Nearly 11,000 People Granted Kazakh Citizenship Since the Beginning of the Year

The largest number of new citizens was registered in the Almaty Region

During the first nine months of 2026, a total of 10,965 people were granted Kazakh citizenship, including 3,335 children under the age of 18. Ethnic Kazakhs returning to their historical homeland, known as kandas, accounted for 80% of all new citizens, Kazinform reports.

From January to September 2026, 10,965 people obtained Kazakh citizenship. Of these, 3,335, or 30.4%, were minors.

The majority of new citizens were kandas, ethnic Kazakhs returning to their ancestral homeland. Over the nine-month period, 8,769 kandas received citizenship, representing 80% of the total number of new citizens.

Another 1,088 people (9.9%) obtained citizenship through a simplified procedure under an agreement between Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

A further 796 people (7.3%) were granted Kazakh citizenship under the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women. In addition, 305 people (2.8%) became citizens by presidential decree, while seven individuals obtained citizenship as ethnic Kazakhs studying at universities in Kazakhstan.

The largest number of new citizens was registered in the Almaty Region, with 3,276 people, accounting for nearly 30% of the nationwide total.

The top five regions by number of newly admitted citizens also included:

• Astana: 1,038 people;
• Zhetisu Region: 1,036 people;
• Almaty: 861 people;
• Zhambyl Region: 684 people.

As a result, eight out of every ten people granted Kazakh citizenship during the first nine months of this year were kandas. At the same time, nearly one-third of all new citizens were children under the age of 18.

Photo: Kazinform/AI-generated.

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