ASTANA ( WNAM MONITORING ): More than 7.5 million foreigners visited Kazakhstan in 2025 over the first half of 2025, said Baurzhan Alenov, first deputy minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, during a government meeting on July 22. This represents a 600,000 increase compared to the same period last year.
The majority of arrivals (90%) were citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, with Uzbekistan leading at 2.8 million entries, followed by the Kyrgyz Republic with 1.7 million and Russia with 1.5 million.
As of now, 212,000 foreign nationals hold permanent registration in Kazakhstan, marking a 42% increase over the past three years. The highest concentrations are in Almaty (42,000), the Almaty Region (32,500), and Astana and the Karagandy Region, with 17,500 each.
Kazakhstan has a visa-free regime with 87 countries. Citizens of 107 countries are eligible to apply for an electronic visa.
Migration regulation
At a government meeting, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov highlighted the importance of regulating migration in light of global geopolitical changes.
“Taking into account the instructions of the head of state, a strictly regulated migration policy must be developed. It is necessary to conduct an audit of the regulatory framework and analyze the functions of state bodies in the field of migration. All problematic issues related to illegal migration, interregional disparities, and the lack of a unified system for recording migration flows must be addressed with systematic and comprehensive solutions,” said Bektenov.
The Prime Minister has instructed the launch of a unified digital platform for recording migration processes with full integration of all databases by November.
Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev reported on the progress of digitalization in the migration sector at a government meeting.
According to him, in the reporting year, citizens and organizations had access to 23 public services in the field of migration, 13 of which were available online. A total of 2.4 million services were provided digitally during the year.
The most in-demand public services included issuing passports and ID cards for Kazakh citizens, registering and deregistering citizens at their place of residence, and granting temporary residence permits to foreigners and stateless persons.
New app for travelers
For tourists, the new QazETA mobile app was launched on July 15 on the Play Market with access to a range of services, announced Madiyev.
The app provides digital government services, including visa applications, residence registration, and other migration-related functions. It also features comprehensive tourism information, including details on attractions, tours, hotel bookings, and ticket purchases.
Additionally, users can access various communication and transportation services, including purchasing SIM cards, renting cars, booking taxis, and checking public transit schedules and payment options. The app also supports business and investment activities by connecting users with resources like Astana Hub, the MCC, and B2B services.
On the App Store, the app is scheduled for release by the end of July.
