Kazakhstanis will be able to formalize consent for cremation on eGov

Kazakhstanis can now formally register their lifetime intention for cremation through the eGov portal, a new digital service aimed at streamlining the process. Users can access the service under "Public Services," within the "Birth, Marriage and Family" or "Healthcare" categories, and complete an electronic form. The application requires a digital signature and is processed within 15 minutes.

This digital option replaces the previous requirement for legal notarization of such declarations. Users also retain the ability to cancel any previously registered cremation declaration at any time. The introduction of this service follows the opening of Kazakhstan's first and only crematorium in Almaty at the end of April 2024.

The Almaty crematorium, located in the industrial zone of the Alatau district, is equipped with storage units, a dissection room, a farewell hall, and two furnaces capable of reaching 1,100 degrees Celsius. While any individual in Kazakhstan can opt for cremation with a lifetime declaration, it is not permitted in cases involving criminal investigations into the death. The service itself costs 240,000 tenge, with separate charges for body transportation, storage, and preparation. Currently, Kazakhstan lacks a columbarium, and scattering ashes is prohibited by law, leaving options for remains to be stored at the crematorium, taken home, or buried in a relative's grave.