Security level:
The situation in the country can be described as peaceful. Security measures in Kazakhstan have been stepped up since the protests in January 2022. We recommend crossing the country by vehicle during daylight hours, stopping at guarded parking lots near populated areas, and strictly observing traffic rules.

Healthcare:
No special vaccinations are required upon entry into the country. Up-to-date information on quarantine restrictions in the country related to Covid-19 is published at: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/covid19map/Asia/kazakhstan. Healthcare for foreigners is paid.

Customs requirements:
Kazakhstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. The norms of the local legislation and of the EAIS shall apply. According to the customs legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, funds and financial instruments up to a total amount of USD 10,000 per person are allowed to be imported without a customs declaration (except for coins made of precious metals). Larger amounts require the completion of a customs declaration and the provision of documents confirming origin.

Road traffic:
The road transport network of Kazakhstan is characterised by poor road quality, with the country lacking a network of high-speed motorways, with the exception of the Astana-Shuchinsk road and sections of the Western Europe-Western China international corridor between Almaty and Kyzylorda. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, heavy fines are imposed for violation of traffic rules, which according to the practice are paid after a heavy court procedure, no matter that you are a foreign citizen. Drive with caution, as other road users' routines may differ significantly from those you are used to.
Make sure your driving licence has not expired beforehand and is valid for Kazakhstan. We recommend that you obtain an international driving licence in advance to use in Kazakhstan.
Travelling on the national road network, including motorways, is not recommended in winter. Due to extreme winter conditions, temporary road closures are often necessary, for which SMS notification is in place.
A toll is payable for the use of certain sections of Kazakhstan's road transport network. Payment can be in local currency, online or with local cards. More information can be found on the website: https://ru.qaj.kz/motorists/ .

Important information for Bulgarian freight carriers
The Kazakh authorities periodically carry out strict physical controls of the goods transported, which take several consecutive days. This leads to significant delays in crossing the BCP and failure to meet delivery deadlines.
Bulgarian freight carriers should bear in mind and strictly comply with the conditions for the use of transport permits, namely:
1. The bilateral transport permits (the light blue ones) are valid only for goods from Bulgarian producers.
2. The triangular transport permits (the pink ones) allow Bulgarian carriers to transport goods from non-Bulgarian producers.
3. In case of detention of Bulgarian transport in the Republic of Kazakhstan due to the lack of the necessary permit, the authorities require reloading of the goods on trucks of local carriers. For this purpose, contacts provided by the Union of International Road Carriers of the Republic of Kazakhstan may be used:
Mr. Denisenko Alexander Alexandrovich
Mr. Abildaev - business telephone: + 7 (727) 92 53 24 and e-mail: [email protected].
Reference data on the permit system, customs issues, a list of Kazakhstan carriers, members of the Union and other information can be found on the website of the Union of International Road Carriers of the Republic of Kazakhstan: www.kazato.kz
The fines are calculated in Monthly Estimates (MOEs). The MOE for 2022 equals KZT 3,063.00. As of 20 February 2022, EUR 1 equals KZT 485. More drastic measures shall follow in the event of a repeated offence.

Practical advice:
Remember that in the Republic of Kazakhstan you should comply with local laws and norms. We recommend that you inform yourself about them in advance from the Kazakh authorities and comply with them. Penalties for breaking the laws and norms can be more stringent compared to those in Bulgaria for the same offences.
Pay special attention to and observe local rules on the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is forbidden to drive even after consuming small amounts of alcohol.
Place all medications in their original packaging and check whether some of them are not considered illegal drugs. If you use such substances, carry a copy of a doctor’s prescription confirming this fact.
Avoid carrying belongings of third parties when crossing the border.
If you are detained by the local authorities for any reason, require to get in touch with the Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria in Nur-Sultan. The consular officer will contact you as soon as possible.
We advise you to conclude a contract for health, travel, travel or other insurance in advance.
In the event of theft of your identity documents, cash, travel tickets, etc., immediately notify the nearest police office in person and in writing and ask for a copy of the record establishing the event. Contact the Diplomatic Mission in Astana in order to make arrangements for obtaining the necessary documents to continue your trip or return to your home country.
When you arrive in Kazakhstan, it is mandatory that you or your host register you with the migration office within three days. Failure to do so will result in the persons being held administratively liable.
Before leaving the Republic of Bulgaria, take note of the addresses and telephone numbers of the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Nur-Sultan. For your convenience, the address, telephone and fax number of the Consular Relations Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia for any inquiries and information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairshttps: /www.mfa.bg/   
Detailed information and advice for air travellers, as well as the new security requirements in this respect, can be found at the Sofia Airport website - https://sofia-airport.eu/bg/.

Local currency:
Kazakhstan Tenge (KZT). We recommend that you exchange currency only at designated locations - commercial banks and exchange offices.

Climatic characteristics:
In the mountainous regions of the country there is a risk of avalanches in winter and landslides in the event of heavy spring and autumn rains and snowmelt.

Regular international document - passport. *As of 7 February 2022, the Kazakh authorities have resumed the unconditional 30-day visa-free regime for Bulgarian citizens with regular passports who intend to arrive in Kazakhstan by air. The visa-free regime also applies to air transit.

Regardless of the total number of entries for short stays in Kazakhstan (subject to the 30-day visa-free regime), Bulgarian citizens may stay in the territory of the country for a total of up to 90 days within each 180-day period.

When visiting under the visa-free regime, foreigners are prohibited from engaging in employment or other paid activity on the territory of Kazakhstan.

Up-to-date information on the conditions and procedures for crossing the Kazakh land border by Bulgarian citizens with regular passports is published at the following address: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/covid19map/Asia/kazakhstan .

Bulgarian citizens, holders of diplomatic/official passports, may be admitted to the territory of Kazakhstan under the current Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on visa-free travel for - holders of diplomatic and official passports, done at the city of Sofia on 4 December 2009.

According to Kazakh legislation, the existence of a prior work permit is a necessary condition for a foreigner to enter the Republic of Kazakhstan for the purpose of engaging in employment. Foreigners employed in violation of the laws in force in the country are subject to expulsion.

When travelling with a person under 18 years of age who is accompanied by only one parent, an explicit notarised power of attorney from the other parent must be available.

Civil status:
Registration in the Republic of Bulgaria of children of Bulgarian citizen(s) born in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the grounds of documents issued by local authorities
Citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria, who are abroad, are obliged within 6 months after the issuance of a birth certificate of their child by a local authority, to provide or send to the Bulgarian mission in the respective country a certified copy or extract of the document, together with an application in which their permanent address in the Republic of Bulgaria is indicated.
Citizens can also submit directly to the respective Bulgarian municipality the legalized birth certificate, with a certified translation into Bulgarian, made by a translation company under contract with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signature of the Bulgarian translator shall be certified at the Consular Relations Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( Sofia, 2 Alfred Nobel St.).
The municipality where the child's birth is registered is the municipality of the mother's permanent address; if she is not a Bulgarian citizen, the municipality of the father's permanent address.

Registration in Bulgaria of a civil marriage of Bulgarian citizens contracted abroad:
Citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria, who are abroad, are obliged within six months after the civil marriage certificate has been issued by a local civil status authority to provide or send to the Bulgarian mission in the respective country, a certified copy or extract of the document, together with an application stating their permanent address in Bulgaria.
Citizens can also submit directly to the respective Bulgarian municipality the legalized civil marriage certificate, with a certified translation into Bulgarian, made by a translation company under contract with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The municipality where a civil marriage contracted abroad is registered is the municipality of the permanent address of the spouse who is a Bulgarian citizen; if both spouses are Bulgarian citizens, it is the municipality of the permanent address of the husband.

Registration in Bulgaria of the death of a Bulgarian citizen occurring abroad:
A death of a Bulgarian citizen occurring abroad shall be registered in the municipality of the person’s permanent address in the Republic of Bulgaria.For this purpose, the original death certificate or a certified copy of the document issued by a local civil status authority shall be submitted or sent within six months to the diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad, together with an application stating the permanent address of the deceased citizen in Bulgaria.
The relatives of the deceased can also submit the legalized document directly to the municipality, with a certified translation into Bulgarian language, made by a Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representative, or by a translation company under contract with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signature of the Bulgarian translator shall be certified at the Consular Relations Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( Sofia, 2 Alfred Nobel St.).
The Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions abroad do not finance or carry out the activities of servicing and transportation of the deceased. In the event of a death, the relatives of the deceased Bulgarian citizen should contact the insurance company where the deceased had taken out insurance prior to the trip, or contact a funeral home/agency in the country of residence to learn about the service and transportation of the deceased abroad.

Certifications and legalizations:
The Bulgarian Diplomatic Mission in Nur-Sultan certifies the date, content and signatures of private documents that are not subject to registration and are presented by Bulgarian or foreign citizens, certifies the accuracy of copies and extracts of documents presented by Bulgarian citizens and draws up notarial wills of Bulgarian citizens. The certification of the date, content and signature of a private document which is not subject to registration and is presented by a foreign citizen shall be carried out only if the document is intended to have its effect on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and is drawn up in Bulgarian.
The Consular Office cannot draw up notarial deeds or certify other private documents subject to registration (e.g. statements of claim, contract for the sale of a motor vehicle, etc.).
The Consular Office with the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Astana does not certify Bulgarian translations of public documents issued by the authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
According to the available contractual and legal basis, public documents issued by the authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan are not obliged to be legalized with an Apostille of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan and do not need to be certified by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Astana in order to be presented in Bulgaria!
Most Bulgarian institutions, however, only accept a document with an Apostille, which must be translated into Bulgarian by a sworn translator from a licensed translation company.
Issuance of identity documents
The Consular Office with the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Nur Sultan accepts applications for the issuance of an identity card, an international passport, an Emergency Travel Document with a validity period of up to 12 months.