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Kazakstan: bra att veta före resan

Det viktigaste

  • Visa-free visitors from the West may stay 30 days per visit and max 90 days in any 180 days; overstays bring fines and possible deportation.
  • Your hotel or host must register you within 3 working days of arrival — confirm it's done if you stay in a private flat.
  • Declare cash over USD 10,000 on arrival; undeclared money can be confiscated.
  • Russian Mir cards work only at some VTB Kazakhstan ATMs — bring cash or a non-Russian card.
  • In spring and summer ticks in the Tian Shan foothills (Almaty region) carry encephalitis — use repellent, check yourself after hikes.

Inresa och visum

CIS citizens enter without a visa (Russians may use the internal passport). US, UK and most EU citizens get 30 days visa-free per visit (max 90 in 180). China has mutual visa-free travel; Indian citizens get 14 days visa-free. Other nationalities can apply for an e-visa (arrival via Astana or Almaty airports).

Ankomstformulär och tillstånd online

  • Kazakhstan e-Visa ↗ valfritt
    Before travel, for nationalities that need a visa · Nationalities not visa-free; entry via Astana or Almaty airport

Passets giltighet: At least 30 days beyond arrival with one blank page (3 months beyond visa expiry if a visa is needed).

Vid gränsen kan man fråga efter

  • Hotels register you automatically; private hosts must do it via eGov within 3 working days.
  • Keep your boarding passes/entry stamps to track the 90/180 limit.

Tull

  • Declare cash above USD 10,000 equivalent on entry.
  • You can't take out more than USD 10,000 in foreign cash; larger declared sums can only be exported in tenge.
  • Carry prescriptions for medicines; some strong painkillers and sedatives are controlled.

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: gov.uk ↗, gov.kz ↗, vmp.gov.kz ↗

Pengar

Kort fungerar nästan överallt. Kort tas emot nästan överallt.

Betalnätverk: Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay

Apple Pay — fungerar · Google Pay — fungerar

Var du växlar pengar

  • Licensed exchange offices (обменник) in cities and malls — very competitive rates
  • Clean USD, EUR or RUB notes

Var du inte bör växla

  • Airport and hotel exchange
  • Dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and terminals

Bankomater: Halyk, Kaspi, Forte and other ATMs everywhere; foreign cards may be charged a fee by the local bank — check the screen.

Dricks: Many restaurants add a 10–15% service charge; otherwise around 10% is fine. Taxis via apps — no tip needed.

  • Cards and QR payments (Kaspi) dominate in cities; cash still useful in villages and markets.
  • Mir: very limited (some VTB Kazakhstan ATMs/terminals only).

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: nationalbank.kz ↗, avo.cards ↗

Regler och förbud

Förbjudet

  • Any drugs; long prison terms
  • Photographing military and border installations and some government buildings
  • Drones without permission in cities and near sensitive sites
  • Importing, selling, distributing or producing e-cigarettes, vapes or e-liquids.

Lagar som resenärer bryter omedvetet

  • Carry your passport for police checks.
  • Smoking and vaping banned in most public places; sale of vapes is banned.
  • Respect the 90/180 visa-free limit.

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: gov.uk ↗

Kultur och klädsel

Religion: Mostly Sunni Muslim with a large Orthodox Christian minority; secular state.

Klädsel: Modern, European-style dress in cities. Cover shoulders/knees and women cover hair in mosques.

Etikett

  • Respect elders; stand when they enter.
  • Accepting tea and food is polite; bread should not be wasted.
  • Remove shoes in homes.
  • Russian is widely spoken alongside Kazakh.

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: gov.uk ↗

Klimat

Extreme continental: Astana has very cold winters (-15 to -30°C) and hot summers; Almaty is milder with mountain snow; the south (Shymkent, Turkestan) is hot and dry in summer.

Månad för månad
  • januari: Jan: very cold; Astana -15°C, Almaty -5°C; ski Shymbulak
  • februari: Feb: very cold, snowy
  • mars: Mar: thaw begins; Nauryz (22 Mar)
  • april: Apr: mild in south, cool in north
  • maj: May: warm, green steppe
  • juni: Jun: warm to hot; mountain trekking
  • juli: Jul: hot, 30°C+; best for mountains
  • augusti: Aug: hot; good for Charyn, Kolsai lakes
  • september: Sep: pleasant, golden autumn
  • oktober: Oct: cool, first snow in the north
  • november: Nov: cold
  • december: Dec: very cold; ski season

Bästa säsong: May–June and September for cities and nature; December–March for skiing near Almaty.

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: en.wikipedia.org ↗

Att packa

  • Serious winter gear (Nov–Mar), especially for Astana
  • Tick repellent for mountain hikes (Apr–Jul)
  • Sun protection for high altitude
  • Passport at all times
  • Some USD/EUR cash

Ta inte med / förbjudet att föra in

  • Vapes for sale or in large quantities
  • Drones without permits
  • Relying on Russian bank cards
  • Vapes and e-liquids

Praktiskt

Eluttag: Type C/F, 220 V, 50 Hz

Vatten: Tap water is treated in big cities but most people drink bottled or boiled water.

Trafik: högertrafik

Mobil och eSIM: Beeline, Kcell/Activ and Tele2/Altel SIMs with a passport; eSIMs available.

Appar: Yandex Go, 2GIS, Kaspi.kz, Wolt, Aviata, Google Maps

Internet: Some websites are blocked; VPNs work but restrictions occur.

Hälsa: No compulsory vaccinations. Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine advised for spring/summer hiking; hepatitis A recommended.

Försäkring: Not required for visa-free entry; travel medical insurance recommended.

Nödnummer: 112 — unified; 102 police, 103 ambulance, 101 fire

Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: gov.uk ↗, travelhealthpro.org.uk ↗

Inreseregler ändras. Kontrollera före resan landets ambassad eller migrationsmyndighet.