Kazakhstan Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in kazakhstan, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Import Tariffs
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Kazakhstan continues to lower tariffs and expand digital trade infrastructure, supporting WTO commitments and e-commerce growth. Since joining the WTO in 2015, Kazakhstan has steadily reduced tariffs on over 3,500 items, with agricultural tariffs dropping from 16.7 percent to an average of 6 percent. By 2023, the country’s Most Favored Nation (MFN) applied tariff rate averaged 5.6 percent, and nearly 1,900 tariff lines—including livestock, pharmaceuticals, and machinery—were subject to zero tariffs. WTO-bound rates remain capped at 6.2 percent for industrial goods and 18.2 percent for agricultural products, reflecting Kazakhstan’s commitment to trade liberalization.

Kazakhstan maintains tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on poultry and beef imports under the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), with pork excluded from these quotas. In response to U.S. concerns about TRQ transparency, Kazakhstan introduced clearer allocation rules in 2017. Meanwhile, the country has implemented a VAT obligation for foreign e-commerce firms since 2022, requiring registration but not full tax reporting. These changes aim to streamline cross-border digital trade and reduce double taxation risks.

To support its growing e-commerce sector, Kazakhstan has enhanced its digital payment systems. The National Bank is expanding QR-code standards and rolling out an instant payment system (IPS), now in testing with second-tier banks. Additionally, the bank is exploring a central bank digital currency—the “Digital Tenge”—to further modernize transactions. Access to platforms like Amazon and Mundus Agri has also boosted online retail, with the number of Kazakh e-commerce users estimated at over 8 million.

The Customs Info Database tariff look-up tool is available to estimate duties and taxes.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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