In Kazakhstan, the main proof of legal identity for adult citizens is the National ID card of the citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[1] The Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Documents of Identification No. 73-V (2013) (referred to hereafter as Law On Documents of Identification) defines documents of identification as documents of an established form that contain personal data and allow identification of the person and their legal status.[2] Article 6 lists several identification documents, including the citizen passport, national identity card, foreigner’s residence permit, stateless person’s certificate, and refugee certificate.[3] The Law On Documents of Identification applies to citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons. It provides specific documents for each group, such as residence permits and stateless person certificates, which prove identity and legal status but do not themselves grant citizenship.[4]
The national ID of a citizen of Kazakhstan is issued to citizens from the age of 16 and is valid within the territory of the country.[5] All the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan permanently residing on its territory should have their national ID as it is the main document that certifies an individual’s identity.[6] This ID document is valid for 10 years.[7]
Birth registration and the birth certificate play a foundational role in establishing legal identity in Kazakhstan.[8] Upon registration of birth, a birth certificate is issued containing the child’s name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, and their citizenship, where applicable.[9] Along with the birth certificate, an Individual Identification Number (IIN), a unique 12-digit number, is also issued.[10]
The Certificate of the Stateless Person is an identity document for a person who has no proof of possessing a citizenship of any state.[11] Certificate of the Stateless Person is a personal identification document issued by a government authority at the place of the individual’s permanent registration.[12] Specific rules on determining the legal status of persons without citizenship set out the procedure for applying to the migration authorities, verifying the person’s status, and recognising them as stateless before issuing this certificate.[13] The Certificate of the Stateless Person functions as the primary legal identity document for recognised stateless individuals in Kazakhstan.[14]
