Kazakhstan

Last Updated: 2026-04-01

Official Portal: Ministry of Internal Affairs — Migration Service

Embassy Finder: Kazakh Diplomatic Missions

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Residency for naturalization	5 years of continuous lawful residence
Language requirement	Knowledge of the Kazakh language (basic level)
Civics test	Knowledge of the Constitution of Kazakhstan
Processing time	6—12 months
Naturalization fee	Approximately KZT 8,500 (USD 17) in state duties
Dual citizenship	Not permitted; Constitution explicitly prohibits it
Citizenship by birth in Kazakhstan	Conditional — child of stateless parents or parents whose country does not confer citizenship
Citizenship by descent	Automatic if at least one parent is a Kazakh citizen
Governing law	Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1991, as amended through 2023)

Dual Citizenship

Kazakhstan strictly prohibits dual citizenship. Article 10(3) of the Constitution states: “A citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall not be recognized as a citizen of another state.”

Key provisions:

Acquisition of a foreign nationality results in automatic loss of Kazakh citizenship.
Foreign nationals applying for Kazakh citizenship must renounce all prior citizenships with documented proof.
Kazakhstan has pursued bilateral agreements with Russia to prevent unauthorized dual citizenship among the large Russian-ethnic population.
Enforcement has intensified since 2020, with periodic campaigns requiring citizens to declare and renounce any foreign nationalities.
Penalties for concealing a second citizenship include fines and potential criminal liability under recent amendments.
Despite the prohibition, an estimated number of Kazakh nationals informally hold Russian, Uzbek, or Turkish citizenship, particularly among cross-border communities.

Acquisition of Nationality

By Birth (Jus Soli)

Kazakhstan applies a limited jus soli rule:

A child born in Kazakhstan acquires citizenship if both parents are stateless persons permanently residing in Kazakhstan.
A child born in Kazakhstan to parents whose state does not confer citizenship on the child also acquires Kazakh citizenship.
A child born in Kazakhstan to foreign parents with established citizenships does not acquire Kazakh citizenship by birth on the territory.

By Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

Kazakh citizenship transmits automatically by descent:

A child born to at least one parent who is a Kazakh citizen acquires citizenship automatically, regardless of place of birth.
If one parent is Kazakh and the other is a foreign national, the child acquires Kazakh citizenship by agreement of both parents. If they disagree, the child acquires citizenship if born in Kazakhstan, or may acquire it by court order if born abroad.
Registration with a Kazakh consulate is required for children born abroad.

By Adoption

A foreign child under 18 adopted by Kazakh citizens acquires Kazakh citizenship from the date the adoption is finalized. The child must renounce any prior nationality. If only one adoptive parent is Kazakh, both parents must consent.

By Marriage

Marriage to a Kazakh citizen does not automatically confer citizenship. A foreign spouse may apply for naturalization with a reduced residency requirement:

3 years of lawful residence (instead of the standard 5) if married to a Kazakh citizen for at least 3 years
All other naturalization conditions apply
Must renounce prior nationality

By Naturalization

Requirement	Details
Residence	5 years of continuous lawful residence (3 years for spouses of citizens)
Language	Knowledge of the Kazakh language (basic conversational level)
Civics	Familiarity with the Constitution of Kazakhstan
Age	At least 18 years old
Character	No serious criminal convictions
Financial	Lawful source of income
Renunciation	Must renounce all prior citizenships with documented proof
Fee	KZT 8,500 state duty

Oralman (Ethnic Kazakh Repatriation) Program:

Kazakhstan operates one of Central Asia’s most active ethnic repatriation programs. Ethnic Kazakhs living abroad (primarily in China, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Turkmenistan) may apply for citizenship through a simplified procedure:

No residency requirement — citizenship may be granted immediately upon arrival and registration
Must demonstrate Kazakh ethnic origin (birth certificate, family records, community documentation)
Repatriates receive a resettlement allowance, housing assistance, and employment support
Over one million ethnic Kazakhs have returned through this program since independence in 1991
The program is managed through regional migration offices and Kazakh embassies abroad

Loss and Renunciation

Voluntary renunciation: A Kazakh citizen may renounce citizenship by application to the President through the migration authorities. Renunciation is denied if:

The applicant has unfulfilled obligations to the state (taxes, military service).
The applicant is a defendant in criminal proceedings.
Renunciation would render the person stateless.

Involuntary loss:

Ground	Details
Acquisition of foreign nationality	Automatic loss upon acquisition of another citizenship
Fraud	Citizenship obtained through false documents may be revoked
Service against the state	Voluntary service in a foreign military or intelligence service
Terrorism or extremism	Citizenship may be revoked for persons convicted of terrorism-related offenses (2017 amendments)

Restoration of Nationality

Former Kazakh citizens who lost or renounced citizenship may apply for restoration:

Application to the President through the migration service
Must renounce any foreign citizenship acquired in the interim
Must provide evidence of prior Kazakh citizenship
No mandatory residency period, but residence in Kazakhstan is considered favorably
Processing time is similar to standard naturalization (6—12 months)
Ethnic Kazakhs who lost citizenship may use the Oralman program for faster processing

Stateless Persons and Foundlings

Kazakhstan is a party to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

A child found in Kazakhstan whose parents are unknown is presumed to be a Kazakh citizen.
Children born in Kazakhstan to stateless parents permanently residing in the country acquire Kazakh citizenship at birth.
Kazakhstan has established a statelessness determination procedure and has conducted campaigns to identify and resolve statelessness among formerly Soviet populations.
UNHCR has worked with Kazakhstan to address the status of approximately 7,000—8,000 stateless persons, many of whom are former Soviet citizens who failed to register for any nationality after independence.

Document Checklist

Completed application form (from migration service or consular office)

Valid foreign passport with notarized Kazakh or Russian translation

Birth certificate with apostille and certified translation

Proof of 5 years continuous residence (registration stamps, residence permit)

Evidence of Kazakh language knowledge (test certificate or interview confirmation)

Constitution knowledge assessment result

Documented proof of renunciation of prior citizenship

Marriage certificate (for spousal pathway)

Criminal record clearance from country of residence and Kazakhstan

Proof of lawful income (employment contract, tax declarations)

Medical certificate (communicable diseases screening)

Two passport-sized photographs (3x4 cm)

Receipt of state duty payment

Evidence of Kazakh ethnic origin (for Oralman applicants)

Sources

Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1991, as amended) — Full text via legislation portal: https://adilet.zan.kz/eng
Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan — Article 10 on citizenship: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Kazakhstan_2017
Ministry of Internal Affairs — Migration Service — Application procedures: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qr-migration
UNHCR — Kazakhstan — Statelessness and nationality guidance: https://www.unhcr.org/kazakhstan.html
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan — Consular services and Oralman program: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa

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