Kazakhstan ETA (QazETA): Free, Mandatory from 1 July 2027. Who Needs It and How to Apply
Last checked October 14, 2026
QazETA is Kazakhstan's electronic travel authorization for visitors who enter without a visa. It is free and becomes mandatory on 1 July 2027. Until then nobody is refused entry for not having one.
The 1 November 2026 start and the 3,900 tenge fee that circulated in September are out of date. The Government's decree of 10 October 2026 makes the ETA free.
8 min read
What QazETA is
QazETA is a state digital platform for foreigners, available as the qazeta.kz website and a mobile app. It handles e-visas, border-crossing certificates and the electronic travel authorization, or ETA.
The ETA is for citizens of countries that already enter Kazakhstan visa-free. It is a check before the trip, and the length of stay still follows the existing visa-free rules.
Government Decree No. 890 of 10 October 2026 sets the rules: voluntary until 30 June 2027, mandatory from 1 July 2027.
Who needs it, by passport
The entry checker on qazeta.kz lists the ETA for 86 visa-free countries and territories (checked October 12, 2026). The site marks the result as reference information, and the law leaves the binding list of countries to the Government.
EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia and other 30-day countries
Up to 30 days visa-free, ETA listed. The group has 60 countries: all EU members, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the six Gulf states and others.
Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and other 90-day countries
Up to 90 days visa-free, ETA listed. The same goes for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Mongolia, Türkiye, Ukraine and Albania. Citizens of Eurasian Economic Union states are on the list too.
India, Iran, Hong Kong and Macau
Up to 14 days visa-free, ETA listed. For a longer stay the checker offers an e-Visa or a consular visa.
China
Up to 30 days visa-free, ETA listed. The e-Visa is the option for longer stays.
Passports that need a visa
No ETA. Entry is on an e-Visa or a consular visa, and the checker shows which one applies to your passport.
The decree exempts travelers under 16 and those aged 65 and over, holders of a valid Kazakh visa or residence permit, airside transit passengers, holders of diplomatic and service passports, official delegations, crews, drivers of international trucks and buses, and refugees and asylum seekers. The FAQ on qazeta.kz adds that transit of up to 3 days needs no ETA.
Dates and fee
On 10 October 2026 Kazakhstan's Government adopted Decree No. 890 with the ETA rules. It takes effect on 24 October, and Kazakh and Russian media reported it on 14 October.
It replaces the schedule that circulated from 1 September: mandatory from 1 November 2026 with a 3,900 tenge fee. That schedule came from a Serbian foreign ministry notice, and Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry never confirmed it.
The reports give one schedule for every traveler who needs an ETA, Russians and other EAEU citizens included.
Rollout under the decree
- 24 October 2026
The decree takes effect. Applying stays voluntary.
- 1 November 2026
The system starts at Aktau airport and four road crossings: Urlyutobe, Aukhatty, Atameken and Nurly Zhol.
- 1 January 2027
Astana and Almaty airports join.
- 1 March 2027
All remaining border crossings join.
- 1 July 2027
Mandatory. Travelers without an ETA can be refused entry.
The fee
The ETA is free under the decree. The 3,900 tenge (about $8) online and 7,600 to 7,800 tenge at the border quoted in September do not apply.
If you travel before 1 July 2027
You can enter without an ETA, and applying costs nothing. Apply at least 72 hours before entry. The ETA is valid for 180 days, so one issued in late spring also covers a trip in July.
How to apply on the official platform
Use only qazeta.kz or the QazETA app from the App Store or Google Play. Kazakhstan's foreign ministry says the ETA application is submitted through the mobile app.
- 1
Check your passport first
Open the entry checker on qazeta.kz and pick your citizenship, document type and age. It shows whether you need an ETA, an e-Visa or a consular visa.
- 2
Create an account
Register with your email or phone number.
- 3
Choose the ETA application
Have your passport ready. The site asks for at least 6 months of remaining validity, an email address for the result, and the purpose of your trip.
- 4
Fill in the form and upload the documents
Enter the data exactly as in the passport. The site names wrong or incomplete data and a passport mismatch among the reasons for refusal.
- 5
Get the result in your account
The site quotes about 10 minutes of processing on average and still asks you to apply at least 72 hours before entry.
The ETA is free. Be careful with third-party sites that charge for the same application.
Official site: qazeta.kzQazETA in the App StoreQazETA on Google Play
At the border until 1 July 2027
Until 30 June 2027 a missing ETA is not a reason to refuse entry: border officers explain the requirement instead. From 1 July 2027 travelers without one can be turned back.
An approved ETA does not guarantee entry either. The foreign ministry notes that the final decision is made at border control.
Fontanka reports that Russians can apply with either their international passport or their internal passport, and must show the same document at the border.
Your passport, and the ETA confirmation if you applied. The visa-free limits stay as before: 30 days for EU, UK and US passports, 90 days for Russia and several neighbors, 14 days for India.
Astana airport to the city by LRT
Astana's light rail opened on 16 May 2026. The driverless line runs 22.4 km from Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport to Nurly Zhol railway station, with 18 stations.
The full ride takes about 40 minutes and stops at Baiterek and the National Museum in the new city center.
Fare
200 tenge per ride, about 40 US cents.
Hours
Daily from 06:00 to 23:00, with trains every 5 to 6 minutes, according to launch coverage.
How to pay
Contactless Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. Stations also sell single tickets and a reloadable LRT card for 1,000 tenge.
Late arrivals
Outside those hours the line is closed, so plan a taxi. Ordering through an app such as Yandex Go shows the price in advance.
Fare and payment options come from the Astana city administration and the operator, City Transportation Systems. Check cts.gov.kz before a very early or late flight.
Mobile data for the trip
The QazETA app, maps and taxi apps need a connection from the arrivals hall. An eSIMPal Kazakhstan eSIM is installed before the flight and runs on Beeline and Tele2.
UK travel advice notes that a local SIM card requires IMEI verification of your phone, with a border-crossing certificate from the QazETA app and a Kazakh ID number. Without it the card is blocked after 30 days.
The eSIM is data-only, and your home number stays active for calls and bank codes.
Frequently asked questions
Is QazETA mandatory right now?
Not yet. Government Decree No. 890 of 10 October 2026 makes it mandatory from 1 July 2027. Until then a missing ETA is not a reason to refuse entry, and border officers only explain the requirement.
How much does the Kazakhstan ETA cost?
Nothing, the decree makes the ETA free. The 3,900 tenge fee reported in September came from a Serbian foreign ministry notice, and Kazakhstan never confirmed it.
Do US, UK and EU citizens need an ETA for Kazakhstan?
Yes. The checker on qazeta.kz lists the ETA for US, UK and EU passports, with a visa-free stay of up to 30 days. It is voluntary until 30 June 2027 and mandatory from 1 July 2027.
Do Russian citizens need QazETA?
Yes, from 1 July 2027. The decree covers citizens of EAEU states, Russia included, and the ETA is free. Russians keep the 90-day visa-free stay, and children under 16 and people aged 65 and over are exempt. You can apply with an international or an internal passport, at least 72 hours before entry, and the ETA is valid for 180 days.
Do Indian citizens need a visa for Kazakhstan?
Indian passport holders can stay up to 14 days visa-free, and the checker on qazeta.kz lists the ETA for them. For longer stays it offers an e-Visa or a consular visa.
Is the ETA a visa?
No, the ETA is a separate authorization issued before the trip to visitors who enter visa-free. It does not extend the permitted stay, and travelers with a valid Kazakh visa do not need it.
How long is the ETA valid and when should I apply?
The official platform gives 180 days of validity and asks you to apply at least 72 hours before entry. It quotes about 10 minutes of processing on average.
Do children and seniors need an ETA?
qazeta.kz lists travelers under 16 and travelers aged 65 and over as exempt.
How do I get from Astana airport to the city center?
Take the LRT from the Airport station: 200 tenge, about 40 minutes end to end to Nurly Zhol station, with stops at Baiterek and the National Museum. It runs from 06:00 to 23:00.
Flying to Kazakhstan? Sort out mobile data before you land
The QazETA app, maps and taxi apps work from the first minute when the phone is already online. Install an eSIMPal Kazakhstan eSIM before you fly.
Last checked October 14, 2026. Based on Government Decree No. 890 of 10 October 2026 as reported on 14 October by Azattyq Asia, Kommersant, Fontanka, Kazakhstan Today (kt.kz), inbusiness.kz and VisasNews, Law No. 326-VIII of 24 June 2026 (adilet.zan.kz), the qazeta.kz platform and its entry checker, notices from Kazakhstan's embassies on gov.kz, Interior Ministry statements reported by Tengrinews (5 September), UK government travel advice for Kazakhstan, and City Transportation Systems and Astana city administration information on the LRT. Rules can change quickly, so check qazeta.kz before you travel.
