Starting January 27, Kazakhstan will implement more stringent entry laws for citizens of member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Russian citizens fleeing the Ukraine war to Kazakhstan are likely to suffer the greatest consequences from this change.

Fellow members of the EAEU, including Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, do not require visas to enter the country but will now be allowed to stay within Kazakhstan’s borders for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Other non-EAEU citizens entering Kazakhstan may legally remain within its borders for 30 consecutive days, but no more than 90 days in a 180-day period. Rules regarding visas and temporary residence permits will remain the same.

While previous entry laws for EAEU members did not technically permit an unlimited stay, people were able to circumvent this by “visa-runs,” or by crossing the border every three months and returning immediately to Kazakhstan. In effect, this meant that EAEU citizens were able to stay in Kazakhstan indefinitely, provided that they register in Kazakhstan within 30 days of entering the country. EAEU citizens were also allowed to obtain one-year visas, without needing to present a passport, to remain in the country without the 90-day restriction. The new resolution will now require EAEU members to present a passport in order to obtain a year-long visa. 

 Kazakhstan's proximity and previously non-restrictive entry laws made it an ideal destination for Russians hoping to avoid fighting and fallout of the war. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization announcement in September, Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry reported that about 100,000 Russian citizens fled to Kazakhstan within the first week of the announcement, but the actual number could be higher.

In September of last year, Kazakhstan's President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, made sympathetic statements towards Russian nationals fleeing to his country: “A lot of people from Russia have come here over the last few days...Most of them were forced to leave by the desperate situation," Tokayev said. "We must take care of them and ensure their safety. This is a political and humanitarian matter." To back up this sentiment, Kazakhstanis living near the border with Russia have volunteered to provide food and accommodations for those evading conscription last September.

At the same time, Kazakhstan has made recent moves to strengthen their national identity amidst the increase of Russian migrants to the country. On November 8, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Alikhan Smaiylov, announced a new bill for those seeking naturalization. According to the bill, knowledge of the Kazakh language, history, and culture would be considered as determining factors for naturalization. The announcement came just a few months after the bulk of Russian asylum-seekers began to seek residence in Central Asia.  According to the Senate Chairman Maulen Ashimbaev, it is not necessary for those visiting for short periods to know the language, but those who plan to stay for extended periods should integrate through language skills. Incorporating this requirement into the naturalization application process will ensure that and incentivize those seeking to remain in the country to actively participate and integrate into the country’s society.

Stricter entry laws and Kazakh language requirements for naturalization may point to a greater effort to bolster the country’s new emerging identity. Kazakhstan, more so than other Central Asian countries, has a history of speaking more Russian than the native language. Constitutionally, Russian and Kazakh are both official languages and Russians remain the second biggest ethnic group in the country. Recently, Kazakhstan has placed an emphasis on reviving and preserving its distinctly Kazakh history, culture, and language.

In President Tokayev’s State-of-the-Nation Address  in March of 2022, he detailed his “mission to build a New Kazakhstan.” He included plans for structural political reforms and pushed for a need to “reset the system of individual and social values,” in order to achieve this goal. 

In this context, the recent changes to entry laws are consistent with the country’s current emphasis on nation-building. While Russians and others may still enter and seek residence, Kazakhstan is making structural and substantive moves to ensure that Kazakhstan will continue to preserve its culture and national identity.