Kazakhstan
Last update 15 May 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 2: Increased attention (please be informed in detail about the current situation in the country)
2
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Republic of Kazakhstan
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan
Address: 11 “Imanov” str., Business Centre “Nursaulet”, fl. 5, Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
Telephone: +7 7172 90 15 15
Fax: +7 7172 90 18 19
Out-of-hours hotline:+7 701 371 07 64; +7 701 313 25 67 (emergency calls only)
Office hours: Mon - Thu, 09:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m.
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: https://www.mfa.bg/en/embassies/kazakhstan
Consular Office, Astana:
Telephone: +7 7172 90 15 19
Out-of-hours hotline:+7 701 371 07 64; +7 701 313 25 67 (emergency calls only)
Office hours: Mon – Fri, 09:00 a.m. - 05:30 p.m.
Acceptance of documents: Mon – Thu, 10:00 a.m.- 01:00 p.m.
Provision of information (phone): Mon – Thu, 02:00 p.m. - 05:00 p.m.
E-mail: [email protected]
The National Public Holidays of Bulgaria and Kazakhstan are days off.
Anvar Osin, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria in Kazakhstan
Address: 50a Bukhar-Zhyrau Street, Karaganda, Kazakhstan
Tel.: +77212400208, +7 7212 400 100
E-mail: [email protected]
Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Bulgaria
Address: Sofia, St. St. Cyril and Methodius 37 Str.
Phone: +359 2 862 41 70
+359 2 862 41 52
+359 2 862 41 55
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-sofia?lang=bg
General information
(1.) Security level:
(2.) Healthcare:
No special vaccinations are required when entering the country. For Covid-19 entering rules, please see the following information: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/covid19map
(3.) Recommended vaccines and personal hygiene advice:
(4.) Customs requirements:
(5.) Traffic on roads:
(6.) Practical advice:
(7.) Local currency:
Kazakhstan Tenge (KZT)
(8.) Climatic characteristics:
(9.) Other:
Crime and security
Overall situation in the country is relatively calm. Caution should be exercised when using taxis, which do not have characteristic markings. While travelling through the country, please keep in mind: move during daytime, stop in security parking lots close to or within settlements, strictly observe traffic rules. Currency should be exchanged only at designated exchange bureaus or banks.
Customs requirements
Kazakhstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. The rules of the local legislation and of the EAEU are applied. According to the customs legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it is permitted to import without a customs declaration funds and financial instruments up to the total amount of 10 thousand US dollars per person (excluding coins made of precious metals). For larger amounts it is necessary to fill in a customs declaration and to provide documents proving their origin.
Road traffic
Make every effort to familiarize yourself with local traffic rules. Heavy fines are imposed by the Kazakhstani authorities in case of traffic rules violation, followed by administrative/judicial proceedings, irrespective of the nationality of the offender. Make sure that the duration of your driving license has not expired and that it is valid for Kazakhstan. It is recommended to obtain an international driving license. In winter it is not recommended to travel along the national road network, including highways. The severe winter conditions often cause the complete temporary closure of roads/highways.
Climate
In the mountainous regions of the country, there is a danger of avalanches in winter and landslides during spring and autumn when heavy rains fall or snow melts.
Travel papers and visas
Valid travel document – international passport.
As of February 7, 2022, the Kazakhstani authorities have resumed the unilateral 30-day visa-free regime for the Bulgarian citizens with ordinary passports who intend to arrive in Kazakhstan by plane through the Kazakhstani International Airports. The visa-free regime also applies for the air transit of Bulgarian citizens.
Up-to-date information on the conditions and procedure for Bulgarian citizens with ordinary passports which intends to pass through the Kazakhstani International Land Border Crossing Points is published at the following address: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/covid19map/Asia/kazakhstan.
An Agreement for visa-free regime travel between Bulgaria and Kazakhstan for holders of diplomatic and service passports is in force from May 14, 2010.
Practical advice
Remember that during your stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan you should abide by local laws and customs. We recommend that you inquire about them in advance and follow them closely. Penalties for breaking the law can be more stringent than those in Bulgaria for the same offenses.
Pay special attention and obey the rules for the possession and consumption of alcohol and psychotropic substances. In Kazakhstan it is strictly forbidden to drive even after the consumption of alcohol in very small quantities.
Place all medications in their original packaging and check if some of them are not considered illegal drugs. If you use such substances, carry a copy of the prescription, confirming this fact.
Avoid carrying the belongings of other people when crossing a border.
If for any reason you are arrested by local authorities, please request to be connected with the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria. A consular officer will contact you as soon as possible.
We advise that you obtain a contract for health, tourism, travel or other insurance in advance.
In case of theft of your personal documents, money, travel tickets, etc. immediately notify both in person and in writing the nearest police station and request a copy of the protocol establishing the event. Contact the diplomatic representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to make arrangements for obtaining the necessary documents to continue your journey or return to Bulgaria.
Upon three days of your arrival in Kazakhstan, you or your host must register you in the relevant migration service.
Before leaving the Republic of Bulgaria, write down the addresses and the telephone numbers of the diplomatic representation of the Republic of Bulgaria, the administration of the hotels where you are staying, the tour operators and the local police, in case you need this data.
For your convenience, you can find the address, telephone and fax numbers of the “Consular Relations” Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Sofia on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - https://www.mfa.bg/.
Detailed information and tips for air travelers and security requirements in this regard can be found on the website of Sofia Airport - https://sofia-airport.eu/.
Competitive service
Certification and Legalisation
The Bulgarian diplomatic representation in Nur-Sultan confirms the date, contents and signatures on private documents that are not subject to registration and are presented by Bulgarian or foreign citizens, confirms the correctness of copies and extracts of documents submitted by Bulgarian citizens and composes notarial wills of Bulgarian citizens. Verification of the date, contents and signature of a private document that is not subject to registration and is submitted by a foreign person shall be made only if the document is intended to have effect in the Republic of Bulgaria and is prepared in Bulgarian.
The Consulate does not draw notarial deeds or certify other private documents subject to registration (e.g., statements of claim, contract for sale of vehicles, etc.).
The Consulate at the Embassy of Bulgaria in Astana does not perform validation of translations in the Bulgarian language of public documents issued by the authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Under the existing contractual and legal base, public documents issued by the authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan do not need to be legalised with an “Apostille” of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan and do not require certification by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Astana, in order to be used in Bulgaria!
Most Bulgarian institutions, however, only accept a document with an “Apostille” which must also be translated into Bulgarian. The diplomatic representation of the Republic of Bulgaria in Nur-Sultan does not endorse translations of Kazakhstan (resp. Kyrgyzstan) documents, so this should be made by the Consular Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bulgaria. Please note that translation the Kazakh (resp. Kyrgyz) document can be made only by a sworn translator working for a licensed translation company.
Issuance of Bulgarian identity documents
The diplomatic representation is temporarily not issuing identity cards, driving licenses or passports. The diplomatic representation of Bulgaria in Astana can only issue a temporary passport valid for 12 months.
Civil status
- Registration in the Republic of Bulgaria of children of Bulgarian citizen(-s) born in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria who are abroad are obliged within six months after the issuance of a birth certificate of their child by a local authority, to provide or send to the Bulgarian foreign representation in the respective country, a certified copy or extract from the document, along with the application stating their permanent address in Bulgaria.
Citizens may also provide directly to the relevant Bulgarian municipality the legalised birth certificate, with a certified Bulgarian translation done by a translation company that has a contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. The signature of the Bulgarian translator is validated in the “Consular Relations” Directorate at the MFA (Sofia, 2 “Alfred Nobel” str.).
The municipality where the birth of the child is to be registered, is the municipality of domicile of the mother, and if she is not a Bulgarian citizen - the municipality of domicile of the father.
- Registration in Bulgaria of marriage of Bulgarian citizens made abroad
Citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria who are abroad are obliged within six months after the issuance of a marriage certificate by a civil status local authority, to provide or send to the Bulgarian foreign representation in the respective country, a certified copy or extract from the document, along with the application stating their permanent address in Bulgaria.
Citizens may also provide directly to the relevant Bulgarian municipality the legalised marriage certificate, with a certified Bulgarian translation done by a translation company that has a contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. The signature of the Bulgarian translator is validated in the “Consular Relations” Directorate at the MFA (Sofia, 2 “Alfred Nobel” str.).
The municipality where the marriage made abroad is to be registered, is the municipality of domicile of the spouse, who is a Bulgarian citizen; if both spouses are Bulgarian citizens - the municipality of domicile of the spouse.
- Registration in Bulgaria of death of Bulgarian national occurring abroad
Death of a Bulgarian citizen, occurring abroad is to be registered in the municipality of permanent address in Bulgaria.
For this purpose, the original death certificate or certified copy of the document issued by a local civil status authority should be sent within six months after issuance to the Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the respective country, a certified copy or extract from the document, along with an application, stating the domicile of the deceased citizen in Bulgaria.
Relatives of the deceased may also provide directly to the relevant Bulgarian municipality the legalised death certificate, with a certified Bulgarian translation done by a translation company that has a contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. The signature of the Bulgarian translator is validated in the “Consular Relations” Directorate at the MFA (Sofia, 2 “Alfred Nobel” str.).
Bulgarian diplomatic and consular representations abroad do not fund or carry out the preparation or transportation of the deceased. In case of death, relatives of the deceased Bulgarian citizen should contact a funeral home / agency in the country of residence, to obtain information about services and transportation of the deceased abroad. Please note that in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, cremation is not performed for religious reasons.