Kazakhstan Travel Information

Cases of the coronavirus have been detected in Kazakhstan. An exception state is declared. The borders are closed and commercial flights are canceled. For more information about coronavirus, see the section Health. According to Abbreviationfinder, KAZ stands for Kazakhstan in geography.

Safety

Kazakhstan is generally a safe country to travel in, provided that normal care is taken. The biggest problem is with traffic in traffic, where there is a lot of unlawful driving. Pedestrians are also encouraged to exercise caution.

As in all other countries, there is also an overrepresentation of violence related to nightlife and alcohol in Kazakhstan. There is considerable police presence in the capital Nur Sultan and Almaty, but less in other parts of the country.

Norwegians traveling to Kazakhstan should have valid travel insurance as the National Insurance Scheme does not cover expenses related to illness or accidents. In some cases, hospitals may require advance payment, even if the patient has valid European travel insurance. It has occurred that hospitals have not accepted travel insurance without a guarantee letter from the embassy. The embassy encourages anyone going to the region to register on reiseregistrering.no.

Southern Kazakhstan, including the country’s largest city Almaty, lies in a seismically active area. Local infrastructure and building stock are not always earthquake-proof and the potential damage from a major earthquake can be very large. Winter temperatures can drop to -40 in the capital Nur Sultan and northern parts of the country. It is relatively often that highways are closed due to. snow and difficult weather conditions.

  • Countryaah: Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. Check to find information of population, geography, history, and economy about the capital city.

Risk of terrorist incidents in Kazakhstan is considered low but cannot be ruled out.

In the event of a crisis or emergency, the public can contact the UD’s 24-hour operating center on tel: +47 23 95 00 00 or by e-mail: UDops@mfa.no.

Major Landmarks in Kazakhstan

Entry

Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.

From 1 January 2017, Kazakhstan authorities have introduced visa-free entry for Norwegian citizens for up to 30 days, from the time a border crosses into the country.

It is recommended to carry a passport and immigration card (to be filled in on arrival), as one is obliged to be able to identify himself. Norwegians must register with the authorities after arrival. Failure to register can result in fines and deportation. Normally the hotel will be able to handle registration and it is therefore normal to give up the passport for registration. One should make sure to get a copy of the passport while registering. Travelers who receive two stamps in the passport upon arrival at the international airport are considered as registered. For longer stays, the traveler must ensure that the registration is valid at all times.

Health

Coronavirus (covid-19): Cases of coronavirus and deaths related to the virus have been detected in Kazakhstan. All cases must have been visitors. More and more stringent investigations are initiated on arrival, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to get out of the country due to the means of transport.

You can find more information and guidance from the Norwegian health authorities on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. See also UD’s answers to frequently asked questions about travel and coronavirus.

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Diseases that may be appropriate to vaccinate against may include hepatitis A, diphtheria, tetanus, tetanus, typhoid, tuberculosis.

For updated recommendations on vaccination before departure, read here to see information from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Hospitals in Kazakhstan do not meet Western standards, and with the exception of some hospitals in larger cities, both competence and material are so. It is not common for health professionals to know Western languages.

For Immediate Help –
Ministry of Emergency Situations (24hrs) Tel. + 7 7172 32 32 76/86
Tel. + 7 7172 32 69 73
Tel. + 7 7172 32 83 44
From Local Phones 112

Presidential Clinic Astana Tel. +7 7172 75 15 02
Tel. +7 7172 75 15 05
Tel +7 7172 70 80 11
Tel +7 7172 707977
Email: medical_rk@mail.ru 37/1
Moskovskaya Str

Astana Scientific Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan Tel. +7 7172 54 77 17
Fax: 8 (7172) 54-77-30
E-mail: niitokz@mail.ru
Website: www.niito.kz
15 Abylaikhan Str

Astana Central Hospital (Hospital Number One) Tel.: + 7 727 274 9716
24 h Tel. +7 7272 74 47 53
Fax: + 7 727 275 5961 6 Dzhandosov Str Almaty

Note that the National Insurance Scheme does not normally cover expenses that Norwegians in Kazakhstan have to bear in connection with illness and accidents. It is therefore strongly recommended to have valid travel insurance.

Tap water is not recommended for cooking and drinking. Bottled water is available everywhere in Kazakhstan.

Practical information

According to allcitycodes, the area code for calls from Norway to Kazakhstan is +7. The telephone lines are of varying quality. Calling abroad is expensive. GSM coverage is good in cities. To call Norway from landline, dial 8-10-47 followed by telephone number in Norway, from mobile use ‘+47’ and not ‘0047’ as a preset.

Eastern Kazakhstan (Nur Sultan and Almaty) is at GMT +6, while Western Kazakhstan is at GMT + 5. There is no daylight saving time in the country. That is, in the summer, Kazakhstan is four and three hours ahead of Norway respectively, while in winter the difference is five and four hours.

The voltage of the power supply in Kazakhstan is 220 volts, 50 Hz. The tensile strength can often be variable, with some severe fluctuations. The Internet domain is.kz. The network is relatively well developed in the big cities and wireless access is increasingly common in hotels. National currency is tenge, which is fully convertible. Officially, only the local currency can be used in transactions.

Visa and MasterCard are both usable in the major cities of Kazakhstan, but please note that card tapping and misuse occur. Credit cards can be used at most major hotels, and ATMs are common in all major and medium-sized cities. It is unusual, but largely possible, to pay by card at restaurants. One should include currencies such as euros or US dollars to exchange if traveling outside the major cities.

Banks and government offices are usually open weekdays from 0900-1800, with an hour or two break in the middle of the day. On Saturday, public offices are closed, while banks are normally open until 2 pm or 3 pm. Supermarkets and other stores are open every day from approx. 10am to 9pm, often longer (some stay closed Sundays).

National Holidays in Kazakhstan: January 1, New Year’s Day, January 7 (Russian Orthodox Christmas Celebration), March 8 (International Women’s Day), March 22 (Nauryz Meyrami – Traditional Spring Celebration), May 1 (Workers International Match Day, May 9 (Victory Day), July 6 (Nur Sultan Day), August 30 (Constitution Day), November 17 (Eid al-Adha (Sacrifice)), December 16/17 (Independence Day).

According to Kazakh law, a public holiday must be moved if the public holiday falls on a public holiday. Thus, some of the holidays will fall on the first working day after a day off.

The people of Kazakhstan are friendly and welcoming and want visitors to have a pleasant stay. Still, you sometimes run into people who see service as a foreign word.

Kazakhstan is a secular country that defines itself as multi-religious and multi-ethnic. There are 130 officially recognized people groups. Kazakhs (about 65 percent) and Russians (over 20 percent) are the largest of them. Sunni Islam and Russian Orthodox Christianity are the main faiths. So-called traditional religious directions are all treated with great respect by the authorities. A license is required to conduct all kinds of missionary activities and violations are severely punished. There are no special dress codes or restrictions on the consumption of alcohol. In many contexts, Kazakhs want to dress more ornately and formally than Norwegians.

Kazakh is the official language of the country, but the vast majority also speak Russian, which also has official status and dominates in several of the major cities. Knowledge of other foreign languages ​​is limited, but English is also on the rise here.

It looks like the problem of fake personals has spread to Kazakhstan. Norwegians are advised not to send money to people who have only had email or telephone contact. The scammers have sometimes maintained email contact for a long time before the scams have been carried out. If you want to buy tickets for and to the invited party, it is recommended to buy electronic tickets directly from the airlines or from a Norwegian travel agency that offers a refund if the traveler does not show up. Airline tickets are not required to be submitted in connection with visa applications. If the invitee has issued a financial guarantee form, the applicant who does not need to show that he/she has a certain amount of money in his account. Passports, travel documents and visa applications do not cost large amounts on the Norwegian scale.

See also information about Norway in Kazakhstan.

Norway’s Honorary Consul in Nur Sultan:

Nurlan Mussin
Postal and office address:
5 Zhanybek and Kerey Khandar street,
Entrance number 5 Office number 50
Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan
Opening hours 09.00 – 18.00 (lunch 12.00-14.00)
Phone + 7 701 711 3312, + 7 701 915 0101
E-mail: nurlan.mussin@gmail.com no.kz.hc@gmail.com

Norway’s Honorary Consul in Almaty:

Aigoul Kenjebayeva
Postal and office address: 135 Abylai Khan Avenue, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Opening hours: 09.00-18.00
Phone: +7 727 258 2380, +7 701 744 6229, Fax: +7 727 2582 381
Email: aigoul.kenjebayeva@dentons .com
Private Email: aigoul.moonflower@gmail.com