In the first nine months of 2026, 10,965 people received Kazakh citizenship, with nearly one in three new citizens being a child under 18, infohub.kz reports.
The figures were provided by Ranking.kz. Of the total number of new citizens, 3,335 are children under 18.
The bulk of those joining the ranks of Kazakh citizens were qandas — ethnic Kazakhs returning to their historic homeland. They number 8,769, or about 80% of all those granted citizenship.
Another 1,088 people obtained citizenship under a simplified procedure within the framework of an agreement between Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. A further 796 received it under the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women, and 305 by presidential decree. Seven people became citizens as ethnic Kazakhs studying at local universities.
The largest number of new citizens was recorded in Almaty Region — 3,276 people. Astana came second with 1,038 citizens, followed closely by Zhetisu Region with 1,036. In Almaty, 861 people received citizenship, while in Zhambyl Region the figure was 684.
In September 2026, the Kazakh passport slipped one place and now ranks 55th in the Global Passport Power Rank 2026. The number of countries that can be entered without a visa fell from 45 to 43.
Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle reported that Almaty, Astana and Shymkent no longer issue residence permits to foreigners.