Transit through Kazakhstan: when you need a B13 transit visa, who can transit visa-free and how long you can stay

Kazakhstan's transit visa is category B13. You need it if you are a citizen of a visa-required country and you actually enter Kazakhstan on the way to a third country — leaving the airport during a layover, travelling by train or by car. Transit is limited to 5 days in each direction, and you must hold documents for entering the destination country. If you stay in the airport transit zone, there is no entry at all, and citizens of visa-free countries travel through under their visa-free regime.

Three transit scenarios

Paragraph 34 of the Rules of entry adds a specific rule: foreigners travelling in transit to a country with which their own state has a visa-free agreement must obtain a Kazakh transit visa. In other words, not needing a visa at your destination does not exempt you from a Kazakh transit visa if Kazakhstan itself requires a visa for your nationality.

The B13 visa at a glance

Annex 1 to the Rules for Invitations and Visas describes the transit visa as follows:

The internal affairs bodies issue B13 visas at international airports (paragraph 24 of the visa Rules). Do not rely on getting one on arrival without checking: confirm in advance that this works at your airport and for your nationality, and check your airline's boarding requirements.

Documents for a transit visa

• passport;
• visa application form;
• travel tickets to the third country;
• a visa or other basis for entering the destination country;
• if travelling by private car — a driving licence and documents giving the right to drive the vehicle;
• proof of payment of the consular fee or state duty (visas have been chargeable since 2026, and the amount depends on the number of entries).

A multiple-entry B13 suits people who cross Kazakhstan regularly, such as drivers of private vehicles, but every passage is still capped at five days in each direction.

Visa-free transit

Citizens of visa-free countries enter and travel through under their own regime: 30 days per entry and 90 in 180 for most listed countries, 90 in 180 for Turkish citizens, 30 days per entry and 90 in 180 for Chinese citizens, 14 days per entry and 42 in 180 for Indian citizens, and EAEU citizens under the EAEU Treaty. Transit days count towards the overall limit — see how days of stay are counted and the list of countries in our guide to visa-free entry.

Passengers in the transit zone. Paragraph 7 of the Rules of entry exempts transit passengers who remain in the transit zone of an international airport without crossing the border from the electronic travel authorisation. Check with your carrier whether your connection allows you to stay airside: with separate tickets, an airport change or baggage to re-check, you will have to cross the border.

What happened to the 72-hour visa-free transit

From 2017, a pilot 72-hour visa-free transit for Chinese citizens operated through Astana and Almaty airports, and from 2020 it covered Chinese and Indian citizens through six airports. In March 2020 the Government suspended the provision (then paragraph 26-1 of Decree No. 148). The current Rules of entry (as amended in October 2026) do not contain it.

In practice, the general visa-free regime now covers these travellers: Chinese citizens have entered visa-free for 30 days (90 in 180) since 10 November 2023, and Indian citizens for 14 days (42 in 180). If a travel agency mentions "72 hours without a visa", check it against official sources on your travel date.

Electronic travel authorisation and transit

Law No. 326-VIII of 24 June 2026 introduced the electronic travel authorisation (ETA/QazETA), which by definition grants the right not only to enter but also to transit. The Rules of entry phase it in:

• from 1 November 2026 — Aktau airport and several road border crossings;
• from 1 January 2027 — Astana and Almaty international airports;
• from 1 March 2027 — all other border crossings;
• during these stages, travellers without an ETA are not refused entry but are told about the requirement;
• from 1 July 2027, the ETA becomes mandatory for citizens of listed countries, including for transit.

More in our article on QazETA.

Obligations and penalties

• Time limit. No more than five days in transit. A transit visa cannot be extended or switched to another category for work or study.
• Route. Transit means passing through to a third country, not a trip with other purposes. Business meetings require a business visa.
• Breach of transit rules — Article 517(2) of the Administrative Code: a fine of 15 MRP (KZT 64,875 in 2026) or administrative expulsion. A repeat within a year means detention for up to 15 days with expulsion (Part 7).
• Delay due to a cancelled flight. Keep the carrier's certificate and contact the migration service before the five days run out. If the deadline has already passed, see our article on overstaying.

Overland transit: train and car

Overland transit is the most common case where a B13 is unavoidable, because you cross the border either way. By train, you need a passport, a B13 visa (if your nationality requires one), a ticket to the third country and that country's visa. By private car, add a driving licence and documents proving your right to drive the vehicle. Factor in travel time: Kazakhstan is vast, and five days in one direction across the whole country by car is not a generous margin once border queues are included.

Drivers of international freight and bus services are a separate category: special rules apply to counting their days, and they are exempt from the ETA in transit.

Timing and costs at a glance

Common mistakes

• Counting on the transit zone with separate tickets. A self-transfer almost always means crossing the border.
• No visa for the destination country. Without it you will not get a B13, and the airline may refuse boarding.
• Staying in the city "for a couple of days". Five days is the limit; beyond that it is a breach of transit rules.
• Confusing transit with visa-free stay. For visa-free nationals, transit days count towards the 90-in-180 limit.

How Visa Navigator can help

We check the traveller's route and nationality, tell you whether a B13 visa is needed or the visa-free regime is enough, prepare the visa documents and follow the ETA roll-out. Decisions on visas and border crossing are made by the consulate, the internal affairs bodies and the border service. If your trip goes beyond transit, see the B1 business visa.

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.