Purchasing a new smartphone, registering a SIM card, or changing the owner of a phone will now require mandatory facial scanning. The Ministry of Digital Development has developed new rules for the verification and registration of subscriber devices. To combat theft, fraud, and illegal imports, the country will introduce a system for categorizing devices, as well as mandatory biometric authentication of owners... reports infohub.kz.
According to the document, additional guarantees of data accuracy will be ensured solely through biometric authentication. This requirement applies to two categories of individuals: applicants who apply for registration or re-registration of a smartphone, and primary users of mobile services (Kazakhstanis for whom a device and number are registered for the first time).
The integration of biometrics and automated interaction with state databases is introduced as a tool to combat fraud. According to the developers, this measure will forever eliminate the possibility of registering numbers using someone else's data and will protect the rights of legitimate device owners.
The new administrative regulation will allow the state to track the full lifecycle of a mobile device: from the moment it is imported or produced in Kazakhstan to repair, resale, discontinuation of use, or complete blocking.
The project provides for automatic verification of IMEI codes against the global database of the GSMA association. If the system detects a device with signs of cloning (altered or duplicated codes) or finds a phone on the international blacklist, its use in Kazakhstan's networks will be restricted. Additionally, a separate procedure regulates the prompt disconnection of communication for devices used without authorization in prisons and pre-trial detention centers.
The draft order was developed in pursuance of the Prime Minister's directive of July 23, 2026, and aims to implement amendments to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Communications" (adopted on June 19, 2026). The document completely rewrites and replaces the current rules for registering subscriber devices, which were approved by Order No. 226 in May 2018. The regulatory act is at the stage of public discussion on the "Open NPA" portal. The reception of comments and suggestions from citizens and the expert community will last until September 14, 2026.
Earlier it was reported that from August 20, the rules for selling smartphones in Kazakhstan changed. Now the seller must check the IMEI code of the device before sale, and the buyer has the right to check its status via the website. Unverified phones cannot be sold. On the first day of the new rules, Kursiv Lifestyle went to Almaty's TSUM to find out how smartphone sellers work under the new requirements and what they tell buyers about possible phone blocking.