Starting from October 26, 2025, updated rules for obtaining and extending kandas status will come into effect in Kazakhstan. Applications may now be submitted electronically — through the Unified Migration Services Portal, the mobile application, Kazakhstan’s foreign missions, Public Service Centers, or the e-Government portal.

Applicants must attach an autobiography and copies of identity documents for themselves and their family members, accompanied by a notarized translation into Kazakh or Russian. In addition, applicants must provide proof of Kazakh ethnicity through birth certificates, passports, or other official documents. All documents must be submitted in both original and copy form; however, electronic versions retrieved from state databases are also accepted.

Applications submitted through the portal are processed in the automated Kandas system and reviewed by local employment and social protection authorities. Once the application is registered, the applicant receives an automatic notification. The state service is provided free of charge, and the decision on granting kandas status is issued within three working days.

The new system introduces greater transparency: if specialists have substantiated comments regarding the submitted documents, the applicant is notified in advance of a preliminary refusal and invited to a hearing — either online or in person. The hearing must take place within two working days, after which a final decision is made on granting or denying the status. If the applicant cannot attend for valid reasons, the hearing may be rescheduled.

The extension of kandas status is processed through a separate application and may be granted once, for a period of up to six months. The decision is made within two working days, and the applicant is informed of the outcome through the e-Government system.