Health Alert – U.S. Mission Kazakhstan (July 30, 2020)

30 MINUTE READ

July 30, 2020

Location: Kazakhstan

Event: COVID-19 and Travel Update

U.S. citizens are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts from the Embassy and Consulate. Ensure you have added a trip to Kazakhstan on your profile to receive pertinent updates.

We are sending this message on a weekly basis. We will continue to use this platform to disseminate updates, should the situation in Kazakhstan change significantly. Otherwise, our next scheduled message will be August 7, 2020. For daily updates, see our COVID-19 website.

The Kazakhstani Ministry of Health has confirmed 87,664 cases of COVID-19 in the country as of July 30, 2020.

We urge U.S. citizens in-country to remain vigilant and to continue practicing social distancing, frequent handwashing, and enhanced disinfection measures. Please look for ways to prevent becoming a vector for the virus, such as avoiding social gatherings. We recommend that U.S. citizens continue with limited movement in public to include grocery shopping, pharmacy, and other essential trips. For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please consult the CDC’s website.

August 5 Deadline to Leave Kazakhstan: The Government of Kazakhstan has announced that foreign citizens without a current visa must leave the country by August 5. After this date, foreigners who remain in Kazakhstan and whose visas have expired or have not been renewed will face administrative penalties. Those currently in Kazakhstan with expired visas should contact their municipality’s Migration Police office as soon as possible to obtain an exit visa. Commercial flight options out of Kazakhstan with onward connections to the United States are summarized below and on our COVID-19 page. Please note that immigration questions are the purview of the Kazakhstani government, and we cannot intervene or consult on visa matters. Should we gain additional information on this announcement, we will notify you via this messaging platform

Quarantine Measures Extended: Countrywide quarantine restrictions that began on July 5 remain in place, and have been extended through at least August 16. Other municipalities may introduce restrictions beyond the below and with little or no notice; for the latest information, see your respective city’s website. Links are provided on our COVID-19 page.

Masks Required: The Chief Sanitary Doctor of Kazakhstan has mandated that masks be worn nationwide in public settings, including both indoor and outdoor spaces and on public transportation. Failure to comply with this measure could result in administrative penalty.
Transportation: Regional bus service will be suspended, and municipal transportation will be limited. Rail travel will be limited. Domestic and international air travel will remain at current levels. In Nur-Sultan, starting August 3, public transportation will run at 50% capacity. In Almaty, public transportation will be shuttered between July 31 and August 2.
Businesses Shuttered: Many businesses remain closed, including gyms and fitness centers, pools, beaches, cultural facilities, museums, exhibits, entertainment centers, religious facilities, movie theaters, food courts, and recreational facilities.
Essential Businesses Exempt: Some essential business will continue to operate, including grocery stores, open-air markets, and pharmacies. Health centers will offer services by appointment. Limited enterprises, such as companies in construction, agriculture, auto service, and commercial banks will remain open. Restaurants will be open for delivery or take-out; summer patios will remain open.
Personal Movement Limited: All large events and family gatherings are prohibited. Individual and group outdoor fitness activities are permitted, and people may walk in parks and other public spaces in groups of three or less. Individuals older than 65 years old are limited from leaving their residence.

For U.S citizens who need to travel by vehicle from areas with restricted movement in order to reach an airport with international flights, the only assistance we can provide is to request passage through the checkpoints from the Government of Kazakhstan (GoK). Based on the GoK’s requirements, you must provide us the below information at least four business days before your scheduled flight. Address this information to the following addresses: AlmatyUSCitizen@state.gov or Nur-SultanUSCitizen@state.gov. This information will be shared with the Kazakhstani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Name
Passport number
Residential address in Kazakhstan
Purpose of stay in Kazakhstan
Flight number
License plate number (vehicle transporting you to airport)

International Flights: Commercial flight options exist for travel out of Kazakhstan and to locations with onward connections available to the United States:

From Nur-Sultan (note as of June 8, Nur-Sultan’s airport code changed to NQZ):

Air Astana offers a weekly flight, on Wednesdays, to Frankfurt (via Uralsk). Additional information on this flight can be found on the Air Astana website.
Air Astana offers a flight to Istanbul (direct) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Additional information on this flight can be found on the Air Astana website. (Note: Note: This flight will be suspended between July 20 and August 10. Passengers wishing to fly to/from Istanbul during this period can be re-routed for free via Almaty.)

From Almaty:

Air Astana offers a weekly flight, on Tuesdays, to Amsterdam (via Atyrau). Additional information on this flight can be found on the AirAstana website.
Air Astana offers a weekly flight, on Mondays, to Seoul (direct). Additional information on this flight can be found on the AirAstana website. (Note: As of July 9, passengers (except Korean nationals) must present a negative PCR certificate issued withing 48 hours of departure. PCR tests must be obtained at one of the following clinics, approved by the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan: Olympus, MPK Clinic, or Invivo. If passengers hold a certificate in Russian or Kazakh, they must present a notarized English or Korean translation, together with the original certificate.)
Asiana Airlines will offer a flight to Seoul (direct) once every two weeks, including on August 5. Additional information can be found on the FlyAsiana website. (Note: As of July 9, passengers (except Korean nationals) must present a negative PCR certificate issued withing 48 hours of departure. PCR tests must be obtained at one of the following clinics, approved by the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan: Olympus, MPK Clinic, or Invivo. If passengers hold a certificate in Russian or Kazakh, they must present a notarized English or Korean translation, together with the original certificate.)
Air Astana offers a flight to Istanbul (direct) on July 31, and August 7. Additional information on this flight can be found on the Air Astana website. Direct connections to the United States are available.
Turkish Airlines offers a flight to Istanbul (direct) on Thursdays and Sundays. Additional information can be found on the Turkish Airlines website. Direct connections to the United States are available.

From Atyrau:

Air Astana offers a flight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to Amsterdam. Additional information on this flight can be found on the AirAstana website.
Air Astana will offer a flight on Tuesdays and Fridays to Istanbul. Additional information on this flight can be found on the Air Astana website (Note: This flight will be suspended between July 20 and August 10. Passengers wishing to fly to/from Istanbul during this period can be re-routed for free via Almaty.)

From Uralsk, Air Astana offers a weekly flight, on Wednesdays, to Frankfurt. Additional information on this flight can be found on the AirAstana website.

Border Restrictions Still in Effect: Kazakhstan’s border largely remains closed to foreign citizens with limited exception, including diplomats, direct-family members of Kazakhstani citizens, residency permit holders, some employees of designated companies in critical industries, and citizens of those countries with which Kazakhstan has resumed direct flights (China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Turkey). Additional information can be found on the website of the Kazakhstani Committee for National Security. Please note that immigration questions are the purview of the Government of Kazakhstan, and we are not permitted to give recommendations or intervene on matters related to entering Kazakhstan. Such matters should be directed to the Kazakhstani Embassy in the United States or, if applicable, your employer. Visa-free travel to Kazakhstan has been suspended until November 2020 (see below).

Actions to Take:

Monitor local government websites for updates.
Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19.
For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
Check with your airlines or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Kazakhstan.
Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
Information on medical resources in Kazakhstan, including a list of English-speaking physicians, can be found here.