Where Is Kazakhstan

U.S. Department of State [Read More]

Kazakhstan (04/05)

Entry requirements. A valid passport and visa are required. The Kazakhstani Embassy in Washington, DC and the Kazakhstani Consulate in New York issue visas. As of February 2004, an invitation is no longer required for single-entry business and tourist visas, but multiple-entry visas require an invitation from an individual or organizational sponsor in Kazakhstan. The U.S. Embassy in Almaty does not issue letters of invitation to citizens interested in private travel to Kazakhstan. All travelers, even those simply transiting Kazakhstan for less than 72 hours, must obtain a Kazakhstani visa before entering the country. Travelers should be aware that overstaying the validity period of a visa will result in fines and delays upon exit. Travelers may be asked to provide proof at the border of their onward travel arrangements. Travelers transiting through Kazakhstan are reminded to check that their visas allow for sufficient number of entries to cover each transit trip and to check the ... [Read More]

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Kazakhstan

Prison conditions remained harsh and sometimes life threatening. Mistreatment occurred in pretrial detention facilities and in prisons, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and international organizations reported that abuses of prisoners increased after the head of the penitentiary system and approximately one-third of the prison administrators were replaced in 2003. The December 2003 transfer of supervision of pretrial detention facilities from the MVD to the Ministry of Justice was completed in May; as a result of this transfer, conditions improved, although they remained harsh. The head of the prison system and two deputies resigned in February following reports of brutal beatings of inmates in certain prisons. Violent crime among prisoners was common. During the year, the number of prisoners continued to decline significantly. Much of the decrease was associated with the 2002 Humanization of Criminal Justice Law, which prescribes punishments other than imprisonment, such as pr ... [Read More]

International Adoption Kazakhstan

FY-1999.... 113 ADOPTION AUTHORITY IN KAZAKHSTAN : Ministry of Education Committee on Guardianship and Care, 83 Kenesary St., Astana, Kazakhstan 473000 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: There is no age or marital status requirement stated in Kazakhstani regulations at this time, except that an unmarried prospective parent must be at least 16 years older than the child s/he intends to adopt. [Read More]

Kazakhstan

Foreigners must have exit visas, although they receive them routinely as part of their entry visa.  Foreigners who overstay their original visas, or who did not receive exit visas as part of their original visas, must get exit visas from the immigration authorities before leaving.  Foreign visitors are required to register, depending on their circumstances, either with the immigration officials who admit them at the airport or with the local Office of Visas and Registration (OVIR).  In June the Government simplified foreign citizens' visa registration by establishing an OVIR office at the Almaty and Astana international airports.  Foreigners no longer are required to register in every city they visit; one registration with OVIR is sufficient for travel throughout the country.  Immigration authorities occasionally fined or refused to allow foreigners without proof of registration to leave the country (see Section 2.c.). ... [Read More]

Kazakhstan

The 2002 Political Parties Law requires that all parties registered at the time of its enactment complete a reregistration process early in the year. Many of the 19 parties registered at that time of the law's passage did not meet these new requirements, while others decided not to attempt reregistration. By year's end, 8 of the 19 parties previously registered had successfully reregistered. On December 19, a new party, Asar, led by the President's eldest daughter, became the ninth and final party to be registered by the MOJ during the year. The law prohibits political parties established on an ethnic, gender, or religious basis; parties established on a religious basis are specifically prohibited by the Constitution.  Three political parties officially reregistered by the end of 2002; eight more attempted to reregister in January and February, four of which were successful. In February, the MOJ rejected the other four parties' applications for reregistration. Althoug ... [Read More]

Kazakhstan: Finishing the Transformation

In this connection, it is important to avoid measures -- some with the force of law, some merely administrative practice -- that risk creating the impression of a deteriorating investment climate. Onerous new regulations on procurement in the oil and gas industry, restrictions on the issuance of work permits for key expatriate personnel of foreign investors, and questionable environmental penalties are indicative of this trend. Even more important, many investors and the international financial press have begun to question whether a contract in Kazakhstan, once negotiated and signed, may be revisited. We believe it is vital that Kazakhstan and foreign investors quickly find a mutually satisfactory solution to allow the proposed expansion of TengizChevrOil, consistent with contract stability. A solution that moves forward this vital $3 billion project, which will create thousands of jobs, would be an example of the "win-win" thinking that we have in mind. ... [Read More]

Kazakhstan

The new Political Parties Law requires that all parties registered at the time of its enactment complete a reregistration process by January 2003, according to the new criteria established by the law. Many of the 19 parties registered at that time were not expected to meet these new requirements. The new law prohibits political parties established on an ethnic, gender, or religious basis; parties established on a religious basis are specifically prohibited by the Constitution.  Two small Kazakh ethnic nationalist parties, Alash and Kazakh Yely, as well as an ethnic Russian party that was granted temporary registration in April, were among the 19 registered parties during the year.  The Russian party changed its name to the Compatriot Party in July to comply with the new law and in December announced that it had surpassed 50,000 members. The Democratic Party of Women announced in October that it had changed its name to Yel Dana (Wisdom of the Nation) and would mee ... [Read More]

Kazakhstan

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the various religious communities worship largely without government interference. Although local officials attempt on occasion to limit the practice of religion by some nontraditional groups, such attempts are usually corrected upon the intervention of higher-level officials or courts. The overall status of religious freedom improved during the period covered by this report. President Nursultan Nazarbayev continued an initiative to promote dialogue among religions; a second international conference drawing regional dignitaries and religious figures was held in September 2003. However, the President and other senior officials also spoke out on the need to contain religious extremism, and officials at all levels continued to regard religious extremism with concern. Instances of harassment of religious organizations by local officialsdecrease ... [Read More]