Electronic travel authorisation (QazETA): what the Law of 24 June 2026 introduced and who it affects

In summer 2026 Kazakhstan took a step the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK took long ago: it introduced an electronic travel authorisation for those who do not need a visa. Law No. 326-VIII of 24 June 2026 enters into force 60 days after official publication, and the system itself — QazETA — is being launched in stages. Here is what the law fixes and what secondary legislation still has to define.

What changed in the Migration Law

New definitions. Article 1 now defines the electronic travel authorisation — an electronic document with the authorities' decision on a foreigner's right to enter and transit; the fee for it; the digital platform for foreigners; the immigrant's digital profile and the reference database of immigrants; identification and authentication of foreigners with biometric data.

Authorisation as a condition of entry. Article 6 gained paragraph 6: the authorisation is issued by the internal affairs bodies in coordination with the national security body, and foreigners enter on its basis under the procedure set by legislation.

The fee. New Article 6-2: a fee is charged in the amount and manner determined by the Government; proceeds go to the operator of the digital platform (a legal entity with more than 50 % state participation) and are split between border digital systems and tourism development. This edition applies until 1 January 2029, after which a version with the fee going to the budget takes over.

A new ground for refusing entry. Article 48 gained sub-paragraph 10-3: absence of an electronic travel authorisation for a foreigner from a country determined by the Government. Ground 10-2 was added alongside — false information or missing documents from the inviting party when applying for an invitation.

Checks during public services. The Law on public services gained Article 18-3: when serving foreigners, their data is checked against the reference database of immigrants for lawfulness of stay.

The law also replaced "foreigners" with "foreign citizens" throughout and moved the terminology to "digital objects" — worth remembering when reading the updated provisions.

Who is affected

The requirement targets foreigners entering visa-free from countries on the Government's list. Per the published system parameters this includes citizens of EAEU states and of countries with a 30-day visa-free regime; holders of a valid visa, an RVP or a residence permit are exempt. The final country list and the phases of mandatory application are set by secondary legislation — until then rely on official MIA and QazETA announcements.

How it works: QazETA parameters

As published at the platform launch:

Besides the ETA the platform combines electronic visas, e-residency status and a border-crossing certificate — a "single window" for foreigners.

What does not change

• The 30/90/180 rule for visa-free stay — the ETA does not extend it. See the visa-free article.
• The arrival notification by the host within 3 working days.
• The RVP for those staying longer and visas for citizens of visa countries — the e-visa and the ETA exist in parallel.

What companies and individuals should do

1. If you invite citizens of visa-free countries, add an ETA check to the pre-trip checklist for employees and guests.
2. Apply early — at least 72 hours ahead, ideally a week: the platform clears the decision with the security bodies.
3. Follow official publications: the country list, the fee and the mandatory date are set by Government decrees and may be updated.
4. Double-check invitation data: new ground 10-2 penalises false information from the inviting party.

We will update this article when the Government adopts the decrees on the country list and the fee. Visa Navigator helps arrange ETAs, visas and RVPs for employees and guests of companies in Almaty and monitors changes in the entry rules. See the RVP service page.

This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. Rules and practice change — verify the current requirements as of the date you apply.