseas are prosecutable as crimes in the United States even if they are not illegal under the local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  U.S. Department of Justice .

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the Embassy or Consulate immediately. See our  webpage  for further information.

Counterfeit and Pirated Goods:  Counterfeit and pirated goods are prevalent in many countries and they may be illegal according to the local laws. Counterfeit and pirated goods may pose significant risks to consumer health and safety. You may be subject to fines and/or have to give up the counterfeit and pirated goods if you bring them back to the United States. See the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website and the  U.S. Department of Justice website  for more information.

Faith-Based Travelers:  Visitors to Kazakhstan engaging in missionary work or other religious activities must register with the Local Executive Authority office (Akimat) where the activities will take place. Kazakhstan also imposes restrictions on the importation of religious literature.

You may be fined and deported from Kazakhstan for performing any religious work without proper religious worker registration. Representatives of faith-based non-governmental organizations are considered subject to the registration requirement, even if their activities are not religious in nature.

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report  – see country reports
• Human Rights Report  – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers

International Volunteers:

• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTQI+ Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTQI+ events in Kazakhstan; however, these events may be disrupted by local authorities or members of the public. Negative social attitudes towards LGBTQI+ persons are widespread, and local LGBTQI+ persons are sometimes subject to physical and verbal abuse, as well as unwanted attention from police. See   our  LGBTQI+ Travel Information   page and section 6 of our  Human Rights report  for further details.

Travelers with Disabilities:  The law in Kazakhstan prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities, and the law is enforced. Social acceptance of persons with disabilities in public is not as prevalent as in the United States. Expect accessibility to be limited in public transportation, lodging, communication/information, and general infrastructure.

Students:  See our  Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers:  Domestic violence is common and sexual assaults do occur, though there have not been recent reports of sexual assault committed against U.S. citizens. See our travel tips for  women travelers .

Options for medical care are limited and well below U.S. standards. U.S. citizens often depart Kazakhstan for medical treatment, including many routine procedures. Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines are not widely available in Kazakhstan.

For emergency services in Kazakhstan call the Rescue Service by dialing 112. Other provider numbers are: 101 for Fire, 102 for Police, 103 for Emergency Medical Assistance, and 104 in the event of a gas leak.

Ambulance services are:

• not present throughout the country and are unreliable in most areas except in major cities.
• not equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment.
• not staffed with trained paramedics and often have little or no medical equipment.

Injured or seriously ill travelers may prefer to take a taxi or private vehicle to the nearest major hospital rather than wait for an ambulance.

The U.S. Embassy maintains  a list of doctors and hospitals . We do not endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic.

The Department of State does not pay medical bills.  Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance.

Medical Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our  webpage  for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage. Visit the  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  for more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas. Doctors and hospitals often expect cash payment for health services.

We strongly recommend  supplemental insurance  to cover medical evacuation.

Always carry prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. Check with  Kazakhstan’s National Center for Expertise  to ensure the medication is legal in Kazakhstan.

Water Quality : In many areas, tap water does not meet U.S. standards for potability. Many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested, and ice for drinks may be made using tap water. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe.  Be aware. Surface waters (streams, rivers, and ponds) are likely to be contaminated with animal waste. Try to avoid contact with these waters.

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations recommended  by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further Health Information :

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Air Quality:  Visit  AirNow Department of State  for information on air quality at U.S. Embassies and Consulates.

Earthquakes:  Kazakhstan is an earthquake-prone country. The U.S. Department of State has ranked the earthquake threat level within the Almaty region in particular as Level 4 (the highest level assigned). Building practices within Kazakhstan do not generally meet U.S. seismic standards. Local authorities do not have sufficient resources to respond to a large-scale disaster.

Adventure Travel 

• Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for more information about  Adventure Travel . 

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Roads in Kazakhstan may be in poor repair, especially in rural areas. Signage and lighting on roadways can be poor.

• Potholes are common and are often dangerously deep.
• Mountainous roads, including the highway between Almaty and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, should be avoided at night or during poor weather.
• Roads outside urban areas are often closed in winter months due to high winds and drifting snow.

Traffic Laws:  Drivers sometimes disregard traffic signals, ignore lane markings, drive after excessive alcohol consumption (despite official “zero tolerance”), drive into oncoming lanes of traffic, and move at excessive speed – including during adverse weather. Pedestrians sometimes ignore crosswalks and dart in front of cars.

• Visitors should drive defensively at all times, as many local drivers do not follow traffic laws. Road rage can be a problem, and we recommend a non-confrontational response to such behavior.
• Accidents involving severe injury and/or death do occur.
• Traffic police have reportedly stopped cars to extort bribes on city streets and at periodic checkpoints on major highways.

Public Transportation:  Buses can be crowded and unsafe.

Due to the danger of theft or assault, be selective regarding which taxi you use, and always avoid entering a cab that already contains persons other than the driver. The U.S. Mission highly discourages hailing unlicensed private vehicles on the street and negotiating a fee with the driver on the spot. Ridesharing applications are widely available.

See our  Road Safety page  for more information. Also, visit the  website of Kazakhstan’s national tourist office  for additional information on road safety.

Aviation Safety Oversight:  As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Kazakhstan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page .

U.S. government personnel are prohibited from traveling for official duties on Kazakh airlines without prior approval, except for Air Astana and FlyArystan, due to safety concerns.

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Kazakhstan . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

Travel Advisory Levels

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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Kazakhstan travel advice

Latest updates: The Health section was updated - travel health information (Public Health Agency of Canada)

Last updated: July 15, 2024 12:32 ET

On this page

Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, kazakhstan - take normal security precautions.

Take normal security precautions in Kazakhstan

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Petty crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing, purse snatching and vehicle break-ins occurs, particularly in Astana and Almaty.

Theft is frequent in or near tourist locations, including:

• public transportation, especially buses
• shopping areas
• open-air markets
• restaurants

During your stay:

• exercise caution
• ensure that your belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times
• be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially in crowded areas
• don’t walk or travel alone at night
• don’t show signs of affluence or wear expensive jewellery
• don’t carry large amounts of money
• be vigilant if approached by strangers seeking assistance
• don’t leave valuables within reach or in plain sight 

Violent crime

Violent crime against foreigners rarely occurs. However, there have been reports of attacks, muggings and robbery.

There have been incidents involving tourists outside of bars and nightclubs, especially at night, in Almaty, Astana and Atyrau. Residences of foreigners have also been targets for burglary.

Kazakhstan is a transit country for drugs, but there is also an increase in local production and consumption in urban areas, especially of synthetic drugs. Illicit drug trafficking and use may lead to violent spillovers and street crime.

• Exercise caution
• Avoid areas that seem unsafe
• Don’t walk alone at night
• Choose living accommodations that have adequate security measures
• When at home, don’t open your door to strangers under any circumstance
• Keep windows and doors locked at all times

There is a threat of terrorism. 

Terrorist attacks could occur at any time.

Targets could include:

• government buildings and military installations
• places of worship
• airports and other transportation hubs and networks
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Be particularly vigilant during:

• sporting events
• religious holidays
• public celebrations
• major political events, such as elections

Terrorists may use such occasions to mount attacks.

Credit and debit cards

Credit and debit card as well ATM fraud occur.

• Pay careful attention when others are handling your cards
• Use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank
• Avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature
• Cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN
• Check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements

Cybercrime occurs frequently in Kazakhstan, especially online extortion and identity theft. There are several reported cases of Canadian citizens transferring money to individuals in Kazakhstan and losing contact with the swindlers once the transaction is completed.

Criminals can compromise public Wi-Fi networks to steal personal data or credit information. They can also monitor social media and listen to your phone conversations. 

• Don’t transfer money to strangers
• Don’t share personal information over the phone or online, including on social media
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks 
• Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) when browsing on the Internet
• Avoid shopping on unencrypted websites 
• Don't click on suspicious links that ask for your banking information in an e-mail or text message 

Fraudulent police officers

Thieves posing as police officers have approached foreign travellers and asked them to pay alleged fines. There are also reported cases of online scams by individuals posing as investigators asking people to confirm their personal information in the context of an ongoing investigation.

If you face a similar situation:

• offer to go to the nearest police station
• ask to see police credentials
• remain vigilant

Overseas fraud

Demonstrations

Demonstrations take place occasionally and require approval from local authorities.

In 2022, security forces strongly intervened in large-scale demonstrations across Kazakhstan. The demonstrations led to vandalism and violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which resulted in hundreds of casualties.

The situation has since returned to normal without any further disturbances, but you should expect a heightened presence of security forces on or around politically important days.

Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.   

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Spiked food and drinks

Never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers. Be wary of accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances. These items may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery.

Women’s safety

Women travelling alone may be subject to some forms of harassment and verbal abuse. 

Advice for women travellers

Road safety

Road conditions.

Road conditions vary throughout the country. They are generally in good condition in and around major cities, but in rural areas, they are poorly maintained and dangerous due to:

• large potholes
• malfunctioning or absence of traffic lights
• insufficient lighting
• uneven surface
• bad road markings and signage

Fuel shortages occur occasionally, even in major cities and gas stations are limited in rural areas.

If you travel to remote areas:

• keep in mind that services and roadside assistance may be limited
• keep your gas tank full
• make sure that you have an adequate supply of food and water

During winter, driving conditions are hazardous, particularly in the Kazakh Steppe. Roads and highways regularly close due to cold, wind and snow.

Driving habits

Drivers are reckless and often disregard traffic laws, especially during rush hours.

Typical behaviours include:

• sudden lane changes without signalling
• driving on the opposite side of the road and astride lanes
• driving and parking on sidewalks
• stopping abruptly

Pedestrians often cross in the middle of the road and drivers don’t always give pedestrians the right of way.

If you’re driving in Kazakhstan:

• always drive defensively
• avoid driving at night
• use main roads and highways as much as possible
• always carry a cellphone and a charger

Public transportation

In major cities, buses are generally in good condition. However, they are often overcrowded and  pickpockets are common.

• Always carry your valuables and identification with you
• Avoid storing bags in the overhead compartment or under your seat
• Don't take buses that look overloaded or in poor condition

When travelling to or between rural areas, avoid using minibuses called ‘’Marshrutka’’. They often lack security features like seatbelts.

Official and unofficial taxis operate in Kazakhstan.

Unofficial taxis don’t always have roof-mounted taxi signs and are not always equipped with safety features like seatbelts.

Unofficial taxis may pick up additional passengers, which poses a risk to your safety. There are reports of passengers being overcharged, and becoming victims of robbery, assault and harassment by unmarked taxi drivers.

At airports, some drivers may insist to get you into their car and will significantly overcharge you.

In major cities, there are ridesharing applications through which you can order taxis with generally safer vehicles and fixed fares, except if you select the cheapest category.

If you choose to take taxis during your stay:

• order your taxi at the reception if you are staying at a hotel
• don’t use unmarked taxis
• never share a taxi with strangers
• confirm the fare in advance
• have small bills available for payment

While rail service is reliable and relatively safe, onboard robberies do occur.

• Make sure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times
• Don’t leave your compartment unattended
• Keep the door locked from the inside

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the authorities of Kazakhstan. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the expiry date of your visa, if required. If the purpose of your travel to Kazakhstan requires a visa, you should keep at least two blank pages in your passport. If the purpose of your travel to Kazakhstan doesn’t require a visa, you should keep at least one blank page in your passport.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: not required for stays of up to 30 days for a maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period. Business visa: not required for stays of up to 30 days for a maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period. Student visa: required

You could face various penalties if you overstay or if you don’t comply with the terms of your visa including:

• deportation
• prison terms

Ensure that your visa corresponds to the type of activity you plan to undertake.

Visa to Kazakhstan - Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Canada

Closed zones

Kazakh authorities prohibit access to certain areas if you don’t obtain prior authorization. This includes areas along the border with China and close to military installations, such as the city of Baikonur.

If you intend to travel in these areas, you should contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the nearest embassy or consulate of Kazakhstan to obtain the necessary approvals.

• Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from or have transited through an airport of a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a risk in some areas of this destination. It is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is spread to humans by the bite of infected ticks or occasionally when unpasteurized milk products are consumed.

Travellers to areas where TBE is found may be at higher risk  during April to November, and the risk is highest for people who hike or camp in forested areas.

Protect yourself from tick bites . The vaccine is not available in Canada. It may be available in the destination you are travelling to.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is a viral disease that can cause fever, pain and bleeding under the skin.  In some cases, it can be fatal.  It spreads to humans through contact with infected animal blood or tissues, or from the bite of an infected tick.  Risk is generally low for most travellers.  Protect yourself from tick bites and avoid animals, particularly livestock.  There is no vaccine available for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

Medical services and facilities

Medical services and facilities are below Canadian standards. The equipment is often obsolete and not adequate for serious medical procedures. Medical facilities may lack basic supplies, especially in rural areas.

You will likely need medical evacuation in case of serious illness or injury.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Some prescription medication may not be available in Kazakhstan.

If you take prescription medication, you’re responsible for determining their legality in the country.

• Bring sufficient quantities of your medication with you
• Always keep your medication in the original container
• Pack them in your carry-on luggage
• Carry a copy of your prescriptions

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. 

Drugs, alcohol and travel

2SLGBTQI+ persons

The law of Kazakhstan doesn’t criminalize sexual acts or relationships between individuals of the same sex.

However, 2SLGBTQI+ persons could be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Kazakhstan.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Kazakhstan, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Kazakhstan.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Kazakhstan by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Kazakhstan to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

Religious proselytism

Religious proselytizing and certain religious activities are illegal in Kazakhstan, including:

• importing, producing and distributing religious content without prior approval from the government
• practicing private religious education without registration
• holding religious ceremonies without prior approval from the government

If you engage in illegal religious activities, you could face:

• heavy fines
• lengthy jail sentences

Dress and behaviour

Kazakhstan is a secular country. However, Islamic practices and beliefs are adhered to, particularly in rural areas.

To avoid offending local sensitivities:

• dress conservatively
• behave discreetly
• respect religious and social traditions

Photography

Photographing may be restricted or prohibited, including in or near:

• military installations
• government buildings
• airport facilities
• border areas

Some large shops and supermarkets also prohibit photography.

Seek permission before taking photos, especially of official buildings and individuals.

Identification

Local authorities may ask you to show identification at any time.

• Carry valid identification such as your passport and visa with you at all times
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, in case it is lost or confiscated
• Keep a digital copy of your ID and travel documents

Kazakhstan has a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving.

A Canadian driver’s licence alone is not acceptable to drive in Kazakhstan. You must carry an international driving permit.

You must carry an international driving permit.

International Driving Permit

The currency is the Kazakh tenge (KZT). You should carry cash when travelling to rural areas as credit and debit cards may not be as widely accepted as in major cities.

Foreign currency declaration

There are restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency. You must declare all foreign currency in your possession equivalent to more than 10,000 USD.

Foreign currency declarations apply to:

• traveller's cheques
• any other monetary instruments

Import and export of foreign currency – State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan experiences severe weather conditions, especially in the winter when temperatures can fall below -30°C and strong winds can result in wind chills that make it feel below -50°C.

If you’re travelling outside of urban areas in the winter:

• keep informed of local and regional weather forecasts
• warm clothing
• a first aid kit
• food and water

Seismic activity

Kazakhstan is located in an active seismic zone. Earthquakes occur regularly, particularly in the Almaty region. Landslides are possible in affected areas, and strong aftershocks may occur after the initial quake. Earthquakes may also trigger avalanches in mountainous areas, especially in the spring.

Avalanches and landslides can make roads impassable, cause power disruptions and disturb other essential services.

If an earthquake occurs:

• avoid the affected areas
• monitor local media to stay informed on the evolving situation
• follow the instructions of local authorities
• Earthquakes - What to Do?
• Latest earthquakes  - U.S. Geological Survey

Wildfires are common throughout the country between July and August, when temperatures can reach +40°C.

The air quality in areas near active fires may deteriorate due to heavy smoke.

In case of a major fire:

• stay away from affected areas, particularly if you suffer from respiratory ailments
• follow the advice of local emergency services personnel
• monitor local media for up-to-date information on the situation

Air pollution

Industrial pollution is severe in Almaty and Astana, particularly from November to March, when residents burn coal to heat homes and two coal-fired thermoelectric plants operate.

Monitor air pollution levels, which change quickly, especially if you suffer from respiratory ailments or have pre-existing medical conditions.

During periods of high pollution:

• limit your activities outdoors
• monitor local media

Local services

In case of emergency, dial:

• firefighters: 101
• police: 102
• ambulance: 103
• emergency assistance: 112

Consular assistance

Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada to Kazakhstan, in Astana, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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Foreign travel advice

Get advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.

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Travel Vaccines and Advice for Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and was the last of the Soviet Republics to do so. Its largest city, Almaty, is a central trading hub and has several landmarks including the Ascension Cathedral.

On This Page: Do I Need Vaccines to Enter Kazakhstan? Do I Need a Visa to Enter Kazakhstan? What Is the Climate Like in Kazakhstan? How Safe Is Kazakhstan? Visiting the Charyn Canyon What Should I Pack for Kazakhstan? Embassy of the United Kingdom in Kazakhstan

Do I Need Vaccines for Kazakhstan?

Yes, some vaccines are recommended or required for Kazakhstan. The National Travel Health Network and Centre and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Kazakhstan: COVID-19 , hepatitis A , hepatitis B , typhoid , yellow fever , tickborne encephalitis , rabies and tetanus .

See the bullets below to learn more about some of these key immunizations:

• COVID-19 – Airborne – Recommended for all travellers
• Hepatitis A – Food & Water – Recommended for most travellers to the region, especially if unvaccinated.
• Hepatitis B – Blood & Body Fluids – Accelerated schedule available
• Tetanus – Wounds or Breaks in Skin – Recommended for travelers to most regions, especially if not previously vaccinated.
• Typhoid – Food & Water – Jab lasts 3 years. Oral vaccine lasts 5 years, must be able to swallow pills. Oral doses must be kept in refrigerator.
• Yellow Fever – Mosquito – Required if travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Tickborne Encephalitis – Ticks or Unpasteurised Products – Transmission is widespread. Spread is most common from early spring to late autumn.
• Rabies – Saliva of Infected Animals – High risk country. Vaccine recommended for long-stay travellers and those who may come in contact with animals.

See the table below for more information:

See our vaccinations page to learn more about these infections and vaccines. Ready to protect yourself? Book your travel health appointment today by calling or schedule online now .

Do I Need a Visa to Enter Kazakhstan?

A visa is required for stays in Kazakhstan, as a response to COVID-19. It is unclear whether this rule will persist beyond the pandemic. Passports must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your date of entry. Penalties for overstaying a visa or period of visa-free travel are steep and can include imprisonment. Registration with local authorities is required throughout your stay.

Registration with local authorities is required throughout your stay.

Sources: Embassy of Kazakhstan and GOV.UK

What Is the Climate Like in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan known for very cold winters with a with snow accumulation. But, there are plenty of blizzards, dust storms, and strong winds. Winter lasts from November until the end of April.

The country is very arid and contains many sweets. Spring in the northern and central region tends to bring flooding. The summers are dry and hot with temperatures in the high-20’s. The end of September until the beginning of November brings the cool Autumn.

How Safe Is Kazakhstan?

All foreigners must carry a valid passport whilst in Kazakhstan. You may be placed under surveillance. Phone calls and hotels may be monitored as well as searched.

Crimes such as pickpockets, purse snatching and robbery are the most common. Other more serious crimes such as hole-in-the-wall skimming are becoming more common.

To protect yourself from being a victim you take the following precautions:

• Never enter an unmarked or unregistered cab. All cabs should show pre-arranged identification or produce it upon request.
• Always remain aware of your surroundings especially at night or in busy places.
• Avoid violence by complying with street criminals demands. Once you reach safety, report it to the nearest constable and the UK Embassy.

Visiting the Charyn Canyon

Charyn Canyon is in Charyn National Park whose mission is to preserve the geography and nature of the landscape. The area is also home to many endangered species which the park is fighting to protect. The canyon itself has a depth of 200 meters and was formed over 12 million years ago. The canyon is known for its “Valley of Castles,” which is an area of rock deposits in the form of a tower. The canyon itself is also home to over 1500 plant and animal species.

What Should I Pack for Kazakhstan?

Packing for any destination can be stressful. Check out this helpful list for everything you may need for Kazakhstan.

• Warm layers are necessary for cold nights as temperatures can become very cold at night.
• Waterproof boots and jacket are handy for unpredictable rainfall.
• Good hiking boots are better for long hikes than regular trainers.
• Hand sanitizer can help prevent you from getting ill.
• Insect repellent is a must to protect against mosquitoes in the summer.
• Bring all private medications or other necessities such as contact lenses. You may not be able to buy them in Kazakhstan.

Embassy of the United Kingdom in Kazakhstan

If you are in Kazakhstan and have an emergency (for example, been attacked, arrested or someone has died) contact the nearest consular services. Contact the embassy before arrival if you have additional questions on entry requirements, safety concerns or are in need of assistance.

British Embassy Astana 62 Kosmonavtov Str. Renco Building, 6 Floor Astana 010000 Kazakhstan Telephone: +7 (7172) 556200 Emergency Phone: +7 (7172) 556200 Fax: +7 (7172) 556211 Email: [email protected]

Ready to start your next journey? Ring us up at or book online now !

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Travel Advice for Kazakhstan

Going to Kazakhstan and need to know about the latest government travel advice for Kazakhstan? Find the updated travel advice and travel warnings for Kazakhstan from governments around the world, here.

General Travel Advice and Warnings for Kazakhstan

The decision to visit to Kazakhstan is your choice and you are accountable for your individual health and safety whilst in Kazakhstan.

The material on this web page is provided for information only and pulled together from travel advice and warnings for Kazakhstan by governments around the world to their citizens.

While we strive to offer you latest travel advice details, it is given on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied.

This operators of this web site does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

General Cautions You Need to Keep in Mind Whilst Taking a Trip in Kazakhstan

Crime – Petty crimes such as pick pocketing in a congested environment to sexual assault and muggings do occur in bigger cities of Kazakhstan. Ensure that all your personal belongings, including passports and other travel documents, are safe at all times.

Terrorism – Constantly be aware of your surroundings when in public locations. Be particularly cautious if going to sporting occasions and throughout religious holidays and other public celebrations, as terrorists often use such occasions to mount attacks.

Demonstrations and Protests – Demonstrations might take place. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. It is in your interest of safety to avoid locations where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place and follow the guidelines of local authorities. Monitor local media in Kazakhstan for info on ongoing protests in Kazakhstan.

Scams – Take care in crowded tourist locations in Kazakhstan, where scammers target foreigners. If you have actually been scammed in Kazakhstan, reach a safe place right away; make note, as soon as possible of the name and address of the facility where you were held; inform the authorities in Kazakhstan and obtain a record and if your credit card is used by the scammer call your credit card provider to report the scam; they will likely request a copy of the police report to cancel the financial transaction.

Spiked Food and Beverages – Never leave food or beverages unattended or in the care of strangers whilst travelling in Kazakhstan or anywhere else. Watch out for accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from unknown acquaintances. These items might have drugs that might put you in danger of sexual assault and robbery.

What is the entry/exit requirements for Kazakhstan?

Every nation or territory chooses who can enter or leave through its borders, in the same manner Kazakhstan decides who enter its territories. The Government of your home country cannot interfere on your behalf if you do not meet your Kazakhstan’s entry or exit requirements.

To read more regarding the entry/exit requirement for Kazakhstan check out visa requirements for Kazakhstan or get the most recent information with the visa office at the Kazakh embassy in your home country.

Travel insurance for Kazakhstan

Travel health cover is one of the main factors travellers obtain travel insurance. It will not prevent you getting sick or hurt, though it can stop you suffering financially. Medical assistance overseas can be very expensive.

You must pay for all healthcare you get overseas. You can’t expect to get free or subsidised treatment through your Kazakhstan’s public health system, like you would in your home country.

If you can not pay, local authorities might arrest you. The government from your home country can not pay you health care bill for you, loan you money or get you out of jail.

You require travel insurance policy for travelling to Kazakhstan . You also need to make sure you select a plan that is right for you.

Read through the fine print of your travel insurance policy.

Declare all pre-existing conditions to your travel insurance provider upfront. If you do not, you may void your travel insurance coverage.

Inform your travel insurer the activities you intend to do, before you go. Many popular activities like snowboarding are left out in basic policies. You might require to pay additional.

Check if you have free credit card travel insurance policy. Some cards include travel insurance coverage cover. Nevertheless, they frequently have different conditions than paid plans. Be aware of the differences.

If you’re going to Kazakhstan from a country that has a reciprocal health care agreement, you still require travel health insurance. Agreements are restricted in what they’ll will cover.

If you have a terminal health problem, you might not have the ability to obtain basic travel insurance policy. However you might be able to find a specialised insurance provider that covers you for health, mishaps or property issues unconnected to your disease. Talk with your insurance company to learn.

Find out more about obtaining worldwide travel insurance coverage for Kazakhstan prior to you go.

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Entry requirements

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Kazakhstan set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Kazakh Embassy in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Kazakhstan.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Kazakhstan, your passport must be valid for at least 30 days from the date you arrive.

If you have a visa, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after your visa’s expiry date and at least one blank page

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.  

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. 

Kazakh-British dual nationality

Kazakhstan does not recognise dual nationality. If you are found to have a Kazakh passport and another passport, you will be fined and your Kazakh citizenship will be withdrawn.

Visa requirements

You can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days. You can make as many visa-free visits as you like, but you must not stay more than 90 days without a visa in any 180-day period.

To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons), you must meet the Kazakh Government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the  Kazakh Embassy in the UK . Also see  visa information from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs .  

Check the validity dates of your visa and any restrictions before you travel.

Applying for a visa

You can apply for a visa from the Kazakhstan government’s visa website .   

From 1 January 2024, British nationals who apply for a visa or residency in Kazakhstan will be required to submit biometrics (fingerprints) as part of the application process.

Registering with the Kazakh authorities

Your hotel or the person hosting you must register your arrival with the Kazakh authorities. They must do this within 3 working days of your arrival in Kazakhstan. They can register you online . The visa-migration portal has more details.  

Travelling overland between Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus

Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus are in a single customs union. If you want to travel overland in your own vehicle between these countries, make sure your customs declaration and temporary import licence are valid for your whole stay in all 3 countries. You can extend the import licence for up to one year by contacting the customs authorities in any of the countries.

Vaccination requirements

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Kazakhstan guide .

Depending on your circumstances, this may include a yellow fever certificate.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kazakhstan . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.  

Taking money into Kazakhstan

There are limits on how much foreign currency you can bring to Kazakhstan or take with you when you leave. For further information visit the  State Revenue Department if you have specific questions.

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