1. Legal Basis
On 10 October 2026, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted Resolution No. 890 providing for the introduction of prior Electronic Travel Authorisation for entry into Kazakhstan.
The new QazETA system applies to foreign nationals entering Kazakhstan under a visa-free regime. It is intended to simplify migration procedures, improve border control and make the entry process more transparent, convenient and predictable for travellers.
The full text of the Resolution is available at:
https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P2600000890
2. Phases of Implementation
The QazETA Electronic Travel Authorisation system will be introduced in stages:
from 1 November 2026 – at Aktau International Airport and the Urlyutobe, Aukhatti, Atameken and Nurly Zhol road border crossing points;
from 1 January 2027 – at Astana and Almaty International Airports;
from 1 March 2027 – at all other border crossing points along the State Border of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
from 1 July 2027 – Electronic Travel Authorisation will become mandatory in the cases specified in the Resolution.
Important: Between 1 November 2026 and 30 June 2027, obtaining QazETA will be recommended but not mandatory. During this transitional period, travellers will not be refused entry solely because they do not hold an electronic authorisation.
From 1 July 2027, QazETA will become mandatory for foreign nationals covered by the relevant procedure, except for persons exempted under the Resolution.
3. Application Procedure
Applications must be submitted through the QazETA mobile application at least 72 hours before the intended date of entry into Kazakhstan. The application is available for download from the App Store and Google Play.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation:
is issued free of charge;
remains valid for 180 calendar days;
is linked to the passport used in the application.
Travellers must present the same valid passport used when submitting the application upon arrival at the border.
The 180-day validity period of QazETA does not allow a foreign national to remain in Kazakhstan for the entire period. The permitted duration of stay continues to be determined by the applicable visa and migration regime.
4. Entry Rules for Citizens of the Kingdom of Thailand
The introduction of QazETA does not change the existing visa-free regime between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Thailand.
Holders of Thai national passports may continue to enter and stay in Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 calendar days per visit.
From 1 July 2027, Thai citizens who do not fall within the established exemption categories will be required to obtain QazETA before travelling to Kazakhstan.
5. Main Categories Exempt from QazETA
The following categories are among those exempt from obtaining Electronic Travel Authorisation:
heads of foreign states, governments and international organisations, and members of their families;
members of official state and government delegations;
holders of diplomatic and service passports;
foreign nationals holding a valid visa issued by the Republic of Kazakhstan;
foreign nationals holding a temporary residence permit or residence permit in Kazakhstan;
children under the age of 16;
persons aged 65 and above;
transit passengers who remain within an airport’s international transit area;
certain categories of international transport crew members.
The complete list of exempt categories is contained in Resolution No. 890.
6. Additional Information
Possession of a valid QazETA does not automatically guarantee admission to Kazakhstan. The border authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan retain the right to refuse entry on other grounds provided for by national legislation.
Obtaining Electronic Travel Authorisation does not exempt foreign nationals from complying with other requirements applicable to their entry into and stay in Kazakhstan.
Official website:
https://qazeta.kz
ETA application page:
https://qazeta.kz/en/eta
Technical support:
[email protected]
The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Thailand encourages Thai citizens and travel industry representatives to take the new requirements into account when planning future visits to Kazakhstan.
