Safe Expat: COVID-19 IN KAZAKHSTAN

In light of the COVID-19 situation, please stay safe wherever you are. On this page we have gathered all the important data related to COVID-19 situation in Kazakhstan to keep you well-informed.

DAILY STATISTICS UPDATE

January 20, 2021

Latest News

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan The Interdepartmental Commission made a decision on prohibiting to accept passengers without certificates of PCR tests.

A certificate of PCR tests is not required for boarding domestic flights between regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Starting October 14, quarantine is reinforced in Nur-Sultan city due to the high risk of COVID-19 infection and the increase of the cases. 

60 percent of local executive bodies and quasi-public enterprises employees and some private organizations will be switched to remote working regime.

Working hours for the service sector will be reduced until 18.00.

Sellers of non-food items and clothing will only be allowed to work on weekdays.

Work schedule of baths and saunas with swimming pools also changed in the capital. Visits there will be available by reservation only.

Cafes, restaurants, bars and other cateatering places will work strictly from 9.00 to 22.00 as long as the number of visitors does not exceed 30.

The public transport will be suspended again on Sundays to conduct disinfection in buses.

It is also intended to carry out sanitary raids more often in Nur-Sultan.

There are some important updates in Visa regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

• Citizens of 109 states can obtain E-Visas for business, tourist or medical treatment purposes (list of countries). E-visa will be issued for a single-entry only via Visa and Migration Portal;

• Visa “C3” is issued regardless of the previously stated purpose of the visit. Thus, visa category change to “C3” visa is allowed in all cases.
• Terms of visa for investors are extended from 3 (three) to 5 (five) years;
• Foreign nationals setting up a business in Kazakhstan are exempt from obtaining official letter from local authorities when applying for “a business-immigrant” visa;
• Private visa B10, Working visa C3, and Student visa C9 holders can change their acting visa category to Family reunification visa C2 without leaving the Republic of Kazakhstan, etc.

New provisions will come into force on September 18, 2020.

In accordance with the improvement of the epidemiological situation,the first category of safety now include 12 countries: China, Thailand, Mongolia, Malaysia, Egypt, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Belarus, Azerbaijan.

It should be reminded that Kazakhstan has approved three safety categories of countries and restrictions for international passenger flights:

• for the first category - thermometry and questionnaires,
• for the second category - thermometry and questionnaires, a certificate with a negative PCR test,
• for the third category - regular flights are prohibited (repatriation and evacuation flights only are possible).

The list of countries changes depending on epidemiological situation.

In accordance with the Resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Kazakhstan the following country categories and restrictions for international passenger flights were approved.

First category: China, South Korea, Japan, Georgia, Thailand, Hungary, India, Germany,Czech Republic, Malaysia, UAE, Belarus, Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine, Netherlands, Russia.

Restrictive measures:

1) thermometry;

2) questionnaire.

Second category: Poland, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and irregular (evacuation and charter) flights from countries of the third category.

Restrictive measures:

1) thermometry;

2) questionnaire;

3) with a certificate of negative result for COVID-19  of examination (PCR method, no more than 5 days before crossing the state border - without restrictions;

4) without a certificate - laboratory examination for COVID-19 (PCR method within 48 hours from the day of arrival) or home quarantine for 14 days.

Third category: all countries except those from the first and second categories.

Restrictive measures:

Regular flights are prohibited.

State Commission approves Plan for Phased Removal of Quarantine Measures from Aug. 17, 2020
During the quarantine in Kazakhstan, the epidemiological situation has stabilized and the burden on medical organizations has been reduced significantlly. Daily infection growth has reduced from 4% to 0.5%. The number of recovered has reached 76%. The average reproductive rate dropped to 0.78, bed occupancy is 26%. 

The State Commission, having considered the proposals of the regional akims, as well as the position of the Ministry of Healthcare and other departments, approved the Plan for Phased Removal of Quarantine Measures and adopted a number of decisions: 

1. The list of entrepreneurial activities, which will resume their work from Aug. 17, 2020, has been approved:

• Shopping and entertainment centres, trading houses (boutiques), retail chains, covered markets (occupancy not more than 30%, 4 m² per visitor); 
• beauty salons, hairdressing salons, spa centers, facilities providing cosmetic services (4 m² per visitor by appointment);
• fitness centers without pools (50% occupancy, 5 m² for 1 visitor), baths and saunas without pools (50% occupancy, 4 m² for 1 visitor); 
• children's correction rooms, children's and adult educational centers (groups — no more than 5 people, by appointment); 
• duty groups of preschool institutions (no more than 15 people); 
• outdoor attractions (distance, masks, flow regulation). 

Employers have been recommended to maintain the remote work format for at least 80% of employees.

2. From Aug. 17, 2020, individual and group training in the open air (no more than 5 people) and sports training for national teams, club teams is allowed (no more than 30 people, accommodation at sports bases, strict compliance with anti-epidemic and preventive measures ).

3. From Aug. 17, 2020, the movement of public transport is resumed with occupancy according to the number of seats, provision of ventilation and disinfection at terminal stops.

4. The ban remains on: 

• holding entertainment, sports, family, commemorative, solemn and other mass events, including at home;
• the work of bars, night and game clubs, karaoke, food courts, cinemas and other entertainment facilities for children and adults; 
• activities of cultural objects, museums, holding conferences, exhibitions, forums; 
• the work of swimming pools, city and public beaches, open water parks; 
• the work of religious sites; 
• movement of suburban passenger trains / electric trains, the formation of common wagons, with the exception of working trains, intercity buses / minibuses. 

5. In order to further stabilize the epidemiological situation, restrictive measures will be maintained over the weekend. 

“Mask regime and social distancing are mandatory sanitary requirements for everyone and should become everyday rules in the life of citizens. It is necessary to resume the activities of business entities only when they are fully prepared,” said the Head of Government.

Government has extended restrictive measures to August 17, 2020.

In accordance with the order of the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, following measures to stabilize the epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan were considered.

Taking into account the complication of the epidemiological situation and the increase in the incidence of coronavirus infection in Kazakhstan, the State Commission decided to introduce the following restrictive measures for 14 days from July 5, 2020:

Transport:

1. International air traffic will be maintained without further expanding the list of countries.

2. Air traffic between regions, railway communication (with restrictions) will be maintained.

3. Passenger bus, auto-communication between regions will be suspended.

4. Work of public transport will be restricted in time.

Public gatherings:

1. A ban will be imposed on entertainment, sports and other public events, as well as family and commemorative events.

2. Individual outdoor training will be allowed.

3. Movement of persons along the streets, parks, squares will be limited to no more than 3 people.

4. Movement of persons over 65 years old will be restricted.

Prohibited activities:

1. Beauty salons, hairdressers, gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools, food and non-food covered markets, beaches, water parks, cultural sites, museums, exhibitions, forums, conferences and other organized public events, entertainment centers, kindergartens (except duty groups), religious facilities, etc. (entertainment centers in the mall, entertainment facilities (karaoke, billiards, computer clubs, bowling centers), cinemas, children's health camps, food courts, banquet halls).

2. Remote work will be maintained for at least 80% of employees of state bodies (organizations), offices, national companies and other organizations.

3. Activities of medical centers by appointment will be maintained.

4. Activities of pharmacies, grocery stores, open markets will be maintained.

5. Activities of the following facilities will be maintained under the condition of enhanced sanitary and disinfection regime: public catering in the open air; construction, industrial enterprises with a continuous production cycle; construction works in the open air; agricultural work, fisheries and livestock; services, including car washes, car repairs and household appliances, public service centers, second-tier banks (but with a time limit).

The head of government noted that, depending on the further development of the epidemiological situation in the country, these restrictive measures can be extended for 2 weeks or strengthened.

There are some important updates in the Procedure for crossing the State Border during the period of quarantine restrictions❗️❗️❗️

1. Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan are allowed travelling to countries with which Kazkahstan agreed to resume regular flights, and foreign citizens, who are coming from those countries are allowed to enter Kazakhstan.

According to a decree of Chief Sanitary Doctor Aizhan Yessmagambetova as of June 6, Kazakhstan eases quarantine measures for arrivals from abroad. According to the decree, persons arriving in the Republic of Kazakhstan from overseas would have to be placed in a quarantine hospital for up to 2 days for conducting COVID-19 laboratory testing.

This is with the exception of:

• government delegations of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• members of official delegations of foreign states and international organizations arriving in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• employees of diplomatic missions, consular posts and missions of international organizations accredited in the Republic of Kazakhstan and their family members;
• airline crews.

Persons who have arrived to Kazakhstan from abroad by flights and who have submitted negative COVID-19 examination certificate (issued no later than 5 days before the date of crossing the state border of the Republic of Kazakhstan) are not subject to placing in a quarantine hospital for COVID-19 laboratory testing. Persons arriving from the states of the EAEU and the Republic of Uzbekistan through checkpoints across the State border of the Republic of Kazakhstan by rail, sea, river and motor transport would have to undergo medical tests for COVID-19 at the points of crossing the State border of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

This is with the exception of:

• government delegations of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• members of official delegations of foreign states and international organizations arriving in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• employees of diplomatic missions, consular posts and missions of international organizations accredited in the Republic of Kazakhstan and their family members;
• persons engaged in international road transport of goods in transit through the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

As of May 29, 2020 the National Security service has made changes to entry/departure procedures

➡️The requirement of a certificate of passing a PCR test with a negative result for coronavirus for entry into Kazakhstan by foreigners was CANCELLED.

More cities have been added for domestic flights starting 13th of May: Uralsk, Aqtau, Shymkent, Zhezkazgan, Balkhash, Zaysan and Urdzhar.
From June 1st, a phased resumption of internal rail traffic is planned, taking into account compliance with the requirements of the Chief State Sanitary in transport. Ticket sales will begin on May 15, 2020. 

The rail service will resume gradually the countrywide on June 1 and June 10, 2020, it said in a statement.

In connection with the end of a state of emergency in Kazakhstan, effective May 13, 2020, the migration service departments have resumed their work in a number of regions, in particular, in Almaty and Nur-Sultan cities.

The State Commission approved a list of types of activities of business entities, which since May 4, 2020, will resume work in Nur-Sultan while maintaining stringent sanitary and epidemiological measures:

Visa and migration updates

The Government has decreed the suspension of the visa-free regime in Kazakhstan until November 1, 2020, for entry and departure from Kazakhstan. Documents are published on the website of the Prime Minister.

The decision was made in accordance with the provisions of Article 46 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated April 6, 2016 “On Legal Acts”.

"Suspend, until November 1, 2020 the validity of paragraph 17 of the Rules of entry and stay of immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as their departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan, approved by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 21, 2012 No. 148."

According to paragraph 17 of the rules, citizens of the 57 countries could enter and leave Kazakhstan without visas if their stay in the country did not exceed 30 calendar days from the moment of crossing the state border. The said suspension is effective from 17 April to 1 November 2020.

Also, amendments were made to paragraph 26-1, according to which a 72-hour visa-free regime of entry, stay and departure was valid for citizens of China and India, who transit through the international airports of Nur Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktau, Karaganda and Taraz Kazakhstan.

Important note!

Please pay attention to an important change in the conditions for obtaining a Kazakh visa.

When collecting their passports with Kazakh visa from the consular office, applicants must present a medical certificate confirming that they do not have a coronavirus infection issued within 48 hours prior to their visit to the consular office. Failure to present such a certificate will result in cancellation of their Kazakh visa.

FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE FOLLOW THE RELEVANT SECTION. 

Instructions for expats during the transitional period after ending of a state of emergency

State of emergency was lifted on May 11 in Kazakhstan. During its validity period, all foreign citizens, who are staying in the territory of Kazakhstan and were unable to leave the country in time for reasons beyond their control, have been released from administrative liability for violation of the terms of stay.