Kazakhstan launched a trial of its paid electronic entry permit system for visa-free foreign nationals and stateless persons on Aug. 25, according to a statement on the Serbian Foreign Ministry's website. The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is issued through the QazETA digital platform.

During the first phase, which runs until Nov. 1, border guards will only inform arriving travelers of the new requirement, and the absence of a permit will not be grounds for refusing entry. Applications must be submitted no later than 72 hours before the planned arrival.

From Nov. 1, the electronic permit becomes mandatory for those arriving in Kazakhstan by air. From Nov. 15, it will be required at automobile checkpoints on the external border of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) — with China, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. From Nov. 30, it will apply at internal EAEU borders, including with Russia and Kyrgyzstan. From Dec. 15, the permit will be required at railway and sea crossings.

The permit is valid for 180 calendar days and allows multiple entries during that period. The standard fee for applying through the platform is about 3,900 tenge (roughly 730 rubles); applying at the border costs twice as much, about 7,800 tenge (nearly 1,500 rubles).

Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry has explained the new system as necessary to ensure "transparency, efficiency and completeness of migration flow accounting." The fee differentiation, the ministry said, is intended to accumulate funds for maintenance, modernization of digital infrastructure and protection of personal data.

Kazakhstan, which Russians can enter without visas, became a major destination for mass emigration after the start of the war and mobilization. According to the republic's Labor Ministry, more than 400,000 Russians arrived after the 2022 mobilization announcement, and roughly 100,000 of them stayed. Russian citizens may currently remain in Kazakhstan for 90 days; longer stays require a temporary residence permit.

Earlier, Kazakh authorities also tightened rules for foreigners seeking permanent residence, introducing thorough vetting of applicants for residency and temporary stay permits, as well as a requirement to know the Kazakh language at a level no lower than B2.