Do I need a passport to Kazakhstan? How to make the trip problem-free

Comfortable old capital of Almaty (Alma-Ata),built with the latest technology Astana, ancient Taraz and Shimkent, standing on the Great Silk Road - all this is Kazakhstan. And in the republic there are many natural beauties: boundless steppes in the north, snow-capped mountains Kyongei and Zailiyskiy Alatau in the south, beautiful blue lakes (Balkhash, Burbai), Charyn Canyon, Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan also does not suffer from a lack of historical monuments: tourists can see the burial mound Beshatyr Saka, and in the south of the country - many graves of the Saka rulers.

But not only with the purposes of tourism they go to Kazakhstancitizens of Russia. They often go on a visit to friends, they want to visit relatives. After all, the citizens of the CIS are connected with each other by long-standing ties. But the question arises whether a foreign passport is needed in Kazakhstan. After all, some Russians simply do not have it, and the procedure for issuing it is long.

When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan

From Moscow planes fly daily to Astana andAlmaty. You can get there by train, but it will take considerably longer. For example, from Moscow to Astana, the passenger train moves 60 hours, and in Alma-Ata - more than three days! Before we consider the question of whether you need a passport to Kazakhstan, let's determine when it's best to go there. A long and harsh winter in the north, slush from December to March in the south and a very very hot summer leave tourists to visit the country only off-season.

The biggest holiday of the country is Nauryz, which translates as "New Day".

It is celebrated in the spring equinox andis accompanied by traditional folk games: jumps on horses ("alaman-baiga"), pursuit of the girl "kuz-kuu" (how not to recall the film "Borat"), national struggle "kazaksha-kuresz". Also in the spring there are various festivals, music concerts, exhibitions of street artists and fairs. And in August, in highland Medeo, the "Voices of Asia" contest takes place every year.

So do I need a passport to Kazakhstan for Russians?

The Government of the Republic has allowed a visa-freeVisit the country to citizens of the whole CIS, as well as Turkey and Mongolia. This, of course, simplifies the matter: there is no need to submit to the Kazakh embassy a package of documents and to argue the reason for entering the country. And to pay a consular fee, by the way, is also not required.

But do I need a passport to Kazakhstan?citizens of the CIS? This question can not be answered unambiguously. But the subjects of the Russian Federation can be pleased: they can go to Kazakhstan, taking with them only the internal passport of a Russian citizen. With this document, by the way, you can also go to Abkhazia, Belarus and, if you dare, to Ukraine.

And what about the inhabitants of other CIS countries?

Unfortunately, for Ukrainians and citizens of thoserepublics that have not entered the Customs Union, you need a passport to enter Kazakhstan. This is strange and somewhat illogical. After all, citizens of Ukraine can come to Russia on an internal document, like residents of the Russian Federation in Kiev. But here further advance to the east for the subjects from the two banks of the Dnieper is difficult. Maybe it's a fee for an alleged membership in the European Union?

But even Russians at the entrance to KazakhstanTo relax it is not necessary. It's still a near, but still a foreign country. Therefore, take responsibility responsibly to those documents that will have to be filled at the border or at the airport.

What is a migration card?

We have already figured out whether you need a passport inKazakhstan to carry with them. Now it's time to talk about the documents that you will need to present to the border guard. Shortly before landing to all adult passengers, the stewardess will receive immigration card forms. This document must be filled very carefully with a ballpoint pen. All personal data should be written in Russian, in English or in Kazakh.

If you are going to visit, specify the name and addressreceiving party. If the tour - the name of the tour operator and its coordinates. In the case of independent tourism, you can write the title and address of the first booked hotel. The border guard sets the date of entry, and you have as many as ninety days to visit Kazakhstan. When you leave the second half of the migration card you are seized.

Innovations

Previously, all tourists had problems withregistration within a three-day period in the Migration Service of Kazakhstan. After all, people often came to rest and actively move around the country. Walking by the authorities and sitting in queues somewhat overshadowed the stay in Kazakhstan. And the lack of registration entailed trouble when leaving and charging a fine. Moreover, there have even been instances of extortion of bribes for allegedly out-of-order registration.

But now, since June 2012, the rules have changed.If you plan to stay in the country for up to 30 days, you do not need to register anywhere. But there is also sad news: it may very well be that soon Russian citizens still need a passport: Kazakhstan and Russia agree on changing the rules for crossing their common borders.