Kazakhstan tourist visa

Kazakhstan B12 Tourist Visa 2026: Stay Rules, e‑Visa, Invitation & Application Guide

The B12 is Kazakhstan’s tourist visa category. It is relevant when a traveller does not have visa-free access for the intended stay and needs permission to visit for tourism. The exact application route depends on nationality and where the person applies.

Older StepOut wording treated the e‑Visa as though it were available in the same way to almost everyone and suggested several unrelated groups—business travellers, family visitors, digital nomads and transit passengers—should use B12. That was too broad. Tourism B12 is for tourism. Kazakhstan has separate business, private, transit and Neo Nomad categories for other purposes.

What B12 is for

Kazakhstan government visa guidance lists the recipients as people travelling to Kazakhstan as tourists. That is the cleanest description of the category.

If your real purpose is work, business activity, private/family matters, transit or remote-work residence, check the category designed for that purpose rather than trying to make a tourist application carry a different activity.

Current published validity and stay

Recent Kazakhstan government guidance states:

• Single-entry B12: up to 90 days validity, with no more than 30 days of stay.
• Multiple-entry B12: up to 90 days validity, with no more than 30 days of stay at each entry, where the route and supporting invitation permit multiple entry.

Visa validity and permitted stay are different concepts. A visa may be valid for a wider date range while allowing only a shorter period physically inside Kazakhstan.

Check visa-free entry before applying

Kazakhstan has visa-free arrangements with a number of countries. If your passport qualifies for the planned trip length and purpose, you may not need a B12 tourist visa.

Use the current Kazakhstan government or embassy information for your nationality. Do not apply for a visa simply because an old article says “all travellers need B12.”

The e‑Visa route exists, but eligibility must be checked

Kazakhstan operates an electronic visa system through its official Visa and Migration Portal. Government guidance explains that a traveller first checks whether the country of citizenship is included in the list eligible for e‑Visa and selects the correct purpose/category.

The e‑Visa is not universal. If your nationality is not eligible, the alternative may be a consular visa or another visa-free/visa route.

An invitation is important for the e‑Visa process

Kazakhstan’s official e‑Visa guidance states that an e‑Visa is issued upon an invitation from a host party registered in Kazakhstan. The host registers the invitation through the relevant migration process, and the traveller uses the visa-support information in the application.

Do not purchase a random “invitation number” without knowing the legal host behind it.

Not every consular applicant needs the same invitation document

Kazakh embassies publish local instructions. Some nationalities in specified lists may submit a letter of request instead of formal visa support for certain single-entry visas; other travellers require invitation/visa support.

This is one reason StepOut does not publish one embassy checklist as though it applies worldwide. Check the embassy responsible for your legal place of residence.

Passport validity

Kazakhstan embassy guidance commonly states that the passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the validity of the requested visa and contain at least two blank pages.

Check the specific mission handling your application because local submission instructions can include additional document-format requirements.

Application form and photograph

Consular B12 instructions generally require a completed visa application form and a recent passport-style photograph. The exact photo specification is published by the relevant embassy/consulate.

Use the current form from the government source rather than a PDF saved from an older application.

Additional consular documents can vary

Some Kazakhstan missions publish additional requests such as flight reservation, hotel booking, travel insurance or bank statements. These are mission-specific details and can change.

Follow the checklist for the embassy where you are legally entitled to apply.

Government visa fees

Several Kazakhstan embassy pages currently publish US$60 for single-entry B12 and US$90 for multiple-entry B12 for non-U.S. applicants, while U.S. citizen fee arrangements can differ under reciprocity. Fees are also subject to change and local payment method.

Check the mission handling the case on the day you prepare payment. A fee published by one embassy is not automatically the fee at every post.

How the e‑Visa application generally works

Government guidance directs eligible foreigners to the official Visa and Migration Portal. The usual logic is:

1. Confirm that your nationality and purpose are eligible for e‑Visa.
2. Arrange the required registered invitation from the host party.
3. Use the official portal to submit the application.
4. Pay the applicable government charge through the official process.
5. Download/print the electronic visa when issued.
6. Travel through the entry points permitted under the current e‑Visa rules.

Check the permitted e‑Visa entry checkpoints

Kazakhstan government pages have historically limited electronic-visa entry to specified international airports/checkpoints. Because the permitted list can be updated, verify it on the current government/portal information before booking a land border or regional-airport arrival.

A valid e‑Visa is not useful if you arrive at a checkpoint that cannot process it.

B12 is not the Neo Nomad visa

Kazakhstan now has a separate B12‑1 Neo Nomad category for qualifying remote workers with foreign-source income. Government guidance lists its own financial and document conditions.

A traveller who wants to live in Kazakhstan while working remotely for an extended period should investigate B12‑1 rather than assuming an ordinary tourist B12 permits long-term digital-nomad residence.

B12 is not a business visa

Short business travel is handled through business categories such as B1/B2/B3 depending on the purpose. A person planning negotiations, professional activities or another business purpose should check the corresponding category.

Adding a weekend of tourism to a business trip does not automatically turn the principal purpose into tourism.

B12 is not a family/private visa

Kazakhstan has private-visit categories for relevant circumstances. If the trip is primarily to visit family or for a private matter requiring an invitation from an individual, check the appropriate private category rather than using B12 by default.

B12 is not the transit visa

Transit has its own B13 category and rules. If you are only crossing Kazakhstan on the way to another country, do not assume B12 is necessary.

Filipino travellers

Older StepOut copy stated broadly that most Filipino travellers could obtain B12 entirely online. That should not be treated as a permanent rule. A Filipino passport holder should check current e‑Visa eligibility on the Kazakhstan Visa and Migration Portal and the instructions of the appropriate Kazakh diplomatic mission.

If eligible for e‑Visa, use that official route. If not, follow the consular route that applies. Egypt is not an inherent part of the Kazakhstan B12 visa.

Egypt has no automatic role in a B12 application

A Kazakhstan tourist visa is issued under Kazakhstan’s immigration system. You do not need an Egypt visa simply because you are applying for B12.

If you personally choose or are required to attend a Kazakhstan embassy located in Egypt, then you must separately have lawful permission to enter Egypt. That is a travel-to-the-embassy issue, not a Kazakhstan B12 requirement.

Can B12 be extended?

Do not plan a tourist trip around an assumed extension. Extension rules are limited and circumstance-specific. If you need a longer or different type of stay, choose the appropriate immigration category before travel where possible.

Registration and arrival notifications

Kazakhstan has rules around notifying migration authorities of a foreigner’s arrival, often handled by the accommodation provider/host. Verify the current arrival-notification process, especially if staying in a private residence rather than a hotel.

Travel insurance

Some consular checklists require travel insurance, and it is sensible risk management even where not specifically listed. Make sure the policy covers the activities you plan and the period of stay.

What StepOut can help with

StepOut can help you identify whether B12 matches the purpose, check the published visa/e‑Visa route, organise the document checklist and, where a legitimate local service is available, coordinate the invitation or other supporting process.

We do not issue the visa, control the Ministry of Internal Affairs invitation approval or guarantee the consulate’s decision.

Common B12 mistakes

• Applying for tourism when the real purpose is business or work.
• Assuming e‑Visa eligibility without checking nationality.
• Using an unregistered or unverifiable invitation source.
• Confusing visa validity with permitted stay.
• Using an old embassy fee or document list.
• Booking an e‑Visa arrival through an unsupported checkpoint.
• Assuming a tourist visa is a long-term digital-nomad route.
• Believing Egypt is automatically required for a Kazakhstan application.

Before applying

• Check whether you already have visa-free access.
• Confirm B12 matches tourism as the true purpose.
• Check e‑Visa eligibility on the official portal.
• Arrange the correct invitation/letter route where required.
• Use the current passport-validity and photo rules.
• Check the responsible mission’s document list and fee.
• Verify the entry checkpoint if using e‑Visa.

Official Kazakhstan sources

• Kazakhstan MFA — current visa categories and B12 validity/stay
• Kazakhstan government — how to get an e‑Visa
• Kazakhstan MFA — electronic visa overview
• Kazakhstan embassy guidance — B12 and other visa categories

For other Kazakhstan routes, visit the Kazakhstan destination hub and Visa Guides.

Accuracy note: embassy checklists and e‑Visa eligibility are nationality- and location-sensitive. Verify the current government source before submitting or paying.

If the embassy page and a general article differ, use the embassy handling your case

Kazakhstan maintains a common visa framework, but diplomatic missions can publish local appointment, payment and document-handling instructions. A traveller applying in London should not blindly copy a checklist written for Islamabad or New Delhi. Use the responsible mission for operational details.

Final verification habit

Before submitting or paying, open the original authority’s page one more time and compare the route, fee, timing and documents with the information you prepared. Save the confirmation or receipt. That final five-minute check is one of the simplest ways to catch a rule change before it becomes an expensive problem.

Final verification habit

Before submitting or paying, open the original authority’s page one more time and compare the route, fee, timing and documents with the information you prepared. Save the confirmation or receipt. That final five-minute check is one of the simplest ways to catch a rule change before it becomes an expensive problem.

Final verification habit

Before submitting or paying, open the original authority’s page one more time and compare the route, fee, timing and documents with the information you prepared. Save the confirmation or receipt. That final five-minute check is one of the simplest ways to catch a rule change before it becomes an expensive problem.