Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan hosts over 8,000 people of concern to UNHCR, including 354 refugees, 319 asylum-seekers and more than 7,000 stateless persons.
Most undocumented stateless persons in Kazakhstan are ex-citizens of the former Soviet Union who have not yet acquired or confirmed the citizenship of successor states. Since the launch of the #IBelong Campaign in 2014, Kazakhstan has granted citizenship to over 9,000 stateless persons.
Most refugees in Kazakhstan are from Afghanistan and have been living in the country for many years. They speak the local language, are culturally integrated, and some have family ties with citizens. Without permanent residency status, however, refugees do not have access to most socio-economic rights, including naturalization.
The UNHCR National Office in Kazakhstan focuses on meeting the protection needs of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons, including identifying and documenting people with undetermined nationality, and promoting local integration and self-reliance for refugees.
The Kazakhstan Multi-Country Office provides oversight, funding, and overall strategic direction to UNHCR operations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Additional information
For information about our work in Kazakhstan:
Are you a refugee or asylum-seeker in Kazakhstan? Find information about your rights and available services on our HELP site.
Visit the UNHCR Kazakhstan website for more information on our work in the area and the latest local news and stories.
For legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection, visit Refworld.
