Starting from July 1, 2027, Citizens of Russia, Armenia, and other countries with a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan will have to have an electronic permit to enter Kazakhstan, Zakon.kz reports, citing a decision by the Kazakh government.

The document will be free of charge and will remain valid for 180 days.

The permit must be obtained electronically at least 72 hours before crossing the Kazakh border.

The new rules apply to citizens of all countries that have the right to enter Kazakhstan without a visa, with the exception of certain categories of foreigners.

The system will be introduced in phases. From November 2026 to July 1, 2027, the absence of a permit will not be a basis for refusal of entry to Kazakhstan. During this period, foreigners will simply be explained the need to have a respective document issued. But starting from July 1, 2027, its presence will become mandatory for all those who are subject to the new requirements.

At the same time, the periods of stay in Kazakhstan without a visa will not change. In particular, citizens of the other Eurasian Economic Union member states—Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia—can stay in Kazakhstan for up to 90 days in each 180-day period. The periods of stay in Kazakhstan for citizens of other countries are set by the national legislation of Kazakhstan and international treaties.

Certain categories of foreigners—including diplomats, international truck drivers, as well as persons under 16 and over 65 years of age—will be exempted from the requirement to obtain an electronic permit to enter Kazakhstan.