Dual citizenship in Kazakhstan is a complicated matter. The state’s policy with regards to nationality means that some individuals who were born Kazakhstani citizens may require authorization to enter the country.
Visitors to Kazakhstan who are nationals of more than one sovereign state should be aware of how this situation affects them while in the country, particularly if one of their nationalities is of Kazakhstan itself.
This may be a deciding factor in which passport they choose to travel with, since the passport that is used to enter the state decides the status of the individual while they are in Kazakhstan.
See below details on Kazakhstan’s dual citizenship law and the entry requirements for individuals with dual nationality.
Does Kazakhstan Allow Dual Citizenship?
The Republic of Kazakhstan does not permit its citizens to hold another nationality. According to the law of the state, Kazakhstani nationals cannot hold a second citizenship while they continue to be citizens of the country.
If a Kazakhstani passport holder obtains the citizenship of another sovereign state, this second nationality is not recognized by the state of Kazakhstan.
How Can Kazakhstani Citizens Gain Another Nationality
If a Kazakhstani national wishes to gain another citizenship, they must first formally renounce their citizenship of Kazakhstan.
To do this, they are required to inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the acquisition of the new citizenship within 30 business days. The individual’s Kazakhstani passport and/or identity card must be returned.
It is not uncommon, however, for Kazakhstani nationals living abroad to obtain citizenship of their country of residence without informing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This leads to an unusual situation if they return to the country.
Do Dual Citizens Need a Visa for Kazakhstan?
If one of the traveler’s nationalities is Kazakhstani and they travel with a passport issued by Kazakhstan, they do not require a visa to enter, as this is considered to be the only citizenship of the individual.
Additionally, as a Kazakhstani citizen using a passport issued by the state, the individual may enter the country for any purpose.
However, in this situation, the country of their second citizenship can only provide very little consular assistance to the individual while in Kazakhstan. In the event that the traveler is arrested or detained by local authorities, consular access will probably not be granted, since the second citizenship is not recognized.
If a traveler enters Kazakhstan using a foreign passport, they will be considered a citizen of the country that issued it, rather than a Kazakhstani national. Depending on the sovereign state, the traveler may or may not require a visa.
For visits with the purpose of tourism or business, an electronic visa, or eVisa, is available for passport-holders of most countries.
Check the Kazakhstan visa requirements to see all the nationalities that must obtain a visa before arriving in the country.
The Kazakhstan eVisa for Dual Citizens
Dual citizens traveling to the country using their non-Kazakhstani passport may be able to apply for a Kazakhstan eVisa online.
This electronic visa is simple to obtain and eliminates the need to travel to a Kazakhstan embassy to apply for a consular visa.
The individual must complete a quick online Kazakhstan eVisa application form, which takes a matter of minutes to complete. The following information must be entered into the questionnaire:
- Basic personal information, e.g. full name, date of birth, etc. Under “nationality”, the traveler should enter the country where they obtained their second citizenship
- Passport details (using the passport issued by the second country)
- Contact email address
The eVisa acts as both a Kazakhstan tourist visa and a business visa, allowing travelers with a second nationality to return to the country for both of these purposes.
The Status of Dual Citizens of Other Countries Visiting Kazakhstan
Individuals who hold multiple citizenships that do not include Kazakhstan should not encounter any problems when visiting the country.
For example, a dual American-Canadian citizen is able to use either of their passports to enter Kazakhstan and will be able to receive consular support during their visit.
Travelers in this situation may have to have their passport stamped upon leaving Kazakhstan and will have to present the same passport that received the entry stamp when they arrived.
If they are crossing a land border into a neighboring country that asks to see the exit stamp from Kazakhstan, they may have to use the passport that was stamped in order to cross the border. This may affect whether or not a visa is required for the next destination, since different nationalities enjoy different visa exemptions.