Permits by location
| What you film | Who approves | Lead time |
|---|---|---|
| City streets, road closures | City administration and police | 15 days |
| National parks | Park administration, under a contract | within standard prep, 2–4 weeks |
| Military vehicles, units and sites | Ministry of Defence | 15–30 days |
| Planes, helicopters, stations | Ministry of Transport | 15–30 days |
| Border and restricted zones | A pass for the crew | 15–30 days |
Filming in a national park is usually paid. For our clients the location is free: we take care of the contract and fees.
Drones
Drones over 250 g and any drone with a camera must be registered; the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan processes registration within up to 10 working days.
Without a separate permit you can fly in daytime, within line of sight and away from populated areas: at least 8 km from airfields and 100 m from people and buildings, no higher than 50 m in controlled and 200 m in uncontrolled airspace. Flying over cities, at night or for aerial filming requires a permit. Flying over government buildings, military units and strategic sites is not allowed.
The fine for an unregistered drone is 173,000 ₸ for an individual and 432,500 ₸ for a company.
Weapons and pyrotechnics
Bringing in any weapon, even a blank-firing or prop one, requires permits and takes weeks. It is faster and cheaper to work with licensed armourers and pyrotechnicians in Kazakhstan: blank firing, replica weapons, explosions and fire — under control and by the rules.
Visas are part of the timeline
Cast and crew work on a C3 work visa — allow 8–12 weeks, and everyone aged 16 and over gives fingerprints. The director and producer can scout without a visa, but working on set on visa-free entry is not allowed.
How far ahead to start
- Scouting and standard permits — 2–4 weeks.
- Military sites, transport and border zones — 15–30 days.
- Work visas — 8–12 weeks.
We work directly with Kazakhstan’s ministries of defence, tourism and transport. More on visas, customs and seasons in the guide to filming in KazakhstanArticles.