Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan has updated its military registration rules for reservists and conscripts. Citizens who have not completed military service or training will no longer be issued hard-copy military IDs in peacetime. Key information about them will be stored in a digital system, citing an order from the Minister of Defense.
Who will not receive a military ID
In peacetime, physical military IDs will not be issued to citizens who:
- have not completed compulsory or other forms of military service;
- have not served in law enforcement, special government agencies, or civil defense authorities;
- have not undergone paid military-technical training or training in other military specialties;
- have not completed reserve officer or sergeant training programs.
These citizens will only be issued a military ID during mobilization, martial law, or wartime.
Information regarding a citizen's status, fitness category, and military service records will be stored in the Ministry of Defense's digital system and displayed in their personal account on the e-government portal.
Who will continue to receive military IDs
In peacetime, military IDs will continue to be issued to those who:
- are called up for military service or military training camps;
- are enrolled in military or special educational institutions;
- have completed paid military-technical training;
- have graduated from a military department under a reserve officer or sergeant program;
- have been discharged from military service into the reserve;
- certain individuals who have obtained Kazakhstani citizenship and previously served in other states.
Automatic registration at age 17
The initial military registration of young men will be conducted automatically. On the day a citizen turns 17, the Ministry of Defense's digital system will generate an enrollment card and assign the status of "pre-conscript".
The system will also automatically determine the local military administration office based on the citizen's permanent registered address. No separate application for initial registration will be required.
To generate the enrollment card, government systems will exchange data including IIN (Individual Identification Number), place of residence, study or work history, education, family composition, driver's licenses, and health status.
Additionally, the system will be able to retrieve information on a person's presence in Kazakhstan, inpatient treatment, disability, criminal records, ongoing criminal investigations, and court cases.
Women can also be registered automatically
Women who have obtained a military-relevant specialty will also be registered automatically.
Upon graduation from a college or university, the system will generate a digital enrollment card, assign the graduate "reservist" status, and identify the military administration office based on her permanent registration.
This does not apply to all women, but only to those whose acquired specialty is classified as a military-occupational specialty.
Procedures for changes in residency
When registering at a new place of residence, a citizen should be automatically transferred to the records of the corresponding local military administration office.
Consequently, reservists and conscripts will no longer need to manually de-register from their previous address or register at their new place of residence.
Automatic registration is also provided for citizens discharged into the reserve, those expelled from military educational institutions, or those released from correctional facilities, provided they were previously registered for military service.
Who will be automatically removed from the register
The removal of citizens from military registration will also be carried out based on data from state digital systems. This applies to citizens who:
- have reached the age limit for staying in the reserve;
- have lost their Kazakhstani citizenship;
- have been declared unfit for military service and removed from the register;
- have a permanent Group I disability;
- are deceased.
What to do if a military ID is lost
If a previously issued military ID is lost or damaged, the citizen must apply for a duplicate via the e-government portal within seven working days.
When summoned to a military administrative body, individuals may present either physical identification and driver's licenses or their digital equivalents from the digital documents service.
Procedures for name changes
If a paper military ID holder changes their surname, first name, patronymic, date, or place of birth, the system will send a notification to their mobile phone and their personal account on the e-government portal.
Upon a citizen's request, military administrative staff must update the military ID within one hour.