Kazakhstan Interior Ministry: QazETA not yet required for entry

Foreign travelers do not yet need Kazakhstan’s QazETA electronic authorization to enter the country, and applying for it currently costs nothing.

Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said the system has operated in pilot mode since August 25. The absence of QazETA cannot be grounds for refusing entry, and the current border-crossing procedure remains in place.

The ministry said it would separately announce when the authorization becomes mandatory, which countries will be included, how applications will work and what fees will apply. QazETA does not replace a visa or alter the permitted length of stay in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan had previously planned to introduce paid electronic entry permits for visa-free foreign travelers. Reports said QazETA would become mandatory for air arrivals from November 1, before the requirement expanded to people arriving by road, rail and sea. Earlier estimates put the advance application fee at about 3,900 tenge, or 7.3 euros, and the border application fee at 7,800 tenge, or 14.6 euros.

The state digital platform is designed as a single window for migration and related services, covering matters from entry into Kazakhstan to everyday dealings with government agencies. The project remains in pilot mode and is being introduced in stages.