Kazakhstan agrees with Austria on the return of illegal migrants

Tengrinews.kz – The Mazhilis has ratified an agreement between Kazakhstan and Austria on readmission and the transit of individuals with illegal stays. The document was signed on February 28, 2025, in Astana.

The goal of the agreement is to establish a legal framework for cooperation between the two countries in the return and transit of individuals who are staying in the territory of the parties in violation of national laws. The document sets clear rules and deadlines for the readmission of illegal migrants and individuals who have lost the right to stay or reside.

Note: Readmission is the procedure of returning individuals who are illegally present in another country, usually to their country of citizenship or former residence. Simply put, one country accepts back its citizens (or other individuals) if they have violated migration rules in another country.

The agreement also outlines joint actions for receiving, transferring, and transiting citizens not only of Kazakhstan and Austria but also of third countries, as well as stateless persons. Citizens of third countries will be returned to their country of citizenship, while stateless individuals will be returned to the state of their last permanent residence or the country that issued them travel documents.

The responsible authorities for implementing the agreement have been designated as Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Austria's Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.