Kazakhstan to introduce mandatory paid electronic entry permits for foreigners starting November 1. This will also affect Russians.

Kazakhstan has begun phasing in paid electronic entry permits for foreigners who don’t need a visa, a requirement that will also apply to Russians. Serbia’s Foreign Ministry published details of the new entry rules.The Electronic Travel Authorization, or ETA, will be issued through the QazETA digital platform, with applications required at least 72 hours before travel. The permit is valid for 180 calendar days and allows multiple entries during that period.Obtaining the permit through QazETA is expected to cost 3,900 thousand tenge — about 730 rubles, or 7 euros. Applying at the border will cost twice as much, 7,800 thousand tenge, or roughly 1,460 rubles and 14 euros.Here’s what is known about how the rollout will proceed:From August 25 to November 1, the system will run in test mode: foreigners will still be allowed into the country without a permit, though border guards will warn travelers that one will be required on their next entryStarting November 1, the permit will become mandatory for travelers arriving in Kazakhstan by planeStarting November 15, the requirement will extend to travelers crossing the external border of the Eurasian Economic Union by car or bus — meaning Kazakhstan’s borders with China, Turkmenistan, and UzbekistanStarting November 30, it will extend to road crossings at the Eurasian Economic Union’s internal borders, including those with Russia and KyrgyzstanStarting December 15, it will be mandatory for travelers arriving by train or sea.Kazakhstan’s Internal Affairs Ministry disclosed plans to introduce paid electronic entry permits for citizens of visa-free countries in early August, when it published a draft of the corresponding resolution. The ministry reported that the permits would be rolled out between August and December 2026, though it did not specify the stages or the cost at the time.Serbia and Kazakhstan maintain a visa-free arrangement, and Serbia’s Foreign Ministry did not clarify where it obtained its information about the stages of Kazakhstan’s permit rollout.Kazakhstan, which Russians can currently enter without a visa or any permit, became a major destination for Russians fleeing the country after the start of the war and the mobilization that followed. Russians who spend more than 90 days there within a six-month period must obtain a temporary residence permit.At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.