British Embassy - Post Hub

05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

NUR-SULTAN - British Embassy

POST REPORT FOR NUR-SULTAN - British Embassy

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 1/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 DHM Welcome 1.2 CLO Welcome 1.3 Country 1.4 City 1.5 Post

2 Living Conditions

2.1 Security 2.2 Language 2.3 Equality & Diversity 2.4 Post Hardship Rating 2.5 Health at Post 2.6 Accommodation 2.7 Transport 2.8 Geographical Expenditure Guides

3 Family

3.1 Residency 3.2 Working Rights 3.3 Maternity 3.4 Schools & Childcare

4 Recreation

4.1 Sport 4.2 Social 4.3 Media 4.4 Travel 4.5 Useful Websites 4.6 Cultural Life

5 Big Picture

5.1 Local Customs 5.2 Political & Economic 5.3 Climate 5.4 Religion 5.5 Geography

6 Practicalities

6.1 Getting to Post 6.2 Getting Possessions to Post 6.3 Importation of Pets 6.4 Cost of Living and Allowances 6.5 Availability of British Goods 6.6 Banking 6.7 Personal Transport 6.8 Household Goods 6.9 Clothing Requirements 6.10 Working Pattern 6.11 Communications

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 2/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 7 Further Reading

8 Contacts

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1 Introduction

1.1 DHM Welcome

Welcome to the Nur-Sultan Post Report. I hope it gives you a good sense of what it is like to live and work in Kazakhstan. We are a small/medium size post, with nine UK based staff and around 30 local staff in Nur-Sultan, and a small DIT team in Atyrau. Kazakhstan is a large country (the size of Western Europe), located between Russia and China, which makes for a fascinating variety of policies important to HMG. With temperatures ranging from +35 in the summer to -35 in the winter, it is often described as ‘extreme’; but if properly prepared, there are a number of diverse activities available, not often found elsewhere. Nur-Sultan is a comfortable place to live in and good for young families. Staff accommodation is excellent, with most close to the Embassy and the centre of town. And for further aeld, the national airline, Air Astana, has regular connections all over the region.

As Deputy Head of Mission part of my job is to ensure we are a friendly and welcoming place to work. And that we help staff, and those who come to Kazakhstan with them, settle quickly and get the most out of their time here. This includes giving people opportunities to get involved in wider Embassy life, to develop their skills and to broaden their experiences. I hope you’ll think about bidding to come here. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if, having read this report, you’d like to know more. Jonathan Layeld

1.2 CLO Welcome

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read our Post Report.

I am Aigul Kuzhegaldinova, the Community Liaison Ofcer (CLO) in the British Embassy Nur-Sultan and I provide information, support and advice for all UK-based staff and their dependants, before, during and after arrival in Kazakhstan.

I am locally employed and have lived in Nur-Sultan (former Astana) for the last 12 years. It is a modern city developing very fast and is always under construction and change. Which is I think the most attractive thing about our capital. The city was formally renamed from Astana to Nur-Sultan on 20 March 2019, however, the previous name is likely to be widely used for some time. The Post is relatively small but covers a large number of issues. We are proud of our nice premises and friendly staff.

I will be happy to answer any questions regarding moving to Kazakhstan, and I can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected] or by calling my ofce telephone +77172556207 (FTN 8347 2207). If I do not know the answer, I will point you in the right direction.

My working hours are: Monday-Thursday 09.00-17.30, Friday 09.00-16.00.

I hope to see you in Nur-Sultan,

Aigul

1.3 Country

Kazakhstan lies at the centre of the Asian landmass, bordering Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea. It is the world's ninth largest country with an area of 2,717,300 sq km. The terrain is mostly steppe or semi-desert and relatively at except for a few hill ranges towards the east, including near the capital Nur-Sultan (former Astana) and mountain chains in the https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 4/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub south. The climate of Nur-Sultan is extreme continental with dry, warm summers and dry Siberian type winters. Kazakhstan is sparsely populated with just 6 people per sq km and around half the population in urban areas. Although originally a country of nomadic horsemen, as a result of the various population moves from Tsarist times to the Stalin era, and the opening of the steppe by Khrushchev, Kazakhstan is ethnically diverse, the main groups being Kazakhs (63.6%) Russians (23.7%), Ukrainian (2.1%), Uzbek (2.9%), German (1.1%) and Tatar (1.3%) Others (3.9%). Since independence in 1991 about 2 million ethnic Russians, Ukrainians and Germans have emigrated. This has now stabilized, and reintegration of Kazakhs from Russia, China and other neighbouring countries has been encouraged by the government (though this has been at much smaller levels than emigration). The relatively young (average age 28) and growing population is well educated with an adult literacy rate of 99%.

Day-to-day life in Nur-Sultan can be as comfortable as that in the UK, but for those who speak no Russian assimilation into any groups other than the small but expanding expat community can be difcult. All staff live within a 20-30 minute drive of the Embassy (trafc depending!) which is located in a secure, recently constructed building along with other diplomatic missions. Law and order are well maintained, pollution is low and Nur-Sultan is far from the regional high risk earthquake zone.

Nur-Sultan is a hardship post (see post hardship rating) but with an enthusiastic outlook there are sufcient places within a 3 hour drive offering a change from city life. There are also opportunities for international travel in Central Asia and beyond. In Nur-Sultan there is a good range of activities including sports (participation and spectator), tness centres (although still considerably more expensive than in the UK), modern shopping centres (the range of goods and shops is expanding but can be repetitive and expensive and limited on occasions, especially in the winter), and a wide variety of bars, cafes and restaurants catering for international customers. Russian or Kazakh language ability is required to enjoy most cultural activities including cinema although there is an English speaking lm shown weekly, (see the website of the relevant cinema - http://www.kino.kz/new/.) The Astana International Club organise activities including a bridge club, walking group, book group and twice monthly coffee mornings. Affordable and reliable domestic help including babysitters/childminders is available. Trafc is still usually light (but increasing) and frequent windy conditions reduce air pollution, but accidents are more frequent than in the UK and roads outside the capital are often poor quality. The working language at meetings is either Russian or English. Kazakh is becoming more popular.

Most ofcial meetings will take place with an interpreter. The Ambassador is now required to have extensive Russian and some Kazakh. All other ofcers are encouraged to take condence level Russian. Spouses can have up to 180 hours of Russian (or Kazakh) to be taken in Group lessons. Ofcers and spouses should check guidance on FCO Intranet for language training options. Having a basic knowledge of Russian, if only to read signs and labels, can be extremely helpful.

Post produces a Review which should be your rst port of call. The content of this review is classied (and therefore cannot be included within this report) but is available from Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate on +44 (20) 7008 2427 (enquiry point) in London and can be sent to a restricted terminal. Ofcers taking up a political job also need to contact the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate on the above number.

1.4 City

The capital Nur-Sultan is in the north of the country on the Ishim (Esil in Kazakh) River. It is situated on an ancient trading route and the original Kazakh settlement of Karaotkel (“black ford”) was founded in the Thirteenth or Fourteenth Century. A Russian fort was built in 1830. At that time the city was called Akmolinsk. In the early years of the Soviet Union the city hosted a gulag for political exiles. The city expanded in the 1950s when it became the centre of Khrushchev`s Virgin Lands Project in which the steppe was ploughed up and planted with grain. It was then known as Tselinograd (Virgin Lands City). After the breakup of the Soviet Union the name was changed again to Akmola or “White Tomb. In 1997 it was named Astana, Kazakh for capital. One practical reason given for the change of capital was to move away from the seismically more active south. Since the city became the new capital in 1997, there has been continuous construction and the population has risen to over 1,000,000 (August https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 5/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 2018). On 20 March the capital was formally renamed Nur-Sultan in honour of the rst President Nursultan Nazarbayev. It is very much a city of two halves, divided by the Esil River. A typically provincial Soviet style old town still dominates the right bank, giving way only at the waterfront to high rises that mirror more the newly developed but previously barren Left Bank. That new cityscape is impressive by day or night and a condent symbol of Kazakhstan’s new hydrocarbon-fuelled afuence. Car ownership is expanding rapidly and the absence of a public rail transport alternative leads to overcrowded buses. Trafc is an increasing problem. On the plus side an almost constant breeze or wind keeps air pollution levels low. All main government departments have re-located to Nur-Sultan. Most embassies are also here, but many maintain a presence in Almaty.

1.5 Post

The British Embassy occupies the entire 6th Floor of the RENCO building (see photo) and was opened in March 2007. The Embassy is located in the centre of Nur-Sultan and a short walk to shopping centres, restaurants etc.

The main activities of the Embassy in Nur-Sultan are political, economic, communications, trade and investment, defence and corporate services work. A small British Council is also based in the embassy, with their Director, and a larger ofce in Almaty. There is a small British Embassy Ofce (DIT) in Atyrau.

A central role of the Embassy is to work towards security of oil and gas supplies from Kazakhstan to continental Europe and the UK, whilst ensuring that UK companies maximise the commercial opportunities arising from the oil and gas industry here. Increasingly British businesses are looking at a wider range of opportunities beyond the extractive industries. Sustainable development, economic reform, human rights and democratisation are also key issues. A DIT Ofce was opened in Atyrau in September 2003 with two local staff supporting UK commercial interests in the north Caspian oil and gas elds. UK staff visit Almaty and Atyrau on a regular basis. Travel time by air is about 1.5 hours to Almaty and 2 hours to Atyrau. Staff have frequent travel opportunities and the range of issues covered is very diverse.

HM Ambassador Michael Gifford arrived in January 2018 and Jonathan Layeld, Deputy Head of Mission, has been here since November 2019. There are currently six accompanied and three single UK Based ofcers in Nur-Sultan. There are four children at post aged 5 to 11. The Post is currently “informed choice” for children under 16 (sections below on Health and Education refer).

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 6/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 2 Living Conditions

Nur-Sultan (former Astana) is a clean and safe city. Despite severe temperatures in winter, there are various outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing or even horse riding. Almaty city with its beautiful surroundings is just in 1.5 h by plane.

The standard of Embassy accommodation is high and there are a number of shopping malls and a wide variety of restaurants and coffee shops.

2.1 Security

Nur-Sultan is in general a safe city. The threat from terrorism is low and crime against expats is rare. The high and visible police presence in all towns and especially in areas where diplomats tend to live no doubt acts as a deterrent. The Embassy is located on a compound shared with other Embassies and commercial companies, therefore physical security is good. Entrance to all staff apartments is via entry phone and some blocks have resident concierges. The DHM, as Post Security Ofcer, provides a security brieng on arrival and the Regional Overseas Security Manager (based in Tashkent) visits Nur-Sultan quarterly.

2.2 Language

Kazakhstan is ofcially a bilingual country. Kazakh spoken natively by 64.4% of the population, has the status of "state" language, whereas Russian, which is spoken by most Kazakhstanis, is declared an "ofcial" language, and is used routinely in business, government, and inter-ethnic communication, although Kazakh is slowly replacing it. Younger generation also speak at least basic English as it is studied at schools and universities.

Kazakh language is currently based on Cyrillic alphabet and comes from the family of Turkic languages. However, in January 2015 the government announced that the Latin alphabet will replace Cyrillic as the writing system for the Kazakh language by 2025. Many street or shop signs have already been rewritten in Latin alphabet.

A minimal knowledge of words like Thank you or Hello in Kazakh or Russian is very welcomed by locals anywhere you go.

2.3 Equality & Diversity

Women

There is genuine will on the part of the Kazakhstani authorities to improve gender equality. Kazakhstan has signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and legislation on equality was signed off by the President in December 2009, which prohibits all forms of discrimination based on gender. Whilst in the home many women full traditional roles, increasing numbers are obtaining high status posts outside. Domestic violence remains a concern, despite legislation to improve preventative measures. https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 7/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

In the main cities, the vast majority of women dress in western style, shopping at American and European outlets, and enjoy many of the same activities and hobbies as British women, including going to bars and nightclubs. Attitudes are more conservative in rural areas.

LGBT

Homosexual acts were decriminalised in the 1990s. Kazakhstan has also signed UN Conventions prohibiting discrimination on any ground. But according to Soros Foundation study, LGBT people in Kazakhstan faced discrimination in their everyday lives and the absence of any mention of specic LGBT Rights or tools for LGBT protection has created the pre-conditions for the violation of rights. Attitudes towards the LGBT community remain conservative and there are occasional reports of violence directed towards them. Soros concluded that there was a need for amendment of the legal framework regarding LGBT rights and that Kazakh society needed to be sensitised to those rights. It is advisable to avoid public displays of affection.

According to Human Rights Watch report (2018) many LGBTI people in Kazakhstan hide their sexual orientation or gender identity out of fear of reprisal or discrimination. On rare occasions when they report abuse, they can face indifference and hostility from authorities. As per the US 2018 Human Rights report the most frequent form of abuse are verbal insults, harassment, interference in private life and physical assaults.

In Nur-Sultan and Almaty the number of people that are neutral or supportive towards LGBT+ is slowly growing, however homophobic attitudes are still relatively common. Some may ask awkward and personal questions out of curiosity. Southern and Western regions of Kazakhstan are generally more traditional and less tolerant towards LGBT+ people. Local press do not publish much about LGBT+ people and the difculties they face every day. Freedom of assembly is heavily restricted and people who participate in unsanctioned protests are regularly ned or detained.

In 2015 Constitutional Council rejected a bill that was proposed and approved by Parliament which would have banned propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation. The same year PlanetRomeo (LGBT social network) published results of Gay Happiness Index survey, gay men from over 120 countries were asked how they are satised with their lives and how they are treated by others, Kazakhstan ranked 118. In 2016 Kazakh ag was waved for the rst time during a New York gay parade, and Informburo news agency in Kazakhstan initiated an internet based survey for its readers on what they think about this: 66.6% of around 3,000 respondents voted against Gay parades and usage of Kazakhstan ag there, 16,3% replied that they were not offended by this, 8,7% supported and 8,4% were neutral.

The main LGBT+ community in Kazakhstan is based in Almaty, where there are several LGBT friendly clubs such as Feminita. You can read Feminita’s 2018 report on situation of LBT women in Kazakhstan here. There are several LGBT+ friendly groups in social media networks such as Kaleidoscope in VKontakte (similar to Facebook) and a Facebook community Alma-TQ Initiative Group. The language used is normally Russian or Kazakh, but some post information in English as well.

There are no locally produced LGBT publications. In 2017 a group of activists started the rst LGBT web magazine in Kazakhstan - https://www.kok.team/en.

Kazakhstan does not recognise same sex marriages or same sex partnerships. The Embassy has however been able to obtain diplomatic accreditation for a LGBT dependent (see 'Family' section).

If you have further questions please contact CLO.

Disability

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 8/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Disability, mental or physical, can be viewed negatively in local society. Facilities for disabled people on public transport and in most buildings are virtually non-existent, however the situation is slowly changing. It would be possible to import a specially adapted car according to Kazakh law. Although public awareness of the problems, needs and potential contributions of disabled people is slowly rising, it is still rare to see disabled people. Mental disability still tends to be treated institutionally. There is disabled access to the Embassy that was tted out to UK standards in 2006. However, post accommodation is more challenging as apartments with lift access are standard here and Nur-Sultan still frequently experiences power shortages. There is though a range of accommodation that could, with reasonable adjustment be made suitable. Ofcers with a disability are also advised to contact the Disability Policy and Support Team (DPST) as soon as their posting is agreed, so that an assessment can be made of the Reasonable Adjustments needed for the posting.

For family members with a disability, please contact the DSFA Special Needs and Disability Adviser, Amanda Neil (0207 008 0282), [email protected].

2.4 Post Hardship Rating

The Post currently qualies for the following Hardship Allowances from 1 February 2019:

Accompanied £3697 annually

Unaccompanied £1848 annually

Nur-Sultan is a hardship post, due to its geographical and cultural isolation, severe climate, lack of entertainment and leisure opportunities, seasonal difculties in obtaining goods and the poor quality of health facilities.

For further information, please see guidance on DiploHub.

2.5 Health at Post

Medical Facilities

Generally medical facilities in Kazakhstan are much poorer than in the UK, so all UK Based staff and their medically cleared dependents at Post are covered by an Embassy contract with International SOS Clinic providing 24 hour care. The ISOS clinic is now in the same compound as the British Embassy ofce. ISOS is contracted to provide all the primary medical care similar to that you would obtain in the UK from your GP. If ISOS recommend any secondary care you will need to obtain prior authority for the costs from the FCO Healthline. ISOS has modern clinics in Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Atyrau with 24 hour English speaking receptionists and doctors/nursing staff. ISOS will also make home visits on request. Even for many primary care cases that would be dealt with solely by a GP in the UK, ISOS will often refer patients to hospital and provide interpretation where necessary.

For any travel outside Nur-Sultan by car it is advisable to take one of the up-country medical kits with you. Most medicines and pharmaceutical products are available here, but please refer also to the suggested list of useful things to bring. Ofcers considering being accompanied by children under16 will need to inform themselves of the standard of medical facilities in Kazakhstan and make their own choice as to whether their children accompany; parents’ rst point of expert medical contact is the FCO Healthline.

Extremes of climate mean that during the winter months more time is spent indoors, but with proper clothing there is much to enjoy in the winter outside including cross country skiing and snowshoeing. It is also the case that the extreme winter conditions often result in beautiful landscapes and rare climatic phenomena such as snow bows and diamond dust snow. Cases of frostbite have https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 9/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub occurred in the expat community when overexposed to the extreme winter conditions. The generally arid conditions in winter mean that those living here need to drink more uid than they usually might and in many cases need skin moisturising cream. There is also a need to use humidiers during the winter months.

If you are considering a posting and would like advice relating to medical issues, contact the FCO Healthline: Telephone Number +44 208 481 7800, FTN: 80085600, Fax Number +208 481 7810 email [email protected]

If you are successful in obtaining a posting then once you’ve completed your Employee Health Risk Assessment (EHRA) questionnaire and been medically cleared Healix will email Health and Welfare a copy of your medical clearance conrmation. HW will then enter your name and those of your dependants onto the MASTA system. This will generate an email giving you advice on how to obtain a general travel health brieng for your country of posting. The brieng will include a recommended list of vaccinations for the country of posting. You can telephone MASTA to make a face to face appointment for advice about vaccinations or any travel health matter not included in the general brieng; full contact details are available in guidance on FCO Intranet.

Dental treatment

Presidential Hospital provide general dental services and there are a number of private dental clinics, some dentists may speak English. You can ask CLO for more information. The Presidential Hospital is the preferred option for emergency care.

Private dental clinics provide general dental services, restorative work and orthodontics. A check up and clean here costs around £30, but any costs in excess of NHS charges can be re-claimed. As with general medical care (see above) reimbursement of costs for anything other than routine or emergency treatment will require FCO Healthline Authority.

Pregnancy

FCO medical advice is to return to the UK for connement. Ofcers considering coming to post are advised to contact Healix for further information, and speak to staff that have experience of bringing up infants here.

2.6 Accommodation

Arrival

On arrival ofcers usually move directly into their permanent accommodation. Predecessors are usually accommodated in a hotel whilst CLO/Corporate Services Section makes the accommodation ready for the new ofcer. Corporate services cooperate with several estate agencies in Nur-Sultan. All rented ats are checked for compliance with the FCO Health and Safety standards.

Note that if you are going to bring your pet, this may limit your choice as not many landlords agree to allow pets in their apartments. Any cost of damage made by a pet will have to be covered by a diplomat.

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Foreign nationals generally live in either new build apartments or houses in the new city centre, along riverbanks or afuent suburbs. The residential estate comprises of short-term (usually 2-3 year renewable) leased apartments. HMA’s Residence is currently an owned apartment, but we will soon be moving. All properties are within reasonable distance to the Embassy; most can be reached by foot within 20-50 minutes and none are more than a 30 minute car journey away in normal rush-hour trafc. Most are also on bus routes. During the extreme winter months the Embassy makes available a door to door bus service, picking up and dropping off Embassy staff.

It is common for landlords in Kazakhstan to provide standard set of furniture, domestic appliances and dishes but this is not the part of a lease contract. Many landlords are exible and ready to provide additional items you may need.

2.7 Transport

Most main roads within Nur-Sultan (former Astana) are multi-lane and of generally good standard. A few roads outside the capital especially the motorway north to the resort of Borovoe are of international standard but most are far poorer than in the UK. A four wheel drive vehicle can therefore be useful for softer ride, high ground clearance and added stability on ice. But all roads are passable with a 2 wheel drive car provided in winter it is tted with a set of quality winter tyres. Any sort of winter package of extras is useful as is anti-lock braking and air-conditioning for summer. It is possible to get by without a car for a whole posting but most ofcers do nd access to personal transport convenient.

Driving standards are generally poorer than in the UK and minor accidents due to driving without due care and attention are more frequent. In the continued absence of a reliable motoring organization if you are involved in a road trafc accident, and even if you are a condent Russian speaker, it is advisable to call the Embassy receptionist (ofce hours) or duty ofcer (out of hours) to ensure you take the correct action with regard to the authorities.

Both diesel and petrol are available (once temperatures drop winter diesel does not become available at the pump for a few weeks/months which can cause problems with tanks freezing especially if left outside during working hours) and much cheaper than in the UK. Kazakhstan uses unleaded petrol. Reliable servicing can be difcult to nd and expensive for anything other than Russian and a limited range of Japanese models.

Kazakhstan has been implementing a policy of allowing only newer, cleaner cars to be imported. There is also a ban on importing right hand drive vehicles. So, as the regulations on importing have been subject to frequent recent changes anyone considering importing either a new or used car or buying in country should seek Corporate Services Section advice in addition to consulting TMS as outlined in the next paragraph before purchase.

MFA have introduced a new system of car registration, to apply to all Kazakhstan including diplomats. There will be new number plates which require an annual sticker (vignette). You will get your annual sticker by registering your car every year. Successful registration will apply to cars which don’t have outstanding tax to be paid on them, which aren’t the subject of unpaid trafc nes and which Meet Euro 4 emission standards.

Please contact CSM for up to date information with regards to importing cars into Kazakhstan and for buying and selling cars in country.

In spite of any advice which you may read in this report, staff intending to take a car to post should check with TMS whether or not they are entitled to any nancial help. Post Reports cannot be quoted as authority for committing expenditure. Further details are available in guidance on FCO Intranet.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 11/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Public transport in Nur-Sultan consists only of buses that are cheap but can be extremely crowded especially at peak times. Normally buses come and go with about 10-15 min interval, however in some city areas and depending on the time of the day it may take 20-25 min for bus to come, which can be an issue in winter. Bus stops are well located near the main attractions, business centres and residential areas. It is advisable to watch for pickpockets. You will be charged a different price if you chose to pay with cash (180 KZT = 0.40 GBP) instead of an AstraPlat card (90 KZT = 0.20 GBP). Passengers need to enter from the front of the bus and validate the card or pay in cash. AstraPlat cards can be purchased from ticket ofces, the nearest to the Embassy is in Circus building (around 10 min walk). The one off pay for the card is 400 KZT, after that you may top up any amount you wish. Another option to pay 90 KZT is to send a SMS to a designated number, the signs with these numbers are visible in each bus. Children under 18 years old can apply for an personalised AstraPlat, which allows to use buses free of charge. There are also xed tariffs allowing limitless use of buses: 1-day tariff is 500 KZT, 3-day is 1500 KZT, 1-month is 7500 KZT etc.

For longer journeys the trains and internal Air Astana ights are reasonably priced options. In the beginning of 2019 AirAstana presented their lowcoster FlyArystan which starts regular internal ights from March. From December 2018 staff may choose airlines on "informed choice" basis. Staff can consult the following websites:

https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/safety/audit/iosa/Pages/registry.aspx

https://aviation-safety.net/database/operator/airline.php?var=8521

The rst link, to the International Air Travellers Association Operational Safety Audit, lists details of carriers deemed to meet IATA specied safety standards. Both Air Astana and (recently) Qazaq Air are listed there. The second link carries details of the incident record of a wider range of carriers operating in Kazakhstan (and more widely) that are not listed in the ICAO registry. This includes SCAT, which, since December 2016, is no longer banned from ying to the EU.

Trains are normally a cheaper option for travels between big cities. National railways (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy) offers several classes of comfort from a single seat to a separate cabin with shower. Tickets can be purchased online https://www.railways.kz/en/ or from the tickets ofces around the city.

There are a growing number of reliable taxi rms and on safety grounds these should be used rather than following the local practice of agging down any available car. These taxis are also more likely to have functioning seat belts that should be worn at all times in the front and rear of vehicles. An average taxi fare for anywhere in the city centre is between 700-1000 tenge (about £1.50 – £2.50).

For the eco-friendly a bicycle can be used, but on the pavements rather than road. Safe and pleasant routes from most staff accommodation to work are available and some staff do cycle to work in the summer.

2.8 Geographical Expenditure Guides

Updated: March 2020

Country/Region: Kazakhstan

Guidelines on Reasonable Expenditure

Breakfast will normally be included in the hotel room costs. 4500 KZT (e.g.: cappuccino small KZT 800, or orange fresh 250 ml KZT 1400, toast/ sandwich KZT 2300, service 10%).

Lunch - 7000 KZT (e.g.: main course KZT 3800/4500, tea pot KZT 1500, service 10%) https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 12/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

Dinner - 14900 KZT (e.g.: salad KZT 2600, main course KZT 4800, cheesecake KZT 2400 tea pot KZT 1500, beer/wine KZT 2200, service 10%)

Taxis

One way taxi from the airport to the city centre will cost around 3000 KZT (hotel transfer is more expensive 8,500 – 10200 KZT).

Average short journey from a hotel to the Embassy is 900 KZT.

We recommend to use Taxovichkoff taxi company. Ofcially branded taxis can be found outside the airport in front of the entrance or you can dial 15800 from a mobile to order a taxi. Journey time from the airport to the city centre is around 20 – 30 minutes. Card details can be registered in their mobile application, otherwise they accept cash only.

Yandex Taxi (alternative of Uber) is an option as well.

Recommended Hotels:

Nur-Sultan:

Marriott Hotel - 34000 KZT (single room), 41000 KZT (double room). 12% VAT and breakfast are included.

Hotel is located within 35 minutes’ walk or 12 minutes taxi ride from the Embassy (3.5 km from the Embassy).

www.astanamarriott.kz

+7 7172 620 772

2 Dostyq Street

Radisson - 80 USD (single room), 100 USD (double room). 12% VAT and breakfast are included.

Hotel is located within 25 minutes’ walk or 10 minutes taxi ride from the Embassy (2.3 km from the Embassy).

www.radissonblu.com/hotel-astana

+7 7172 67 07 77/ 67 00 34/35/36

4 Saryarka Avenue

Regis - 57500 KZT (single room), 57500 KZT (double room). 12% VAT and breakfast are included. https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 13/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

Very close to the Embassy, within 10 minutes’ walk

www.thestregisastana.com

+7 7172 790 888

1 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue

Ritz-Carlton - 55000 KZT (single room), 75000 KZT (double room). 12% VAT and breakfast are NOT included.

www.ritzcarlton.com/astana

+7 7172 734 000

16 Dostyq Street

Almaty:

Intercontinental - 150 USD (single room), 190 USD (double room). Breakfast included. 12% VAT is NOT included.

www.interconti-almaty.kz

+7 727 250 50 00

181 Zheltoksan Street

Rixos Almaty - 47000 KZT (single room), 50500 KZT (double room). Breakfast included. 12% VAT is NOT included.

www.almaty.rixos.com

+7 727 300 33 00

506/99 Seifullin Street

Atyrau:

Renaissance - 45000 KZT (single room), 53000 KZT (double room). Breakfast included. 12% VAT is NOT included. https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 14/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

+7 7122 909 629

15B Satpaev Street

River Palace - 29000 KZT (single room), 37500 KZT (double room). 12% VAT and breakfast are included

[email protected]

55 Aiteke Bi Street

Exchanging Money

Bureau de Change (‘Obmen Valyuty’) can be found on main streets, at some shopping places and at the airport. Dollars and euros are easier to exchange than pounds. Bureau de Change can be found at the airports as well.

Credit Card Use

VISA, MasterCard Credit cards are accepted in almost all shops, hotels, restaurants/cafes. Mini markets and local shops accept mainly cash. ATMs can be found in or near shopping malls, at airport and railway stations, however some may not accept foreign bank cards.

Cards can be used for payment in some taxis, but majority will only accept cash. You will need to inform taxi operator when placing an order that you prefer payment by card or simply use a mobile application.

Other Information:

Most restaurants/cafes charge 10% service fee.

Tap water is not potable. Bottle of mineral water (0.5L) costs 150 KZT in local shops and approx. 900 KZT in restaurants.

Do not use unlicensed taxicabs (gypsy cabs), as these could put you at risk. Always wear seatbelts in all vehicles.

Preferred taxi companies: In Nur-sultan use Taxovichkof company (re-branded "Astana taxi"), dial 15800 - payment in cash or by card if you inform operator in advance. In Almaty use "A-motors" (dial +7 (771) 4658888,+7 (777) 9998477, +7 (777) 9998488 or +7 (727) 3121392, +7 (727) 3121393) - payment in cash only.

Buses are the only public transport: they are cheap (180 KZT is paid by cash or 90 KZT if paid by AstraPlat card) but can be overcrowded at peak times. Pickpockets are not rare.

The international dialling code for Kazakhstan is +7. The city code for Nur-Sultan is 7172. Local SIM cards are available and are an easy way to communicate both locally and internationally.

Free Wi is available in cafes, restaurants and hotels, alternatively internet cafes are not hard to nd.

The international dialling code for Kazakhstan is +7. The city code for Nur-Sultan is 7172. Inexpensive SIM cards are available and are an easy way to communicate both locally and internationally.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 15/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Exchange Rate

FCO rate in March 2020:

1 USD= 379.4645 KZT

1 GBP= 488.4847 KZT

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3.1 Residency

Kazakhstan does not recognise same sex marriages or same sex partnerships. The Embassy has however been able to obtain diplomatic accreditation for a LGBT dependent.

Unmarried partners

Ofcially there are no ofcial differences between the treatment of unmarried partners and married spouses by the government of Kazakhstan. Indeed, this has been our nding in all opposite sex unmarried partnerships. But in one case of a same sex partner the authorities insisted that a same sex partner be described as “Employee of the Embassy” for the purpose of issuing a residence permit.

Foreign-born spouses and partners

We are not aware of any special considerations for foreign born spouses in Kazakhstan.

3.2 Working Rights

Spouse/partner working opportunities

The CLO produces a report on spouse/partner employment, which gives specic details on the current spouse/partner employment picture at post. The report is available directly from the CLO, DSFA website or for external access, the FCO Extranet at https://www.extranet.fco.gov.uk.

In accordance with FCO policy all locally engaged Embassy positions are considered as possible opportunities for UK Based dependents. Positions are limited and vacancies arise normally when the present incumbent leaves the job. Occasionally temporary vacancies arise to cover maternity leave or unpaid special leave. However, there are no jobs which do not require Russian. Russian speakers would be eligible to apply for almost any vacancy as few are specialist jobs. Please note that all local staff vacancies are now posted on the following site: https://fco.tal.net/candidate/login

Outside of the Embassy employment options are very limited for non-Russian/Kazakh speakers. The job-market is competitive; some form of previous relevant experience is usually required together with a good working level of Russian or Kazakh. There is work to be found teaching English, either in universities, private language schools or in small groups in homes. Many major international companies – like PWC, KPMG, Shell, etc. – do operate here so employees of those may be able to continue their careers through company transfers. Internet connections are good enough in Nur-Sultan to make it possible to work remotely

At present Kazakhstan and the UK do not have a formalised agreement on spouses employment, so ofcially UK diplomatic spouses are not allowed to work outside of the mission without a work permit. However, from our experience, in spite of ofcial requirements, a spouse has obtained a tax number and worked as a teacher without having a work permit.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 17/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 3.3 Maternity

Nur-Sultan is a non-connement Post. FCO medical advice is to return to the UK to give birth. Ofcers with infants considering coming to post are advised to contact Healix for further information, and speak to staff that have experience of bringing up infants here.

Mother and Child hospital provides ante-natal and post-natal care, however English speaking doctors are normally not available. There are facilities in public places like business centres, shopping malls, airports for breastfeeding and changing.

3.4 Schools & Childcare

Childcare

An outline for parents researching childcare options for children under three years of age

Finding nursery places for children under three years old have become increasingly challenging at some overseas posts. Ofcers requiring childcare are encouraged to look for suitable places as soon as their posting have been conrmed. If nursery places are not immediately available, child minders and nannies may provide a short-term solution but this can be an expensive option at some posts. Please contact the post CLO (or Corporate Services where no CLO is available) for more information.

UK standards and safeguards do not apply to overseas organisations, childcare facilities or individual child minders/carers

Parents should check individuals’ childcare experience, English language ability and basic competence

For those under three years of age, overseas nursery/childcare fees will have to be met by parents

Children should attend a nursery on the Post’s approved list if the ofcer is to qualify for FCO funding (15 or 30 hours) once the child reaches the age of 3yrs+. Contact the CLO a term ahead if the nursery you wish to use is not yet included on the Post’s approved list.

The FCO does not take any responsibility for the employment of child carers for under-threes at post

FCO accommodation policy does not provide for live-in staff. See Residential Accommodation policy point 27.

Types of Childcare available for children under three years

Private nurseries/early development centres

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 18/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub When choosing a nursery locals look at the location, while for expats the key requirement is normally the language. Most of the nurseries have Russian and Kazakh groups only. Very few of them have English speaking staff. State nurseries are fully booked years in advance but there are plenty of private nurseries. As per the sanitary rules, a group must have no more than 24 children. Nurseries are open from Monday to Friday, start time varies from 08.00 to 10.00. Most nurseries offer full day care (until 18.00) and may extend hours until 19.00 or 20.00 at additional cost. Meals are included. Nurseries have summer break and are closed on local public holidays. Some can offer summer camps. Montessori centres are higher priced but offer better facilities and trained staff.

Crèche in International schools

Because of the language, the majority of expats choose crèches in Haileybury, QSI, Spectrum or Miras international schools. These have English speaking staff and standards are considerably higher than local nurseries, same as prices. Full day options are available at additional cost. International schools follow the American/European holidays period (e.g. Christmas).

Nannies/babysitters

US Embassy publish a newsletter twice a month which contains a list of nannies/babysitters that are recommended by international community in Nur-Sultan. Some of them speak English and have experience working for British families. You may pay babysitters same day or agree to pay for several days in one go. Unless agreed in advance nannies do not cook or clean the house. Please do not hesitate to contact CLO if you need any help nding a nanny.

Procedures for Hiring/Recruiting/Registering for Childcare options

Please contact CLO to discuss your preferences as soon as possible as in some nurseries places need to be reserved well in advance. CLO will then help you get in contact with the nursery or nanny. If the nursery is not from approved list, CLO can accompany you on rst visit and help with registration, contract etc. Vaccinations certicate may be required. All nurseries must be licenced by the Ministry of Education and should follow the sanitary and safety standards.

Cost of Childcare

Full time day care in private nurseries range from 30,000 to 80,000 KZT per month depending on facilities, group size, activities etc.

Prices for a half day in Montessori centres vary from 70,000 to 90,000 KZT and a full day care would cost 100,000-150,000 KZT per month. Some may require non-refundable entry fee and additional payment for extra activities.

QSI international school charges annual fee of 7,500 USD for a half day care of 2-3 years old child, and 10,500 USD for a full day, registration fee is 300 USD. Haileybury charges annual fee of 7,400 USD for 2 years olds and 13,800 USD for 3 years olds for a full day (no discounts for half day), a deposit of 2,000 USD is also required (refundable).

Nannies/babysitters are paid per hour, standard pay is 1.500-2,500 KZT per hour depending on the arrangements. You may encourage the nanny/babysitter with extra pay on public holidays or their birthday, but this is entirely voluntarily. Tipping is acceptable.

Availability of Childcare at Post

The standard of childcare facilities is generally lower than in the UK. Exceptions are crèches at international schools. Places for babies under 12 months old are difcult to nd, a nanny/babysitter would be an option in this case. Places at nurseries need to be reserved as well in advance as possible, especially in the international schools. CLO can help you with this.

General Advice

Parents will have their own priorities for their child’s care but here are some suggested questions for parents to ask a child carer they might wish to employ:

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An up-to-date CV and checkable references

Proof of address (from a local authority if the carer is from the UK)

Proof of childcare-related qualications/certicates

Criminal background checks via visa or passport application process (your local security manager may be able to advise)

English-language ability

Other documents such as passport or valid local or international driving licence (useful if someone is to drive children to parks or to friends). International Child Protection Certicate (ICPC).

First Aid Training - Check on a CPR course specic to infants if the carer will be in charge of very young children/babies. Check for a copy of a paediatric First Aid certicate. If they don’t have a recent paediatric First Aid certicate you could consider paying for them to do a course locally if available.

Newborn Care - Caring for a newborn generally requires specialised knowledge. Such courses can be found at a local hospital, parenting centre, community college or paediatricians. UK Associations such as the Newborn and Nanny Education Services and Training (NEST) offer newborn training. (Tel: +44(0)7811 862 930. There may be local organisations at post that can offer similar courses.

Special Needs Care – Advice on special education needs can be found here

Early Childhood Education - For a solid understanding of child development nannies should acquire certication that covers all aspects of working with children.

Click here for more childcare information supplied to the DSFA by The Lady Magazine

Schools

For children who are three or four, nursery school fees can be claimed within certain limits. Full details are set out in guidance on FCO Intranet.

For all posts the principle is that, where no suitable free schooling is available, day school fees are paid for children attending schools on the post authorised list, which in the case of Nur-Sultan are:

Haileybury school – http://www.haileyburyastana.com/

QSI International school - https://www.qsi.org/kazakhstan/ast/

Miras International school – http://miras-astana.kz

QSI Early Childhood Education Centre - https://www.qsi.org/kazakhstan/ast/

Haileybury nursery – http://www.haileyburyastana.com/

Education standards at Miras school are generally lower than in the UK. Miras offers IGCSE and IB (international Baccalaureate)

Haileybury opened in Nur-Sultan in September 2011, it is a branch of Haileybury which is UK based. Haileybury initially took children between the ages of 3 to 10, but was slowly increasing by one school year each year, eventually up to 17 -18 years old. Almost all teachers are British, and local assistant helps in each class. Children must take an entrance exam and interview to see if https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 20/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub the child can cope with the curriculum.

QSI International school was opened in 2005 and is accredited by Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools since 2011. The school has an American curriculum and is a member of Central & Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA). They have a mixture of American, Indian, Kazakhstani, and British teachers on staff. Both the school and QSI Early Childhood Education Centre have been recently added to the approved list of schools/nurseries. Lessons are taught in English and local assistants are available.

For more information about schools and nurseries on approved list please contact CLO.

All staff, including staff on loan from OGDs serving abroad under the same terms and conditions as DS staff, with dependent children(including stepchildren) living at post are entitled to claim. For full details, including tuition fees and policy on foreign language schools and overseas boarding schools, please refer to guidance on FCO Intranet.

Special needs

All 3 schools can accommodate children with special needs, but have limited resources and if additional assistants are required parents may be requested to pay for their services. Parents are advised to contact the school in advance.

For further information, please contact the DSFA Special Needs and Disability Adviser, Amanda Neil (0207 008 0282), [email protected]

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 21/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 4 Recreation

Nur-Sultan (former Astana) may not be the busiest in terms of social events and entertainment activities, however one can nd an interesting hobby or sport they like. As a capital city Nur-Sultan often hosts music festivals, concerts and exhibitions. There are Astana Opera House and Astana Ballet theatres that show world known acts and invite artists from overseas.

Nur-Sultan has an increasing range of restaurants, cafes and bars for each taste. Most cinemas show lms in Russian or Kazakh, and there is normally at least 1 session running in English. The cinemas are modern multiplexes with all the facilities you would expect in the UK.

For those interested in history or arts, Nur-Sultan has a couple of Museums and Arts Exhibition with paid entry, however occasionally museums announce Open Doors Days and anyone can come free or at a reduced price.

There are a number of educational centres for children, however few of them can teach English speakers. Playgrounds for children are available in most of the inner yards of living blocks. Big shopping centres have also indoors playing parks, trampoline centres, animators.

4.1 Sport

There is a range of sport activities for the enthusiasts all year round. Spectator sport is limited, though locals take their sport seriously and are constantly striving for improvement. The two main sport clubs that attract the most number of supporters are Astana Football Club and Barys Ice Hockey Club. Astana FC regularly plays in either UEFA Champions League or Europe League. Tickets are easy to get online or from various ticket points around the city. Games are reasonably priced and even the higher ranked Champions League games are quite affordable. The speed-skating, boxing and occasional tennis matches are also worth checking out.

A number of sport clubs and swimming pools offer individual and group activities in various sports.

In winter there are outdoor and indoor ice rinks around the city.

4.2 Social

The Astana International Club established in 2006 brings together the growing expat community in Nur-Sultan. The group hosts organized weekly and monthly activities for a variety of hobby and interest groups, along with organized excursions to areas of local interest. There are also various interest group gatherings such as Yoga, play tennis, rugby, mahjong, handicrafts, walks to discover the city, English & Russian language meetings etc. Currently the Club is chaired by Fiona Houlton, spouse of Defence Attaché.

Astana Outdoor Adventures group for locals and expats often organises very budget hiking tours to the nearest surroudings of Nur-Sultan, skiing lessons and is in general a good way of nding friends in Nur-Sultan.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 22/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub There is a number of charities and animals shelters, and they welcome any contributions, however a language barrier may cause difculties. The Red Crescent has a representation in Nur-Sultan. Most of the churches and mosques also welcome donations and cloths for poor families.

The annual Astana Charity Marathon is normally in September and there are a couple of other charity and non-charity marathons (BI Marathon, Burabike, Triathlon, Iron Man) that are run from May to September.

Annualy the Diplomatic Spouses Club organises Christmas Charity Bazaar raising very impressive amount of money for children and families in need.

4.3 Media

Books, newspapers and magazines

All bookworms should think about Amazon or other internet providers as the range of English books here is limited. The CLO keeps a small library of second hand ction books. There is also a pleasant library/coffee shop (Eagilik Books and Cafe) on Kenesary Street. Meloman stores have some English books and DVDs, mostly the popular read and can be a bit pricy.

If you cannot do without UK newspapers and magazines and on-line is not enough for you, you need to consider subscriptions e.g. Guardian weekly. The smarter hotels stock a limited range of international magazines but at inated prices.

Television

All landlords of staff accommodation have installed a cable TV package and may leave a television behind so please check with Corporate Services Section on the position in your accommodation before buying a multi-system TV or any other for export. As landlords remain apartment “occupier” tenants may need to negotiate a preferred TV package. Most of the channels are in Russian or Kazakh. Alma TV provides a package that can be switched back to English and has a mixed selection of channels, including The Discovery Channel, Fox Life, TV1000 etc. A number of Premiership football matches can also be watched on a local Kazakh sports channel. There are also some English language news channels including BBC World News, CNN and Euro News.

Internet

Landlords arrange an Internet connection, including wireless options. Most staff pay around £20 a month for a service which is improving but you can still experience some loss of service for short periods. Again please contact Corporate Services for more information.

Setting up a VPN (easily done on arrival) means staff can access BBC iPlayer, Netix etc as well as Now TV which for a small subscription gives access to some Sky channels, including sports.

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Local travel opportunities and restrictions

Borovoe, known as the Kazakh Switzerland, is a 3-hour drive north of Nur-Sultan. It is an attractive area of small hills covered with r trees and lakes and is in marked contrast to the surrounding steppe. There are a number of sanatoria, effectively hotels or spas with a resident doctor to advice on diet and exercise, and small hotels. There is skiing and horse riding in winter and walking in the summer. The resort is very popular during the summer months and early booking is recommended. The resort has a range of leisure facilities cafes and restaurants and an increasing number of hotels.

The Korgalzhyn Nature Park is about 3 hours to the west of Nur-Sultan. Its lakes are a bird-watchers paradise and it is said to be the most northerly location for amingos. Until quite recently permission has been required to enter the park. It might be worth checking before embarking on the long journey there. Mosquitoes are a problem in summer.

In the winter months if you want to go downhill skiing head to Shymbulak in Almaty which has 4 ski lifts. The area is surrounded by mountains so tall that they can be seen from most points in Almaty city centre and the regions moderate winter and summer temperatures make it a year round hub of activity. The regions ski season extends from about November to May with winter temperatures ranging from -5 to -10 Celsius which is average for the region and good for skiing. Guests can bring their own equipment or rent or buy what they need at the pro shop on the premises. Rental ranges from 3000 tenge for children to 5000 tenge for adults. Adult ski lessons cost about 6000 tenge per hour. Website: www.shimbulak.kz

ALZHIR museum which is a Memorial Museum of Victims of Political Repressions and Totalitarianism is situated about 30kms outside Nur-Sultan and is worth a visit.

A very impressive Charyn Canyon is located in the Charyn National Park about 215km east of Almaty and approximately a 3 hour drive. The Canyon has been described as the Grand Canyon’s little brother. One area of particular interest, is an area of 2km called the Valley of Castles, due to the pillars and rock formations forming imposing, almost manmade structures.

Kolsay Lakes is one of the most beautiful places of Kazakh nature. Kolsay Lakes are a favorite place for mountain tourism. Trekking routes to Kolsay Lakes are very easy and t even for amateurs.

Issyk is a picturesque, alpine lake surrounded by unusually beautiful nature of thick forests and spacious ower elds. The lake is located about 70 km east of Almaty. The lake territory is very suitable for lovers of active mountain tourism, and everybody who wants to have a picnic in the weekends.

Lake Kaindy with the length of 400m and depth of almost 30m was formed as a result of natural disaster: a gorge was ooded with water, which formed natural gates in the very centre of the lake. Its coniferous trees submersed incompletely, their dried peaks overlook proudly over the water like sunken squadron masts.

Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world's rst and largest operational space launch facility. Both Sputnik 1, the rst articial satellite, and Vostok 1 with Yuriy with Gagarin aboard, the rst human spaceight, were launched from Baikonur. Baikonur is situated in the south-west of Kazakhstan in the middle of the steppe. The nearest large city is Kyzylorda located 240km to the east. Permission from Roscosmos (Russian organization responsible for the space exploration) for getting in to the city and the space centre is required.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 24/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Weekends in south Kazakhstan, Almaty or Moscow or the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan and China can be arranged with local travel agents. It is possible to take the overnight train to Almaty, which are a relatively inexpensive yet a clean way of travel.

Direct igths to and from London are 5 days a week and there are a number of connecting ights options.

Useful reading is the Bradt guidebook by Paul Brummell, a previous HM Ambassador to Kazakhstan.

Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kazakhstan

Columbus Guides http://www.worldtravelguide.net/kazakhstan

Please also read the FCO Travel Advice.

4.5 Useful Websites

http://welcometoastana.kz/en - website for tourists in Nur-Sultan

https://www.edgekz.com/ - News magazine

http://www.dsfa.org.uk/ – DSFA website

https://airastana.com/kaz/en-us/ – National airlines AirAstana

https://astanatimes.com/ - News in English

http://visitkazakhstan.kz/en/ - site about popular travel destinations in Kazakhstan

4.6 Cultural Life

Recreation facilities and options

Social life tends to revolve around pubs, restaurants, and sport including football ,hiking, keep t, tennis, horse riding, swimming and ten-pin bowling. In winter months skating, cross country skiing and snowshoeing are popular activities. There is a range of sports clubs, health spas and swimming pools offering a good range of activities including tuition in various activities.

In the summer the river walks and parks are crowded in the evenings as people make the most of the nice weather. There is an articial beach on the river. Along the river pedallos can be hired and riverboat tours can be taken. The central park has rides for children. However, they are poorly maintained. In winter you can skate outside on the many ice rinks and visit the ice sculptures scattered around the city.

In winter international standard ice hockey is played, Astana being home to the Astana Barys (cougars). Football fans can watch FC Astana who play in the Kazakhstani league and various sports bars screen live English Premiership games. The Khan Shatyr (Lord Foster’s “kings tent”) complex provides an indoor beach, which is an expensive but pleasant way to spend an afternoon. The principal attraction at the Duman Entertainment Centre in the Central Park (opposite the Embassy) is the aquarium. There are a number of

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 25/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub “Babylon Parks”, which are indoor play areas for children. A circus is also located near the Embassy but this may not be to everyone’s tastes as performing animals can be used for part of the act. Generally though, keeping children entertained during the winter months can be a challenge.

There are a number of modern cinema complexes although lms are mostly shown in Russian. Kinopark does show one English lm but it can be shown (and changed) at short notice, please check www.kinopark.kz for latest lm releases. There are also a number of billiard halls, and some pubs and clubs have pool tables.

There is a large selection of restaurants in Astana with a wide choice of cuisine. You may nd that you could be the only people dining out in a very large restaurant and the service can be over attentive at times and nonexistent at other times.

http://edgekazakhstan.com/index.htm provides a good list of Astana’s restaurants, cafes and bars.

The State Art Museum is centrally located in the old city. The Presidential Cultural Centre has a museum, library and conference facility. The Saken Seifullin Museum is located in the house where the national poet of Kazakhstan lived and completed many of his works.

The Avenue of Tears is at the former entrance to Alzhir camp which has metal plaques listing prisoners’ names. Monuments at Malinovka are a moving tribute to the wives who were arrested during the Stalin era and imprisoned at the Alzhir Camp. Alzhir camp is about 30 minutes drive from the centre of Astana.

The Palace of Peace and Accord (The Pyramid) has a museum, an opera theatre, a library and exhibition and concert halls.

The new National Museum opened on 6th July 2014 in Astana. The museum will accommodate several expositions, including the Museum of Astana, the Independent Kazakhstan Museum, the History Museum, the Museum of Gold and Precious Metals and the Museum of Modern Art. Space for a children’s museum, temporary exhibitions, restoration workshops, laboratories, storage facilities and collection rooms.

Astana Opera opened on 21 October 2013. It is the third largest opera house in the world. Tickets are reasonably priced and are cheaper than London prices. There are various performances of music, opera and ballet per month.

Social Obligations

If you receive an invitation to a local home, be on time and offer to take off your shoes when entering the house. You may be offered slippers. Alternatively bring a clean pair of shoes with you in a plastic bag and change on arrival. A small gift (e.g., for children) and/or owers (odd numbers) are a good idea.

When attending any event or walking into a restaurant during cold season, it is a basic norm of politeness to leave your overcoat at the ‘garde-robe’.

If you suffer from any allergies (e.g. to nuts) or if there are things you do not like to eat (e.g. horse) it is best to signal this to your host in advance. Kazakh people are very polite and will try to make you feel at home but there are some aspects to the local cuisine which can be surprising.

Recreation facilities and options

In winter international standard ice hockey is played, Nur-Sultan being home to the Astana Barys (cougars). Football fans can watch FC Astana who play in the Kazakhstani league and various sports bars screen live English Premiership games. The Khan Shatyr (Lord Foster’s “kings tent”) complex provides an indoor beach, which is an expensive but pleasant way to spend an afternoon. The principal attraction at the Duman Entertainment Centre in the Central Park (opposite the Embassy) is the aquarium. There are a number of “Babylon Parks”, which are indoor play areas for children. A circus is also located near the Embassy but this may not be to everyone’s tastes as performing animals can be used for part of the act. Generally though, keeping children entertained during the winter months can be a challenge.

http://edgekazakhstan.com/index.htm provides a good list of Astana’s restaurants, cafes and bars.

The Palace of Peace and Accord (The Pyramid) has a museum, an opera theatre, a library and exhibition and concert halls.

Social Obligations

When attending any event or walking into a restaurant during cold season, it is a basic norm of politeness to leave your overcoat at the ‘garde-robe’.

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5.1 Local Customs

Population of Nur-Sultan is a little over 1 million. The majority are Kazakhs who are mainly Muslims, fewer are practicing. The second largest ethnic group are Russians, and they are mainly Orthodox Christians. Other ethnicities are Ukrainians, Tatars, Germans, Belarusians, Uzbeks, Koreans, and Kyrgyz etc.

With a mixture of cultures and religions customs and traditions vary from family to family. Also large territory and bordering nations inuenced a slight division into a more liberal North and a more traditional South.

The most common customs are related to hospitality and family values.

The favourite holidays in Kazakhstan are New Year (31 December), Nauryz (22-23 March), International Women’s day (8 March), Victory Day (9 May) and Eid.

Some advice for a visitor:

Greetings are very important and men usually shake hands, some women do not.

Taking a gift (sweets, chocolate) or owers to friends when you visit is appreciated, but make sure your bouquet contains an odd number of owers; even numbers are only given at funerals.

In local houses, always take your shoes off when you enter, especially in winter. Slippers are usually provided.

When you are entertaining, local guests will not always turn up promptly - being late to a party is normal. Most of the Kazakhs don’t eat pork.

At a social occasion most participants will be expected to make a toast.

Locals do not celebrate birthdays before the actual date, so it’s better to congratulate on the day or after.

In public transport younger passengers will offer you a seat if you are older. Respect must be shown to those older than you.

Locals are not very good at queuing, so make sure you inform the front person that you are taking the turn after them.

Smiles to strangers are not very usual, if people are not smiling to you that doesn’t mean they don’t like you or they are being somewhat rude.

Kissing or hugging in public can be considered inappropriate by older generation. It is ok to hold hands when walking around.

As a foreigner you will always attract attention here, which in most cases is just a curiosity. For example, taxi drivers often like to chat to foreigners about everything.

And try not to mention the lm Borat, Kazakhs nd the movie extremely offensive. https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 28/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

An interesting article about Kazakh traditions can be found here http://visitkazakhstan.kz/en/about/78/.

5.2 Political & Economic

Employment Conditions Abroad Ltd produces a country prole aimed at corporate expatriates. Although much of the detail is not relevant to FCO ofcers (such as taxation, immigration, etc) the prole does provide some contextual information that ofcers may nd useful. The prole can be accessed on FCO Intranet.

5.3 Climate

Nur-Sultan has a dry extreme continental climate with long cold winters and hot dry summers. Winters are particularly harsh with sub zero temperatures for up half the year and lows of minus 40 and below. The climate can make living conditions harder in the winter especially if relying on public transport.

The seasons can change quickly, so you need to be ready to adapt. Summer usually begins at the end of May, with the warmest (but also the wettest) month being July, with temperatures varying from 20-35C. The rst snow, which occurs in late September/early October won’t settle for long, but by late November the river is frozen and the snow remains on the ground until April. The temperature can hit lows of -50C and there can be periods where it doesn’t rise above -30C for a week or more. As a result it’s always good to have food in the deep freeze as a variety of fresh vegetables are more widely available over summer.

As a result warm clothing, shoes and thermal layers are a must. Down coats and wind-breakers are good and fur is very much the norm here and by far the best way of keeping warm – longer options are best, as the wind is extremely bitter. It’s not always cheaper in Kazakhstan and second-hand shops in the UK are a good economical source for these things. You also need good waterproof shoes for the thaw, which can last for a long time, with conditions becoming quite icy and dangerous, so snow/ice grips for your shoes are seriously useful.

The central heating will be on from October until end of April, depending on weather conditions. Even though the weather outside might be -20-30, it will be very hot in the ats, ofces and shopping malls, means you won’t need to wear too warm indoors.

5.4 Religion

Kazakhstan is majority Islam (70.19%), but with a large, mainly Russian Orthodox, Christian minority estimated at 27%. In Nur-Sultan there are numerous mosques and Russian Orthodox churches as well as Catholic and Lutheran churches and a Synagogue where ofcers and their families would be welcome to worship. There is an impressive new central mosque in Nur-Sultan and the call to prayer can be heard in a few neighbourhoods. However Kazakhstani attitudes to religion tend to be relaxed and the majority of Muslims do not attend prayer regularly. Similarly, fasting during Ramadan is not always observed and as elsewhere in the former Soviet Union many Muslims drink alcohol.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 29/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub The Kazakhstani Government cites ongoing concerns at radicalisation of local Muslims but evidence suggests that this is much less of an issue than in other Central Asian states. Kazakhstan promotes itself as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country and is proud to have hosted several Congresses of World and Traditional Religions. In 2011 Kazakhstan held the chairmanship of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). That said, some smaller and non-traditional groups, including some evangelical Christian churches and Jehovah Witnesses, are treated with some suspicion and have faced administrative difculties.

5.5 Geography

Kazakhstan is the world's ninth largest nation by area and the world's largest landlocked country but has a population of just 18 million. Kazakhstan’s territory covers an area of more than 2.7 million square kilometres, roughly the size of Western Europe or ve times the size of France.

Kazakhstan is located deep within the Asian continent, with coastline only on the landlocked Caspian Sea. Located in northern Central Asia in the heart of the Eurasian continent and bordered by Russia to the north, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west, Kazakhstan is the second largest state after Russia in the former Soviet Union.

With the exception of mountains in the east and southeast, Kazakhstan is mostly at and arid. About 85 percent of the country is covered by steppe, plains, semi-desert and desert. There is considerable topographical variation within Kazakhstan. The highest elevation, Khan Tengri Mountain, on the Kyrgyz border in the Tian Shan range, is 6,995 meters; the lowest point, at Karagiye, in the Caspian Depression in the west, is 132 meters below sea level. Only 12.4 percent of Kazakhstan is mountainous, with most of the mountains located in the Altay and Tian Shan ranges of the east and northeast, although the Ural Mountains extend southward from Russia into the northern part of west-central Kazakhstan

Seven of Kazakhstan’s rivers are 1,000 kilometres or more in length: the Chu, Emba, Ili, Irtysh, Ishim, Syr Darya, and Ural. The Irtysh and Ural rivers ow partly through Kazakhstan and partly through Russia. The Ili River ows from China into Lake Balkhash in eastern Kazakhstan. The Syr-Darya ows from eastern Uzbekistan across Kazakhstan into the Aral Sea. Except for the Tobol, Ishim, and Irtysh rivers (the Kazakh names for which are, respectively, Tobyl, Esil, and Ertis), portions of which ow through Kazakhstan, all of Kazakhstan's rivers and streams are part of landlocked systems. The three largest bodies of water are Lake Balkhash, a partially fresh, partially saline lake in the east, near Almaty, and the Caspian and Aral seas, both of which lie partially within Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan boasts 85,000 lakes but they are not very well distributed to be benecial to the nation as a whole as water sources. The water in most of Kazakhstan’s lakes is saline. Fresh water is found only in the mountains, the steppe lands, and in the atland areas along the major rivers.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 30/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 6 Practicalities

6.1 Getting to Post

All UK staff on a posting will require a diplomatic visa to enter and stay in Kazakhstan until they are accredited. The visa is gratis and can be obtained from any Kazakh Embassy. FCO can help arrange the diplomatic visa for your or you can contact our Corporate Services and we will help you with invitation etc.

Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues accreditation only for the ofcer and their dependents (spouses, children under 18). Please note that the accreditation replaces visa but not a working permit for spouses.

The process takes around 3-4 weeks (subject to MFA procedures).

At present British Nationals are exempt from visa requirements for short visits up to 30 days from the moment of crossing the state border. The visa free regime is valid until 31 December 2018 and will probably be prolonged further.

Non UK citizens will need to enquire with their local Kazakh Embassy to see if a visa is required www.kazembassy.org.uk/.

The approved route is London to Nur-Sultan on Air Astana. Approved routes are set by TMS to maximise the savings to be made from FCO’s condential Route Deals (discounted deals) with our preferred airlines. Consideration is taken with regards to ight times, connections and reputable airlines on all routes. Children Journeys are a priority and y on direct routes, where possible.

6.2 Getting Possessions to Post

Pickfords, who currently hold the heavy baggage contract for the FCO, has created a website specically for FCO staff. Staff will be able to access details of their allowance, destination proles, helpful hints and tips on moving overseas, prohibited items and VAT reclamation. The website will also allow staff to track their shipment online. Note that, to access the website, you will need your user name and password (provided by Pickfords after the move is authorised). Pickfords has two local agents for dealing with the personal effects: DHL for UAF and Globalink deals with the heavy baggage.

Unaccompanied Air Freight (UAF)

The UAF contract is currently held by Pickfords who use DHL. UAF shipments from UK to Post are authorised by HR Postings Team whilst shipments from Post to UK are authorised by the Post Management Section. In each case, the contracted delivery time is 10 working days from collection.

The purpose of UAF is to allow staff to have a certain amount of their essential personal effects with them at Post pending the arrival of their heavy baggage. If they wish, staff can convert their UAF to excess baggage (although they should be aware that, in most cases, their entitlement will reduce considerably). Staff are responsible for packing their own UAF and may include personal items such as non perishable food, clothes, shoes, towels, toiletries, a small radio/CD player, books/CDs, sports gear - e.g. tennis racket - etc. However, because UAF is sent as airfreight some items are prohibited by airlines. A list of prohibited items can be found in guidance on FCO Intranet. The list is not exhaustive and if in doubt you should check with either DHL or FCO Services: Travel and

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 31/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Movements. Wherever possible staff should avoid sending delicate or fragile items in the UAF, because airline handling staff do not always deal with airfreight in a sympathetic manner, careful thought should be given before including items such as electrical equipment (eg computers) or antiques.

Full guidance on heavy baggage and UAF can be found in guidance on FCO Intranet.

Ofcers should address their UAF to:

British Embassy

62 Kosmonavtov Street

Renco Building 6th Floor

010000, Nur-Sultan

Kazakhstan

6.3 Importation of Pets

Cats, dogs and birds (except pigeons, which are prohibited) may be imported into Kazakhstan but must be accompanied by veterinarian health and vaccination certicates bearing the seal of the local board of health and a pet passport (or microchip). The certicates must not have been issued more than ten days prior to arrival in Kazakhstan. In addition, a permit from Kazakhstan’s Chief Veterinarian Inspector (under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture) or their deputy.

Pets should be imported as accompanied baggage. Aside from the ID, permit and health related documents issued to the pet, customs will require the following from the owner: copy of their passport, a notarised and signed Power of attorney, their passenger ticket and a signed customs brokerage agreement,

Pet owners should ensure that all required documents have been obtained, checked and conrmed three to ve days before arrival in Kazakhstan.

There are no quarantine regulations. Contact the airline with which you are travelling for up to date information about importing pets.

Generally, pets are not permitted in hotels. Whatever pet you intend bringing along please contact CSS as some landlords do not tolerate any pets.

It is also worth checking the pet transportation requirements with your airlines.

For information on what you would have to do to get your pet back into the UK after a posting here, please consult https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-animals-plants-into-uk as this information is regularly updated.

6.4 Cost of Living and Allowances https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 32/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub At the time of writing, the local Cost of Living index is (effective from 1 March 2019):

COLA Bands 1-3 (Basic Salary £47044 and above) Cost of Living Index = 82.84

COLA Bands 4-5 (Basic salary £30427-£47043) Cost of Living Index = 83.86

COLA Bands 6-7 (Basic salary to £30426) Cost of Living Index = 84.87 Against a base of 100 for London.

An independent company, Employment Conditions Abroad (ECA), provides this information and it is updated every six months. Overseas allowances are paid to compensate for the necessary additional costs associated with living and working abroad. The Cost of Living index is therefore only one of the inputs from which allowances are calculated.

Details of the allowances paid at Post and how they are calculated can be found in guidance on FCO Intranet. Staff on a substantive posting are paid Cost of Living Addition and Diplomatic Service Compensation Allowance from the date of taking up duty at Post, to the day before nal departure, or up to and including the last day at Post if going on pre-departure leave.

If you contact HRDirect for overseas allowances, you will be asked about your salary, family status, grade and the location overseas. So make sure you have all this information to hand, before you call or email, it will make the information easy to obtain and more accurate.

6.5 Availability of British Goods

A wide range of basic groceries and general goods are available subject to the occasional shortage (especially in the winter). However, the price of fruit and vegetables are more expensive, often double that in the UK, especially in the winter. Since the Interfood, Gastronom, Galmart and Metro supermarkets opened a wider choice of imported products are now available. Nevertheless, most people stock up on “treats‟ on home leave. A food order is available regularly via Peter Justesen, which stocks a wide range of items https://www.pj.dk/.

Supermarkets

Gastronom, Interfood and Galmart are a fairly large supermarkets which sell a range of products incuding world known brands but can be expensive compared to other supermarkets.

There are a growing number of Turkish/Kazakh joint venture supermarkets like Ramstore . All stores stock a good range of products including some American goods and most have an in store bakery. But they are considered to be expensive.

Astykzan is one of the largest supermarkets in town and is open throughout the week. The store is a no frills cash and carry .The selection of products range from local, Russian, Turkish and some German. The range of available goods is improving all the time with recent additions being an electrical department selling TV`s and white goods and a small sport section selling equipment such as rackets, balls etc.

The Astana Store has a good selection of prepared foods and confectionery. It sells fresh sh and meat, which can be located downstairs.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 33/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Metro is a large cash and carry supermarket which stocks a wide range of products from winter tires to pencils. Imported goods are available although it can be very much hit and miss as to what is in stock when you visit. Turkeys can be found here for the festive season.

Eurasia is a shopping mall with indoor market. The goods tend to be a mixture of local and foreign. The indoor markets are large and well stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables and also a large area that sells fresh meat and poultry.

The Central Market or Bazaar is an open market where you can nd everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to clothes and furniture. Haggling is expected and if you speak Russian or Kazakh you can bargain for better prices. On a cautionary note, pickpockets have been known to operate in this market so care must be taken with purses and wallets.

Kiosks

There are also lots of prefabricated shops next to bus stops or apartment buildings.

‘The smaller the shop the cheaper the prices’.

A large selection of basic supplies is available in western style malls and supermarkets. Seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables can be found. Quality tends to vary, but can be excellent especially at the main city market building Artyom.

Meat and milk products imported from the EU are expensive and not best quality. Some shops sell organic/bio products both imported and local. Products imported from the Russian Federation vary in quality and some have been reported as carrying health risks.

Kazakhstan is a meat-eating society but quality could be better. Many shops sell meat grinders for making hamburgers. Ham and other processed meat products are available at the Artyom market and quality is in general very good.

A predictable down-side to life in Nur-Sultan is the almost complete absence of fresh sh (although smoked and salted salmon is available). Most surprisingly it is hard to nd white (feta-type) cheese. On the other hand we have access to freshly pressed pomegranate juice all winter.

Some colleagues have ordered wine and other products from the diplomatic supplier Peter Justesen (www.pj.dk) and expressed satisfaction with the result. There is also a duty free shop at Highvill.

Useful things to bring from the UK

Listed below are some of the items suggested to bring with you from the UK, this is

based on personal experiences which you may nd helpful:

Cosmetics/Toiletries

Pain Killers

Calpol/Karvel

Children’s Paracetamol

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 34/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Insect Repellent/Plug in Repellent

Good Hand cream/Lip Balm/Moisturiser

Tampax/Tampons (Sanitary Towels are available locally but you may have a preferred brand)

Cold and Flu medicines.

Vitamins and minerals.

If you have sensitive skin and use a particular product, it would be a good idea to bring it with you.

Food/Drink

Hot Chocolate (cocoa powder would be best as it’s useful for baking too)

Preferred Tea Bags and Coffee

Horlicks

Marmite/Bovril

Malt Vinegar

Stock Cubes (especially vegetable)

Gravy Granules

Packet Mixes

Brown Sauce

Cadburys Chocolate

Golden Syrup

Bicarbonate of Soda

Brown Sugar/Icing Sugar

If you are a keen baker it would be wise to bring all your favourite ingredients with you.

Miscellaneous

It would be a good idea to bring passport size photos with you. They will be needed shortly after your arrival for a Dip Card.

Birthday/Greetings cards

Stamps

Extension Leads

Adaptors

Blu- tack

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 35/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 6.6 Banking

Problems with obtaining cash from the numerous ATM cash points in 2009 led to some staff without cash in mid-Winter. These difculties persuaded the FCO to accept Post’s case for the introduction of a Sterling Cheque facility. The FCO has since conrmed Posts in Kazakhstan will continue to benet from the Sterling Cheque facility and any planned successor arrangement until cash can be obtained from ATMs with equivalent reliability to those in the UK. All UK Based staff have at some time used the sterling cheque facilities, but some also top up their cash by using ATMs and claim the associated charges up to the FCO permitted ceiling of £30 per month. New arrivals should arrive with some cash (sterling is ne for many bureaux de Change US $ or Euros) to change as only just one sterling cheque per month is allowed – that cheque must submitted by the third week of the month and may not be cashed until the last working day of the month. This facility is only available for permanent staff.

Major credit cards are widely accepted, but fraud is a problem and previously some UK Based staff have reported that they have fallen victim after having used cards in Kazakhstan.

6.7 Personal Transport

Most main roads within Nur-Sultan city are multi-lane and of generally good standard. A few roads outside the capital especially the motorway north to the resort of Borovoe are of international standard but most are far poorer than in the UK. A four wheel drive vehicle can therefore be useful for softer ride, high ground clearance and added stability on ice. But all roads are passable with a 2 wheel drive car provided in winter it is tted with a set of quality winter tyres. Any sort of winter package of extras is useful as is anti-lock braking and air-conditioning for summer. It is possible to get by without a car for a whole posting but most ofcers do nd access to personal transport convenient.

Please contact CSM for up to date information with regards to importing cars into Kazakhstan and for buying and selling cars in country.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 36/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Public transport in Nur-Sultan consists only of buses that are cheap but can be extremely crowded especially at peak times. Normally buses come and go with about 10-15 min interval, however in some city areas and depending on the time of the day it may take 20-25 min for bus to come, which can be an issue in winter. Bus stops are well located near the main attractions, business centres and residential areas. It is advisable to watch for pickpockets. You will be charged a different price if you chose to pay with cash (180 KZT = 0.40 GBP) instead of an AstraPlat card (90 KZT = 0.20 GBP). Passengers need to enter from the front of the bus and validate the card or pay in cash. AstraPlat cards can be purchased from ticket ofces, the nearest to the Embassy is in Circus building (around 10 min walk). The one off pay for the card is 400 KZT, after that you may top up any amount you wish. The card allows a free transfer to another bus within 1 hour. Another option to pay 90 KZT is to send a SMS to a designated number, the signs with these numbers are visible in each bus.

https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/safety/audit/iosa/Pages/registry.aspx

https://aviation-safety.net/database/operator/airline.php?var=8521

6.8 Household Goods

The current is 220 volts and 50 cycles AC. Outlets are 2-pin. The supply is generally reliable but most ofcers use surge protectors. Multi-pin socket extension leads would be also best purchased in the UK. No adapter purchased in Nur-Sultan should be relied on and are potential re risks. Therefore buy sufcient adaptors in the UK. Most properties are furnished by the landlords who usually leave behind at least one television. The FCO provide a cooker, refrigerator, washing machine and tumble dryer. Please check with Corporate Services section for details of the inventory in your accommodation before purchasing anything specically for your Nur-Sultan posting. Currently there are no properties with UK 3 pin sockets.

6.9 Clothing Requirements

Very warm outer clothing is essential for winter. A long well padded coat would be advisable as this will help to keep the legs warm too. Recently arrived ofcers have found their North Face 700 tog coats perfectly acceptable and have been sufciently warm. Warm hats, scarves and gloves are absolutely essential. The temperature can reach –40 C in a cold winter and –25 C is a typical morning temperature in winter. There is often a serious wind chill factor.

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 37/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Fur coats and hats are perfectly PC here. It would be advisable to bring all cold weather clothing from the UK especially if arriving at post at the start of the winter months.

Clothing tends to be cheaper and of a better quality when purchased in the UK. It is possible to order clothing via the bag from most of the well known stores at home.

Good footwear is also required. Apartments tend to be warm during the winter months; some people coming to post might be surprised about how few warm indoor clothes they need.

Yaktrax are elasticated rubber/metal non-slip ice grips, which t over the soles of shoes/boots, they can be useful for slippery conditions in winter. They are available from www.yaktrax.co.uk/.

Summer temperatures are often +30 C with low humidity and sunburn and windburn are common in the steppe winds. Dress code in the ofce is suits and ties for men and smart ofce wear as in the UK for women. Smart casual (including trousers) is perfectly acceptable for women and suits for men as evening wear. The Kazakh women are always extremely smart and love to dress up. Ofcial evening functions are fairly common; depending on your grade, there can be two or three a week.

There are a few big events staged each year including an annual charity ball and Burns Nights. This would require black tie and evening wear (long dresses are mainly worn although there is no ofcial dress code).

Court Mourning sometimes surprises new members of the Service and their spouses without even a basic minimum of mourning attire (dark suit and black or dark tie for men and dark suit/dress for women). Ofcers would therefore be wise to provide themselves and their families with clothing suitable for such occasions.

6.10 Working Pattern

Ofce hours are as follows:

Monday to Thursday:

09:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 - 17:30

Friday:

09:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 - 16:00

Main telephone switchboard addresses all Consular enquiries to the 24/7 Contact Centre (Malaga) and then if they can’t deal with them calls are escalated to Consular staff at Post or to Global Response Centre out of hours. Non-consular enquiries are handled by the Receptionist.

LE duty ofcer on weekly roster can help UKB staff outside of working hours.

Every year in November all staff vote for a list of public holidays which should be 14 days in total representing a mix of British and Kazakh holidays.

Public Holidays for 2019:

Tue 1 January - New Year day

Wed 2 January - New Year day

Fri 8 March - Women's Day https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 38/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub

Thurs 21 March - Nauryz

Fri 22 March - Nauryz

Sat 23 March - Nauryz (Mon 25 March in lieu)

Fri 19 April - Good Friday

Mon 22 April - Easter Monday

Sat 6 July - Capital's Day (Mon 8 July in lieu)

Fri 30 August - Constitution Day

Mon 16 Dec - Independence Day

Tues 17 Dec - Independence Day

Wed 25 December - Christmas Day

Thurs 26 December - Boxing Day

6.11 Communications

Mail facilities

Airfreight Bag Service: Please refer to the booklet called “Private Mail – the Privilege” produced by Logistical Services.

All UK-based members of the Embassy staff and their spouses have FCO bag privileges for private letters. The bag leaves London once a week on a Thursday and usually arrives in Nur-Sultan on the Tuesday. It is advisable to bring a supply of UK postage stamps with you.

All mail should be addressed to:

Mr or Mrs ************** (PF *************) [please note PF = personal le and refers to the ofcer’s unique employee number] BFPO 5409 (Nur-Sultan), RAF Northolt, Ruislip, BF1 9AL

The bag leaves Nur-Sultan once a fortnight on a Friday. Local mail takes about three weeks in either direction, to and from the UK (but is notoriously unreliable), expatriates therefore prefer to ask people travelling back to the UK to post letters for them rather than use the local post service.

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Description and Travel

In Search of Kazakhstan- Christopher Robbins 2008

Kazakhstan –Bradt Travel Guide- Paul Brummell 2nd edition November 2011

Lonely Plant Guide to Central Asia- Bradley Mayhew 2010

Kazakhstan: Coming of Age- Michael Fergus and Janar Jandosova 2003

Central Asia: The Practical Handbook- Giles Whittell (dates from the 1990’s, shows how the region has changed) 1996

Extreme Continental- Giles Whittell 1996

The Lost Heart of Asia- Colin Thubron 2004

Eastern approaches- Fitzroy Maclean re-issue 2009

Turkestan Solo- Ella Maillart 1934 (a fascinating account of a trip to Central Asia in the 1930’s)

Hg2The Hedonists Guide to Almaty and Astana- Isabelle Kallo 2011

Kazakhstan (Odyssey Guide) - Dagmar Schreiber and Jeremy Tredinnick 2010

Once in Kazakhstan: The Snow Leopard Emerges- Keith Rosten 2005 (A description of the early years of independence)

The Kazakhs: Children of the Steppes- Chokan and Murat Laumulin 2009 The Great Game- Peter Hopkirk 1990

Setting the East Ablaze- Peter Hopkirk 2001

On Secret Service East of Constantinople- Peter Hopkirk 1994

Foreign Devils on the Silk Road- Peter Hopkirk 1980

Beyond the Oxus- Monica Whitlock 2002 (Excellent book covering three generations in Central Asia)

Politics and Government

Kazakhstan: Unfullled Promises- Martha Brill Olcott 2002

The Kazakhstan Way- Nursultan Nazarbayev 2008

Nazarbayev and the Making of Kazakhstan- Jonathan Aitken 2009

Kazakhstan – Surprises and Stereotypes- Jonathan Aitken 2012

Kazakhstan: Power and the Elite- Sally Cummings 2002

Inside Central Asia- Dilip Hiro 2009

Central Asia’s Second Chance- Martha Brill Olcott 2005

Kazakhstan- Ethnicity, Language and Power- Bhavna Dave 2009 https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 40/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub Descent into Chaos- Ahmed Rashid 2008 (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia) Into the Abyss- Akin Tarazy 2010

https://post.hub.fco.gov.uk/print/kazakhstan/nur-sultan-british-embassy 41/42 05/02/2021 Nur-Sultan, British Embassy - Post Hub 8 Contacts

Embassy Contacts:

British Embassy, 62 Kosmonavtov Street, Renco Building, 6 Floor, Nur-Sultan, 010000

Tel: +7 7172 556200

Fax: +7 7172 556211

Email: [email protected]

Monday to Thursday - 9:00-13:00 and 13:00-17.30

Friday - 09:00-13:00 and 13:00-16:00

Corporate Services Manager:

Tel: +7 7172 556224

Email: [email protected]

Community Liasion Ofcer:

Tel: +7 7172 556207

Email: [email protected]

Consular Services:

+7 7172 556200 (24/7 consular adviceline for emergencies)

Web contact form in 'Contact Us' section on GOV.UK

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