Almaty Warnings Or Dangers

Currency:The national currency of Kazakhstan is the tenge.
Notes currently in circulation are T5000,2000,1000,500,200,and 100;coins are T1,5,10,20,and 50.
Changing money:Foreign currency can be exchanged for tenge and vice versa at any bank or official exchange office.All such transactions must be recorded on the customs declaration form you received when you entered Kazakhstan.Try to keep all your currency exchange documents as they may be required when you leave.
Bank opening hours:
9am to 6pm Mon-fri,linch break 1-2pm.
Credit cards:Most European and International credit cards,including Visa, Master,Diners club cards are accepted by major hotels,shops and restaurants in Almaty and Astana.

1 Kazakh tenge = 0.00478547092 British pounds (17th october 2008)

Upon entering Kazakhstan you must fill in two copies of the customs declaration form.One copy must be handed to the customs official and the other kept until your departure.
Foreigners generally experience more problems when leaving Kazakhstan than when arriving.
It is prohibited to import or export arms,ammunition,drugs and pornography,and to export securities,state loan certificates,lottery tickets,art and antiques(unless you have a special permit issued by the Culture Committee),antelope and deer antlers,or deer skin(an exception is made for those on organised hunting tours).
Documentation is required to export carpets,works of art and pets.Permits to export carpets and work of art are issued by the Commission for Controlling the Export of Cultural Valuables.

From the speech of N.Nazarbaev
at the Vth Session of the Parliament
on September 1, 1999
Declaration
of the Customs Authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan
1-We declare on our intention to contribute to economic, democratic, legal and social development of our state and to ensuring, within our competency, to safety of natural environment.
2-We guarantee the quality of Customs services and our presence in the market economy as a result of a long-term national Customs policy.
3-We exercise our activity for Kazakhstan, for the entire world, and establish Customs clearance points at the places that are convenient for participants in foreign economic activity and are located within our territories.
4-We guarantee each participant in foreign economic activity who addresses us, prompt and qualitative Customs clearance of goods providing maximum convenience, minimum expenses and full compliance with the Customs legislation.
5-We fight for providing Customs services that meet international requirements and standards.
6-We guarantee relations based on partnership and cooperation with all government agencies and public organizations and conflict-free existence in the market.
7-We guarantee professional and honest relations with our partners and expect the same relations from them.
8-Exercising our activity for the prosperity of Kazakhstan, we are interested in re-energizing of the national economy in the system of the world economic relations and in liberalization of foreign economic activity.
9-We are open for the constructive dialogue with participants in foreign economic activity on Customs issues.
10-We are striving for creating conditions for high-quality and highly productive work for our personnel and require effective work from them. We are striving for healthy life style and call for going in for sporting all the people of the country.
11-We guarantee full observance of the RK legislation.
12-We realize that the reputation of the Customs service depends in many respects on the professionalism and adherence to principle of our officers, and pay much attention to work with them.
13-We declare that elimination of corruption is our priority. We assume an obligation to maintain the high level of integrity.
14-The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and public opinion are the supreme arbitration for us.

When leaving Kazakhstan you must declare any foreign currency you are taking out of the country and present one of the following documents to prove the origin of such currency;
-your original customs declaration showing the amount of currency you imported into Kazakhstan,
-receipts issued by exchange offices of authorised banks in Kazakstan when you purchased foreign currency,
-documentation issued by authorised banks evidencing cash withdrawals from a foreign currency account or receipt of foreign currency by bank transfer,
These documents must cover the total amount being exported.
Transfer of foreign currency via plastic cards do not need to be declared.
If you try to export foreign currency without documentation,it may be seized by the customs and will be returned to you next time you enter Kazakhstan.

The customs officials at the Almaty Airport are ruthless and seem to have made shaking down foreigners a sport! When departing, I strongly suggest purchasing a "VIP" pass (app. $50), which allows you to access a seperate dedicated entrance/check-in/departure lounge from the standard airport hall.

some of the streets in Almaty are sooo long, once i had to find a bulding 531 on Seifullina street, being close to number 300 i decided to take a walk rather than take a taxi and this was my mistake..it took me 1 hour to get till my point of destination, besides it was very hot and there is one more particularity-the numeration getting bigger with the street coming mountains direction, which means all the time you go up..so it was not good at all...arriving all sweating to a meeting with a client..anyway my reason is best option is to take a taxi, it's very cheap anyway

i know i wont be the first complaining about lack of driving skills in Almaty...besides driving whatever way and style they like, they are just so noisy..all the time BEEPS-BEEPS, you may become crazy...but there is one thing that impressed me, especially after Moscow-drivers here are polite, if they see you are crossing the road even where you dont have to..they will stop and let you go...nice people in Almaty:))

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be careful with these "small canals" by the roads, in some places channels can be wide and small bridges are crossing them, in some places only 30cm and you have to jump to get to another side, sometimes it's dry or full of flowing water.. especially after the rain when all this water is coming down from mountains...if you are not used to it (who is??) this may be dangerous, so pay attention:)

I applied for a visa to cover my 4 day stay in Kazakhstan, but when I got there found that the visa expired that day, instead of in four day's time. I was unable to leave the country until I got a new valid visa, and so missed appointments in the neighbouring countries.
So, make sure when you apply for a visa that it is valid for beyond the period you intend to stay , to avoid problems like I had.