Kazakhstanis will be able to formalize consent for cremation on eGov
Tengrinews.kz — Citizens of Kazakhstan can now officially register their consent for cremation online in advance. This lifetime declaration can be filed through the eGov portal without the need for a notary.
How to sign consent for cremation
To register a lifetime declaration for cremation, users must log in to the eGov portal, navigate to the "Public Services" section, select the "Birth, Marriage and Family" category, and open the service titled "Registration of lifetime declaration of intent for cremation".
Afterward, users must complete the electronic form and sign the application using a digital signature (EDS). The processing time for the application is 15 minutes.
Screenshot: eGov website
For some users, the "Registration of lifetime declaration of intent for cremation" service may appear in the "Healthcare" section instead of the "Birth, Marriage and Family" section on the eGov portal.
Users can cancel a previously registered cremation declaration at any time if they wish.
Screenshot: eGov website
Cremation in Kazakhstan
As a reminder, Kazakhstan's first and only crematorium began operations in Almaty at the end of April 2024. It is located near the forensic pathology bureau in the Alatau district. There are no residential buildings in the vicinity, only fields and an industrial zone.
Demonstration of the furnace at the Almaty crematorium. Photo: © Tengrinews.kz / Svetlana Antonova
The crematorium building itself features storage units, a dissection room, a farewell hall, and two cremation furnaces. Temperatures inside the furnaces reach 1,100 degrees Celsius.
Who can be cremated
According to the approved regulations, anyone in Kazakhstan can be cremated, provided they have submitted a written declaration of intent during their lifetime. Initially, this document required legal notarization. This service is now available directly through eGov.
In cases involving a criminal investigation into the death, cremation is not permitted.
How much does cremation cost
The cremation service costs 240,000 tenge. However, it should be noted that this price covers only the cremation itself. Additional services—such as transportation, storage, and preparation of the body—are charged separately.
Where to store ashes
Typically, after cremation, the remains are placed in an urn, which is then interred in a columbarium (wall of grief) or a family plot at a cemetery. Scattering ashes at a memorial site is also common practice. However, scattering ashes is currently prohibited by law in Kazakhstan.
Additionally, the country does not yet have a columbarium. Therefore, the remains can currently be stored in a specialized room at the crematorium, taken home, or buried in a relative's grave.