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Do I need QazETA to enter Kazakhstan?

Checked

Short answer

Not yet. Right now: Recommended, not mandatory. Since 1 November 2026 border points have been checking QazETA in stages, and from 1 July 2027 you can be refused entry without it. If you can visit Kazakhstan without a visa, apply in the official app at least 72 hours before you travel.

Status right now
Recommended, not mandatory
Checks start at the first border points
1 November 2026
QazETA becomes mandatory
1 July 2027
How far ahead to apply (minimum)
72 hours

All confirmed by an official source.

Sources for this answer (4)

Who needs QazETA

QazETA is an electronic travel authorization (ETA). It is for foreigners who can enter Kazakhstan without a visa: Citizens of 85 countries who can enter Kazakhstan without a visa. If you need a visa for Kazakhstan, you apply for the visa instead.

The Foreign Ministry lists 29 groups of people who do not need QazETA, if they carry documents that prove it. The main ones:

  • by age: Children under 16 and people over 65;
  • holders of a valid Kazakh visa or residence permit;
  • passengers in transit who stay in the airport;
  • diplomats and official delegations;
  • crews of aircraft, ships and trains, and drivers on international truck and bus routes.
Sources for this section (2)

  • Who needs QazETA

    Citizens of 85 countries who can enter Kazakhstan without a visa

    The official notice gives the number of countries but not the list.

    Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan (official), 28 October 2026

  • Exempt because of age

    Children under 16 and people over 65

    The official notice says “over the age of 65” (in Russian, “старше 65 лет”). Like every exemption, it applies only if you carry documents that prove it.

    Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan (official), 28 October 2026

When it becomes mandatory

Kazakhstan is bringing QazETA in step by step. Until the last date, border officers check for QazETA and explain the rule, but they do not turn people away for not having it.

From Where QazETA is checked
1 November 2026 Aktau airport and four road crossings
1 January 2027 Astana and Almaty airports
1 March 2027 All other border points
1 July 2027 Everywhere, and you can be refused entry without it

Earlier reports said QazETA would be mandatory from 1 November 2026 and would cost about 3,900 tenge. The final rules, confirmed by the Foreign Ministry, replaced both.

Sources for this section (4)

How to apply

  1. Apply here: In the official QazETA app (Google Play or App Store).
  2. Have ready a passport valid for at least 6 months, an email address and the purpose of your trip.
  3. Apply at least 72 hours before you travel. Processing time: About 10 minutes, according to the platform.
  4. Fee: Free. Be careful with websites that charge you to apply.

QazETA is valid for 180 days. It does not change how long you may stay in Kazakhstan, and having one does not guarantee entry: border officers make the final decision.

Sources for this section (6)

What we could not verify

  • The full text of the government decree. The dates, the fee and the exemptions on this page come from the Foreign Ministry's official notice of 28 October 2026, which summarises it.
  • The full list of the 29 groups of people who do not need QazETA. The official notice names only the main groups shown here.
  • The list of the 85 countries whose citizens need QazETA.

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This is an independent guide, not a government website. Rules change often. Before you travel, check the official source linked next to each fact.