Is It Safe to Travel to Kazakhstan in 2026?
Kazakhstan - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country situated primarily in Central Asia, with a portion of its territory extending into Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, and it has a coastline along the Caspian Sea.
Is It Safe to Travel to Kazakhstan in 2026?
Kazakhstan is currently rated Level 1 — Exercise Normal Precautions by the U.S. Department of State. Kazakhstan is generally a safe destination for travelers. Travelers should review guidance to prepare for a safe trip. Kazakhstan regularly experiences flooding, so it's important to stay informed about weather and natural disasters.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- other
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers may encounter petty crime in urban areas, so staying vigilant in crowded places is advisable.
Business travelers should be aware of potential bureaucratic inefficiencies and corruption, particularly in dealings with local authorities.
Families with children may face challenges in accessing quality healthcare outside major cities, and should be cautious of natural disaster risks like flooding.
Remote workers can find reliable internet in urban centers, but should avoid rural areas where connectivity may be inconsistent.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Kazakhstan.
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▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Kazakhstan has an overall threat severity of 1.6 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 3.5/10, terrorism risk 0.0/10, and kidnapping risk 0.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Not Free — scored 23/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Tenge (KZT)
Language
Kazakh / Russian
Vaccinations
Recommended:
Active health notices:
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Kazakhstan
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Kazakhstan?
▶Is it safe to travel to Kazakhstan right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Kazakhstan?
▶What vaccines do I need for Kazakhstan?
▶Is Kazakhstan safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Kazakhstan?
More Kazakhstan Data
Not Free — 23/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.