Where you can travel visa-free with a Kazakh passport in 2026
77 destinations without a prior visa: China, the UAE, Thailand, Turkey and the former Soviet countries, but Schengen, the UK and the USA only with a visa. We go through the regions, rights in the Eurasian Union and the price of the passport for a Russian citizen.
In short
A Kazakh passport gives entry without a prior visa to 77 of 227 countries and territories: Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, China, the UAE, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil and Argentina. Schengen, the UK, the USA, Canada and Japan require a visa.
| Without a prior visa | 77 of 227: 42 visa-free, 30 on arrival, 5 with an electronic travel authorisation |
|---|---|
| Visa needed in advance | 149, of which 35 by e-visa |
| Schengen and the UK | Schengen area - visa required, United Kingdom - visa required |
| USA and Canada | USA - visa required, Canada - visa required |
| How to get it | 5 years with permanent residence, an exam and giving up the previous citizenship |
| Checked | October 2026 |
A Kazakh passport opens 77 of 227 destinations without a prior visa: 42 fully visa-free, 30 with a visa on arrival and 5 with an electronic travel authorisation. That is 37 fewer than the Russian passport, so as a travel document it will not replace a Russian one.
Its value lies elsewhere. Kazakhstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, its citizens work in Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan without permits, and since 2023 it has had mutual visa-free travel with China. But for a Russian citizen the passport comes at a high price: Kazakhstan does not allow dual citizenship, and the Russian passport must be given up.
We will work out online when you can apply and what fees and documents will cost for your family.
Where you can go visa-free with a Kazakh passport
Entry regimes differ in how much preparation the trip needs. Visa-free means the passport is enough and the permitted stay is set at the border. A visa on arrival means a fee and a stamp at the airport or checkpoint. An electronic travel authorisation is a short online form and fee before departure. An e-visa is also online but involves a check and a consular decision. A regular visa means a form, documents, often a personal visit to the consulate and waiting for a decision.
| Region | Visa-free or with an electronic authorisation | Visa on arrival or e-visa | Visa needed in advance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, Serbia, Albania | - | Schengen area, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia |
| Caucasus and Central Asia | Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan | - | - |
| Asia | China, Hong Kong, South Korea (online authorisation), Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Maldives | India | Japan, Singapore |
| Middle East and Africa | UAE, Oman, Morocco, Kenya (online authorisation) | Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tanzania | Israel, Egypt, South Africa |
| Americas | Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic | - | USA, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| Oceania | - | - | Australia, New Zealand |
The Kazakh passport is visa-free for the former Soviet countries, Serbia and Albania, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Maldives, the UAE, Oman, Morocco, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. A visa on arrival is issued in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tanzania, South Korea requires an electronic travel authorisation and India an e-visa. A visa in advance is required for Schengen, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Israel and Mexico.
The table shows the main destinations for travel, living and business, not all 227 countries and territories. An electronic travel authorisation is issued online within minutes or days; an e-visa is also applied for online, but it is a separate consular decision. Entry rules change several times a year: check with an expert for your trip.
Schengen, the UK, the USA and Canada
Schengen. Kazakh citizens need a Schengen visa from the consulate of the main destination. There is no visa-free regime with the EU.
United Kingdom. A visitor visa is required; the electronic travel authorisation is not available to Kazakh citizens.
USA. A tourist or business visa with a consular interview; Kazakhstan is not in the Visa Waiver Program.
Canada. Visa only; the electronic travel authorisation instead of a visa does not apply to Kazakh citizens.
Asia. Since 10 November 2023 Kazakh citizens have travelled to China visa-free for up to 30 days, and Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong are visa-free too. Japan and Singapore require a visa, South Korea an electronic travel authorisation.
What else a Kazakh passport gives
Work in the Eurasian Union. A Kazakh citizen works in Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan without a work permit or quotas, and their diplomas and work record are recognised across the union.
Giving up the Russian passport. Kazakhstan does not recognise dual citizenship: on admission you must leave the previous one, and a Kazakh citizen who acquires a second passport loses the Kazakh one. For a Russian citizen this is the main argument against naturalisation.
Taxes. The passport does not make you a tax resident: residence starts after 183 days in the country within 12 months. Since 2026 personal income tax is progressive - 10% and 15% on income above a threshold.
Life in the country. Citizens have free education and mandatory health insurance, and Russian is spoken in the cities.
How to get a Kazakh passport
The general route is a permanent residence permit, 5 years of living in the country, an exam in Kazakh, the Constitution and history of Kazakhstan, and a presidential decree. The spouse of a Kazakh citizen needs 3 years of marriage, and ethnic Kazakhs have a simplified procedure as returnees.
Kazakhstan has no citizenship by investment programme. Many Russian citizens stop at a residence permit: it gives the right to live and work in the country and does not require giving up the Russian passport.
Requirements, timelines and documents are on the page Kazakhstan citizenship.
A Kazakh passport also means giving up the Russian one
The law does not forbid applying for Kazakh citizenship on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: breaks in permanent residence, a Kazakh exam without preparation, an incomplete file on income and housing, leaving Russian citizenship at the wrong time. We count your period, prepare you for the exam and the documents, and if the Russian passport matters more, arrange a residence permit that gives almost the same rights.
The cost of support depends on the basis and your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
This topic in other countries
Visa-free travel with other passports:
- Visa-free countries with a Turkish passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Serbian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Romanian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Bulgarian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Moldovan passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with an Armenian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with an Israeli passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with an Italian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Greek passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Latvian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Lithuanian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Sao Tome and Principe passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Nauru passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with an Egyptian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Jordanian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a German passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Mexican passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Uruguayan passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Paraguayan passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Brazilian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a St Kitts and Nevis passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Dominica passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with an Antigua and Barbuda passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Grenadian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Saint Lucian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Kyrgyz passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Sierra Leonean passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a North Macedonian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a US passport in 2026
- What an Argentine passport gives
- What a Vanuatu passport gives
More on this country:
- Kazakhstan citizenship for Russians
- How much Kazakhstan citizenship costs
- Kazakhstan and Russia dual citizenship
- Taxes in Kazakhstan
- Almaty city guide
- Moving to Kazakhstan
Compare passports of different countries in our 2026 passport overview.
FAQ
How many countries can you visit without a visa on a Kazakh passport?
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