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If you hold a passport from an EU country, the UK, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland, you don't need a visa for Kazakhstan. You can stay up to 30 days per entry, and there is no application or fee. That part most of our European guests already know. What catches people out is the fine print: a 90-day cap across any 180 days, a registration that someone has to file for you, and a new electronic travel authorisation called QazETA, which becomes mandatory on 1 November 2026.
This is the version we send to guests before they book flights, checked in October 2026.
The short version
- Visa-free stay
- Up to 30 days per entry, counted from the day you cross the border.
- Who
- Citizens of all 27 EU countries, the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
- Overall cap
- No more than 90 days in any 180-day period, however many times you enter.
- Cost and paperwork
- No visa, no fee.
- QazETA
- A free online travel authorisation, mandatory for visa-free travellers from 1 November 2026.
- Registration
- Your hotel or host notifies the migration service within 3 working days. You don't file anything yourself.
- Schengen
- Irrelevant. Kazakhstan is not in the Schengen area, and days here don't count toward your Schengen 90/180.
QazETA, the new travel authorisation
QazETA is Kazakhstan's electronic travel authorisation for people who enter without a visa. It is not a visa and it doesn't give you extra days. It is a short online form you fill in before the trip.
The rules:
- It has been recommended since January 2026 and becomes mandatory for visa-free travellers from 1 November 2026.
- It is free at the time of writing.
- You apply on the official QazETA portal at least 72 hours before you travel.
- One approval is valid for 180 days.
- Children under 16 and transit passengers staying up to 3 days are exempt.
If you arrive on or after 1 November 2026, you need an approved QazETA before you fly. The form takes a few minutes. The 72-hour lead time is what people forget, so don't leave it to the day before departure.
At the border
A typical arrival at Almaty International Airport:
1. Follow the signs to passport control and join the queue for foreign passports. 2. Hand over your passport. The officer may ask where you are staying, so have your hotel name and address ready. 3. Your passport is stamped with the entry date. That date starts your 30 days. 4. Collect your bags and go through customs. If you carry more than 10,000 USD in cash or the equivalent, declare it.
For an EU or UK passport with no complications, passport control usually takes a few minutes. Queues are the bigger variable, especially when several night flights land together.
What to have on you:
- Passport. It must be valid for your whole stay with at least one blank page. Airlines can apply stricter rules at check-in, so travel with at least three months left after your return date and you won't have to think about it.
- Hotel booking for at least the first night.
- Return or onward ticket. It is rarely asked for at the border, but a screenshot on your phone costs nothing.
Registration
Every foreigner staying in Kazakhstan has to be registered with the migration service, and the duty sits with whoever is hosting you. The host has 3 working days from your arrival.
- Hotels file it automatically when they scan your passport at check-in. You don't need to do anything.
- Private rentals and friends' flats: the host has to file the notification online. Ask them before you arrive whether they know how, and ask for confirmation once it's done. If the notification is late, the host is the one who faces the fine.
Staying longer than 30 days
The 30 days are per entry, so leaving the country and coming back gives you a new 30-day stay. The catch is the overall cap: your days in Kazakhstan can't add up to more than 90 in any 180-day period. Leaving and coming back doesn't reset that count.
In practice:
- Up to 30 days
- Nothing to arrange.
- 30 to 90 days
- Leave before day 30, spend some time in a neighbouring country and re-enter. Bishkek is about four hours by road from Almaty, which makes Kyrgyzstan the usual choice. Keep a simple list of your entry and exit dates so the 90-day count is easy to check.
- More than 90 days, or for work or study
- You need a proper visa. Apply through a Kazakh embassy or consulate before you travel.
Travelling with children
Children need their own passport and enter visa-free on the same terms as adults. If a child under 18 travels with one parent or with another adult, bring a notarised consent letter from the absent parent or parents, translated into English or Russian. Kazakh border officers don't ask for it every time, but some sources say it is required, and it's far easier to carry one than to argue without it. Check with the Kazakh embassy in your country if you aren't sure.
Insurance
We haven't found any rule that makes travel insurance compulsory for visa-free tourists. We still recommend it. The cases where our guests have needed it are mostly small falls while horse riding at Kolsai or on the Assy Plateau and altitude problems at Shymbulak. Most European policies cover Kazakhstan under "rest of world" or "worldwide". If you plan to trek, check that mountain rescue is included.
Practical info
- Money
- Cards and Apple Pay work in Almaty hotels, taxis booked through apps, cafes and most shops. Keep some tenge in cash for bazaars and village guesthouses.
- Languages
- Kazakh is the state language, and Russian is widely spoken. English works in hotels, central restaurants and at the main tourist spots.
- Leaving
- There is no exit visa. Passport control checks your stamp, and staying past your 30 days is what causes trouble, so plan the exit date first.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan with an EU passport?
No. Citizens of all EU countries, the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland can stay up to 30 days per entry without a visa, with a cap of 90 days in any 180.
Do I need QazETA to enter Kazakhstan?
Yes, if you arrive on or after 1 November 2026. It is free and must be requested at least 72 hours before travel. Children under 16 and transit passengers staying up to 3 days are exempt.
Can I reset the 30 days by leaving and coming back?
You get a new 30-day stay on each entry, but your total days still can't go over 90 in any 180-day period.
Do I have to register myself?
No. Your hotel or host files the registration within 3 working days. At a private rental, ask the host to confirm it is done.
Can I work or study on a visa-free entry?
No. Visa-free entry covers tourism and short visits. Work and study need the right visa category.
Is travel insurance required?
We found no such requirement for visa-free tourists, but we strongly recommend it, especially for mountain activities.
Do I need to declare cash?
Only above 10,000 USD or the equivalent. Below that there is nothing to declare.
Plan your trip
Message our manager on WhatsApp with your arrival date and passport country. We'll go over the entry rules for your passport and plan a private first day at a pace that suits the jet lag.
