Kazakhstan: sanctions and trade risk

Re-export routeNamed in UK and US guidance as a re-export route to Russia.

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 33 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Kazakhstan.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

Kazakhstan is named in official guidance as a route for re-exports to Russia. Ordinary goods are usually not restricted, but authorities expect you to verify the real end destination and end user, especially for goods on the EU/UK high-priority lists.

Sources: UK — Countering Russian sanctions evasion: guidance for exporters (at-risk jurisdictions list) (12 Mar 2026) · FinCEN/BIS Joint Alert FIN-2022-Alert003 (fn. 21 transshipment points) (28 Jun 2022) · European Commission — EU adopts 20th package (IP/26/869) (23 Apr 2026) · reviewed 24 Oct 2026

Check a shipment to Kazakhstan →

By sanctions regime

The indicator above is the strictest of these. Which regimes are relevant to a shipment depends on many connections — dispatch country, company location, incorporation, nationality, ownership, banks, goods origin. The check selects them from your inputs in a simplified way; UN measures take effect through each country's implementing law.

Regime	Indicator	What applies
UN	—	No UN sanctions regime.
EU	—	No measures against the country itself.
Switzerland	—	No measures against the country itself.
UK	Re-export route	Named in the UK list of jurisdictions at risk of re-export to Russia (Mar 2026).
US	Re-export route	Named in US guidance (FinCEN/BIS alert 2022) as a transshipment point to Russia.

On the sanctions lists

33 entries on the official lists name Kazakhstan — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	13	13	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	9	9	—	—
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)	7	7	—	—
US OFAC — Consolidated (Non-SDN) Lists	2	2	—	—
EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF)	2	2	—	—

Latest changes

Switzerland (SECO) · Situation in Ukraine: 329 new designations
4 Nov 2026 · New listings

All updates →

Logistics profile

Kazakhstan: logistics and trade

Eurasian transit hub and Middle Corridor hub

Kazakhstan (ISO code KZ) lies in Central Asia, bordering Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, with access to the Caspian Sea in the west. It is the world's largest landlocked country and a presidential republic with stable, centralised institutions. The climate is continental, with cold winters, hot summers and low rainfall across steppe, desert and mountain regions. The economy is driven by energy, mining, metals and agriculture, with crude oil, gas, uranium, metals and grain as leading exports, while machinery, technology and consumer goods are imported. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakhstan shares a common external tariff with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, and customs are cleared electronically through the Keden system. The standard import VAT rate is 16 percent since 1 January 2026. Strategically located between Europe and Asia, it plays a central role in the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor via the ports of Aktau and Kuryk and in the China-Europe rail land bridge through the Dostyk and Khorgos border crossings.

Capital: Astana
Population: 20,495,975
Area: 2,724,900 km²
Currency: Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)
Continent: Asia
Region: Central Asia
Economic area: EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union)
Religions: Islam, Christianity
Access to the sea: Landlocked

Transport modes Rail · Road · Pipeline

Current situation: Middle Corridor (TITR) growing strongly: 2025 around 8 million t sea freight (plus 7 percent); expansion of the ports of Aktau and Kuryk by 2028, deepening of Aktau from 2025.
Seasonal conditions: Continental climate: harsh winters with snow, ice and road closures, hot dry summers; falling Kaspi water level limits port operations.

Main cargo airports

Almaty International AirportALA
Almaty (ALA) is Kazakhstan's main air cargo gateway: ~68% of national freight, 100,000+ tonnes a year, Silk Way West, Turkish Cargo, Khorgos link.
Nursultan Nazarbayev International AirportNQZ
Nursultan Nazarbayev International (NQZ/UACC), Astana: cargo terminal with customs, USD 1.1bn expansion incl. new cargo facility. Alternative: Almaty ALA.
Shymkent AirportCIT
Shymkent Airport (CIT): new 2024 terminal, 6M passengers. Belly cargo today, dedicated freight hub planned; full freight via Almaty (ALA).
Aktobe AirportAKX
Aktobe Airport (AKX/UATT), western Kazakhstan: over 900,000 passengers in 2023, capacity raised past 1.2 million, cargo and mail handled beside belly freight.

Road corridors

Western Europe–Western China (WE-WC)
Almaty–Astana–Russia
Corridor to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

Rail corridors

Dostyk/Khorgos–China
Trans-Caspian (TITR) via Aktau/Kuryk
Northern corridor via Russia (connection to Trans-Siberian)

Inland ports

Khorgos Gateway (dry port, China border)
Dostyk (rail transshipment, China border)

Main trade lanes

China–EU land bridge
Kazakhstan–Russia
Trans-Caspian to Azerbaijan/Georgia/Turkey

Customs and import

Customs authority State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance (Komitet gosudarstwennych dochodow)Official website ↗

Import customs system: EAWU Customs Code; electronic import declaration via the Keden system (successor to Astana-1, ASYCUDA-based) of the State Revenue Committee.
Export customs system: Export and transit handled electronically via Keden; no customs borders within the EAWU internal market (RU, BY, AM, KG), common external customs tariff toward third countries.
Import VAT: 16 percent standard rate (since 1.1.2026, previously 12); reduced rate 5 percent on medicines and medical services, 10 percent on printed media.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Within the EAWU, certificate of origin form ST-1; toward third countries WTO most-favoured-nation treatment; EAWU free trade agreements with Vietnam, Serbia, Iran and Singapore.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Licence requirements for, among others, weapons, dual-use goods, precious metals and certain raw materials; EAWU-wide prohibition and authorisation lists.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Consignment note (CMR or rail SMGS)
Customs declaration (Keden)
if applicable, import licence and certificates

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Certificate of origin ST-1 (EAWU)
Consignment note
Export declaration (Keden)
if applicable, export licence (dual-use)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium to high
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: High
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium to high
E-commerce relevance: Medium

Trade

Top import partners

Russia China Germany United States Türkiye

Top export partners

China Italy Russia Netherlands Türkiye

Top import goods

Machinery
Vehicles
Electronics
Pharmaceuticals
Food

Top export goods

Crude oil
Natural gas
Uranium
Metals
Wheat

Typical cargo

Crude oil and natural gas
Uranium
Ferroalloys and metals
Grain and wheat
Containers (transit)

Latest logistics news

Kazakhstan Significantly Expands Middle Corridor Between China and Europe11 Aug 2026
Kazakhstan is expanding its transport routes toward the Caspian Sea. The Middle Corridor is set to become faster and more efficient for freight movements between China and Europe.

Logistics questions

What is the import VAT rate in Kazakhstan?

Since 1.1.2026, under the new Tax Code, the standard rate is 16 percent (previously 12 percent). Reduced rates apply: 5 percent on medicines and medical services (from 2027, 10 percent) and 10 percent on printed periodicals. Import VAT is levied on the customs value plus customs duty.

Which customs authority and system are responsible in Kazakhstan?

The State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance is responsible (kgd.gov.kz). Clearance is carried out electronically via the Keden information system, which replaced the former ASYCUDA-based system Astana-1 and operates under the EAWU Customs Code.

Does Kazakhstan belong to a customs union?

Yes. Kazakhstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAWU) together with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. There are no customs borders in the EAWU internal market, and a common external customs tariff applies to third countries. Kazakhstan has also been a WTO member since 2015.

Which ports and corridors are important for Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan is landlocked but has the Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk. They form the maritime section of the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, TITR) between China and Europe. The China-Europe land bridge by rail runs via the Dostyk and Khorgos border crossings.

Which documents are required for imports into Kazakhstan?

As a rule, required are the commercial invoice, packing list, consignment note (CMR for road transport or SMGS for rail transport) and the electronic customs declaration in the Keden system. Depending on the goods, import licences, conformity or hygiene certificates may also be required.

Which currency is used in Kazakhstan?

The national currency is the Kazakhstani tenge (KZT). The exchange rate is volatile against hard currencies, which must be taken into account in price calculation and payment processing in foreign trade.

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