Starting from January 20, 2026, new regulations regarding the conscription of citizens for military service will come into effect in Kazakhstan. These changes were approved by a government decree on December 31, 2025, and affect all aspects of the conscription organization, including mandatory service, mobilization, military gatherings, and reserve officer service, as reported by Lada.kz, referencing Zakon.kz.
New Structure of the Summons
The conscription of citizens will be carried out through an official summons, which must now include:
Full name and date of birth of the conscript;Name of the authority that issued the summons;Address where the conscript must appear;Date and time of appearance;Purpose of the summons.Possible purposes of the summons:Medical commission;Information gathering (surveys and data verification);Meeting of the conscription commission or dispatch to a military unit;Determination of readiness for military service.Employers are required to inform their employees about conscriptions and ensure their ability to appear.
Protection of the Rights of Working Conscripts
Citizens undergoing a medical commission or service are guaranteed the preservation of:
Job position and title;Salary at the previous level.When summoned for military gatherings, notification must be sent to the place of work or study no later than three working days from the date of the summons.
Who is Subject to Conscription
Conscription may apply to citizens of Kazakhstan aged 18 to 27 who do not have the right to deferment or exemption, in the number necessary to staff the Armed Forces and other military formations.
The defense departments will send out schedules for medical examinations and dispatch of conscripts twice a year, by February 1 and August 1.
Procedure for Studying Conscripts
Preparation for conscription includes analyzing the following factors:
Health;Work or study location;Level of education;Family composition;Possession of a driver's license;Place of residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan;Criminal convictions or offenses.
The study will be conducted in two stages:
Defense departments - from January 10 to February 28 and from July 10 to August 28.Conscription points - from March 1 to June 30 and from September 1 to December 31.
Control over the conduct of the study will be carried out jointly by the defense departments, the Armed Forces, and other state bodies.
Conscription Process: From Selection of Troops to Medical Evaluation
District conscription commissions will make decisions on conscription after medical examination:
Conscription possible - fit for service;Deferment - temporarily unfit;Exemption from conscription - unfit in peacetime;Complete exemption from military duty - removal from military registration.
All decisions are formalized in protocols with digital signatures and can be reviewed upon complaints, court orders, or prosecutor's requests.
Distribution of Conscripts by Types of Troops
In distributing conscripts, the commission considers:
Health;Physical fitness;Education and specialty.
For example:
State Guard Service (SGS) - at least secondary education and compliance with physical standards;Border Service of the National Security Committee - at least secondary education and meeting physical requirements;Airborne Assault Troops - physically fit, mainly athlete-paratroopers;Higher education - training units by profile;Specialties in mathematics, physics, engineering - radio-technical, anti-aircraft missile units;Agriculture - tank, aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, National Guard;Medical and pharmaceutical specialties - junior medical personnel.In selecting for the National Guard, the education and absence of criminal records of the conscript and their close relatives are taken into account.
Conditions for Deferment and Exemption
Deferment may be granted for:
Family circumstances;Continuation of education;Medical indications;Other reasons.
Individuals exempted from conscription will be placed in the reserve or removed from military registration; however, they may voluntarily serve if they wish.
Conscription of Reserve Officers
The new rules also affect the procedure for conscripting reserve officers, ensuring systematic staffing of military formations.
