Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport has prepared a draft order "On the implementation of a pilot project for AI-based biometric passenger authentication at Astana airport". The draft is posted on the "Open Legal Acts" portal for public consultation until 4 November 2026. It was prepared under paragraph 4 of Article 48 of the Digital Code.
Goals
According to the draft, the pilot should shorten passenger service times, simplify pre-flight procedures and improve security. No quantitative targets are given.
What the deputy minister said
On 20 October 2026, at ICAO Aviation Security Week in Astana, Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev said the project to introduce biometrics at the capital's airport had already been launched. It is being developed jointly with SITA, which Lastayev called a global leader in the field. SITA proposes equipping most of Kazakhstan's airports with check-in, biometric and baggage check-in systems to automate processes. The project is being worked out as a public-private partnership with investment agreements. Rollout is expected in 2027, followed by a phased expansion.
What has not been announced
The budget, contract, system operator, list of airports beyond Astana, storage volumes and retention period of biometric data, and whether participation will be mandatory or voluntary have not been named. The Astana pilot and expansion to other airports in the country are different levels of the project.
Our assessment: the project remains at the stage of a draft order and negotiations. The statement about the launch refers to work on the project, not to a system in operation, and no replacement of traditional document checks has been announced. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the Ministry of Transport or SITA.
What businesses can do. IT integrators and biometric solution providers can study the draft order and the consultation deadline of 4 November. Airports and operators in the region can look at the PPP format as a financing model for digital projects. Airlines can take into account that check-in processes in Astana may change in 2027.