Money for photos and videos of violations – how to get it in Astana and Almaty

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstanis are being offered financial incentives for helping identify legal offenses. Such regulations have already been adopted in 13 regions of the country. Tengrinews.kz looked into how much can be earned and what steps are required.
Eligible offenses for rewards
Since July 11, new rules for rewarding citizens who help identify and prevent offenses have been in effect in Astana.
The regulations provide for two different forms of public participation.

The first is for public assistants who officially support the police.
The second is for ordinary citizens who witness a violation and submit photo or video evidence.

In the latter case, a person can claim a cash reward. It is calculated based on the fine collected from the offender. The maximum payment is 20 MCI (Monthly Calculated Indices). In 2026, this amounts to 86,500 tenge.
However, payments are not automatically credited for every photo or video sent.
What qualifies for payment
The authorized body must first confirm the violation. Additionally, the applicant's materials must be the primary source of information.
This means that the violation must not have been recorded by automated cameras, police officers, other officials, or third parties prior to the citizen's report.
The Astana Akimat (City Administration) recommends filming violations so that the footage clearly shows exactly what happened, where, and when.

"It is recommended that photo and video recordings sequentially record: the administrative offense, the date, time, and place of its commission, as well as landmarks that allow for geolocation or identification of the specific site," the Akimat explained.

The rules do not set limits on the number of reports a single person can submit.
How to receive the payment
Simply reporting a violation is not enough. To receive a reward, a person must submit an application to the specific government agency that handles that category of administrative cases.
Note: For example, if the violation falls under police jurisdiction, the application is sent to the internal affairs bodies. If the case is handled by another state agency, the application should be directed there.
Anonymous reports do not qualify for financial incentives.
The subsequent process is as follows: the state agency verifies the materials and confirms the violation, the administrative ruling takes effect, the offender pays the fine in full, and the authorized body submits the materials to a district commission.
The commission then decides whether to reward the citizen and determines the amount.
Have any payments been made in Astana yet?
Despite the rules being in effect for a month, the Akimat stated that district commissions had not yet reviewed any applications at the time of their response.

"Since the rules came into force, no recommendations for rewarding citizens have been submitted for consideration by the district commissions, and no meetings on these issues have been held," the Akimat reported.

More than just money
Cash payments are only one incentive option. A resident may also be issued an official thank-you note, awarded a certificate, referred for training, or recommended for recognition at their place of work or study.
For significant contributions, an individual may be nominated for a state award or an honorary title.
Public police assistants: A separate mechanism
The Astana Police Department also provided separate details on rewarding official public police assistants.
For them, a single report of a violation is insufficient.

"A necessary condition is that the citizen holds official status as a public police assistant and provides documented proof of their participation in the prevention, identification, or suppression of a violation," the Astana Police Department stated.

The participation of such an assistant is confirmed by a local precinct inspector. At the end of each quarter, the inspector files a report detailing the assistance provided and the individual's role in identifying or stopping a violation.
Financial incentives for public assistants are processed quarterly.

"The amount of the financial reward is determined based on the degree of the public assistant's involvement in identifying and suppressing the offense," the Police Department added.

Note: The police also noted that most citizen reports concern public order violations, landscaping and trade regulations, and traffic violations.
How it works in Almaty
A similar mechanism is in place in Almaty. The Akimat approved the citizen incentive rules on June 23, 2026.
Payments are not automatically issued for every photo or video of a violation. Decisions are made by a special commission based on materials submitted by the police.
The maximum payout is 20 MCI, which amounts to 86,500 tenge in 2026. The funds are disbursed by the Almaty Police Department from the local budget.
In addition to monetary rewards, residents may be recognized with letters of appreciation, certificates of merit, educational opportunities, or other awards.
Where else these rules apply
The Ministry of Internal Affairs informed Tengrinews.kz that 13 regions of Kazakhstan have already adopted resolutions on citizen incentives:

Astana and Almaty;
Aktobe Region;
Almaty Region;
Atyrau Region;
West Kazakhstan Region (WKR);
Karaganda Region;
Kostanay Region;
Kyzylorda Region;
Mangystau Region;
Pavlodar Region;
Turkistan Region;
Jetisu Region.

However, specific conditions and reward amounts may vary, as they are determined by local administrations (akimats).
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that as of August 13, projects in seven additional regions were undergoing approval by justice authorities. Earlier, it was reported that the Shymkent akimat is developing new rules for resident incentives.