smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Kazakhstan
| Kazakhstan overall | This Advice is current for Saturday, 22 November 2008. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information under the Summary and Where to Get Help. The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
Terrorist attacks in neighbouring Uzbekistan have led to an increased military presence on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
You should avoid all protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent.
We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Kazakhstan because of the risk of criminal activity. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Robbery, pickpocketing, purse snatching and assaults, including with violence, occur on public transport, in parks, shopping areas, open markets (including the Green Market in Almaty), restaurants and near major tourist hotels and nightclubs, especially in the Almaty region.
There have been reports of foreign travellers being drugged and robbed while drinking in nightclubs and bars in Almaty.
Carjackings have been reported.
The risk of crime increases at night.
The expatriate community in Atyrau and Aktau in western Kazakhstan has been the target of violent attacks and muggings.
Thieves posing as police officers or unsolicited 'meet-and-greet' drivers at airports have robbed travellers. Official taxi drivers and police officers have identification.
Government authorisation is required prior to travel to areas along the border with China (Kulzhat and Kargos), regions around the Gvardeyskiy village, Rossavel village, the Kulzhabashy railway station in Zhambyl Oblast, Bokeyorda and Zhangaly districts in Western Kazakhstan Oblast, the town of Priozersk and Gulshad village in Karagunda Oblast, and Baykonur, Karmakshy, and Kazakly districts in Kyzylorda Oblast and to areas where military installations are located.
Driving standards and road conditions are poor. Roads can be particularly hazardous in winter and at night. Access to service stations can be limited in rural areas and fuel shortages can occur. The road between Almaty and Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic) is particularly treacherous.
Local buses, mini-buses and taxis are often poorly maintained.
Domestic aircraft are subject to uncertain maintenance and safety standards.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
A number of people have been killed in snow-related accidents in recent years including motor vehicles accidents, avalanches, snow falling from roofs and prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
Kazakhstan is subject to earthquakes. Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If you are in an area affected by a natural disaster, you should monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. The Kazakhstan economy is cash-based, though travellers' cheques and credit cards are accepted at large hotels catering to foreigners and credit cards are widely accepted in Almaty. Automatic teller machine (ATM) services are limited and you should confirm ATM locations with your credit card provider before travel.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
Children travelling alone or with one parent/guardian will require a letter of consent for travel signed by both parents.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Kazakhstan, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Under Kazakhstan law, you must carry your passport, with appropriate registration, at all times. Identification checks by police are common.
Penalties for the possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are severe and include prison sentences and heavy fines.
There is a policy of zero tolerance for drink driving in Kazakhstan (ie driving with a blood alcohol level greater than zero is an offence).
It is illegal to take photographs of or near military and security establishments and border regions.
Homosexuality is not illegal, but is not widely accepted in Kazakhstan society.
Serious crimes, such as murder, may attract the death penalty.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
Standards of dress and behaviour are conservative in Kazakhstan and you should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.
Kazakhstan does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit our ability to provide consular assistance to Australian/Kazakh dual nationals who are arrested or detained.
Australian/Kazakh dual nationals may be required to complete national service obligations if they visit Kazakhstan. For further information, contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Kazakhstan before you travel.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Australian citizens are required to obtain visas prior to arriving in Kazakhstan. Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Kazakhstan for the most up to date information.
Australians entering Kazakhstan using passports of the former Soviet Union are likely to experience difficulties in dealing with immigration authorities when seeking to depart Kazakhstan. On arrival, you should seek advice from local authorities on documentation requirements for exit.
All visitors intending to stay for five days or more are required to register with the local Visa and Registration Office (OVIR) within five days of arrival. If you arrive in Kazakhstan via an international airport, passport control authorities will process registration for you.
There are strict regulations on the export of antiquities.
Routine and strict border controls apply on the road between Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic).
All foreigners intending to say in Kazakhstan for more than three months must provide a valid medical certificate of a negative HIV test.
If you are arriving from a country infected with yellow fever, you will be required to present a valid yellow fever certificate to be allowed entry into Kazakhstan.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
Medical facilities throughout Kazakhstan are below western standards. Basic drugs and equipment are in short supply. Most doctors and hospitals will require payment in cash, regardless of whether you have travel insurance. In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation to a destination with the appropriate facilities would be necessary. Medical evacuation costs could be considerable.
Travel in forested areas brings the risk of exposure to tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks are very common from spring to autumn. We recommend you take precautions against being bitten by insects and use insect repellent at all times.
Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, typhoid, hepatitis, tuberculosis, brucellosis, leishmaniasis and rabies) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water. Avoid ice cubes, unpasteurised dairy products, and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Kazakhstan. You can obtain consular assistance from the Australian Embassy in Moscow.
Australian Embassy
10a/2 Podkolokolny Pereulok
Moscow, Russia
Telephone +7 495 956 6070
Facsimile +7 495 956 6170
Website www.russia.embassy.gov.au
If you are travelling to Kazakhstan, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency, if you are unable to contact the above Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
