To apply for disability status in Kazakhstan, start with your treating doctor, complete the necessary examinations and obtain a referral from the medical advisory commission for a medical and social assessment. The assessment considers persistent impairments of bodily functions, limitations in everyday activities and the need for social protection. It results in a decision granting disability status and specifying its group and duration, or a decision that the grounds for granting it have not been established.
The information in the original article was checked on 9 October 2026 against the available current version of the Rules for Conducting Medical and Social Assessments, approved by Order No. 260 of 29 June 2023.
Who may qualify for disability status?
A diagnosis alone does not determine a disability group. Assessors consider how a disease, injury or physical defect affects bodily functions and restricts daily activities. They assess the person’s ability to care for themselves, move around, orient themselves, communicate, control their behaviour, learn and work.
Step 1. Contact your treating doctor
Start at the clinic where you are registered. Make an appointment with your local doctor, general practitioner or the specialist managing your condition. Explain which limitations remain after treatment and ask the doctor to assess whether there are grounds for a referral for a medical and social assessment, commonly known by its Russian abbreviation MSE.
Step 2. Complete examinations and treatment
The medical organisation determines which consultations, tests, treatment and rehabilitation measures are needed. There is no universal list of tests for every diagnosis: the examinations depend on the condition, its complications and the purpose of the referral. You do not need to purchase a standard “disability assessment package” on an intermediary’s advice.
As a general rule, a referral for an initial assessment is issued no earlier than four months after the onset of temporary incapacity for work. For children and people who are not working, this period is counted from the diagnosis. This allows treatment outcomes and the persistence of impairments to be assessed. It is not the time the assessment body itself takes to review the documents.
There are exceptions to this rule. Earlier referral is available, in particular, for people with anatomical defects or Down syndrome, and for people with incurable conditions who have significant or severe functional impairments, no rehabilitation potential and are receiving palliative care. The medical organisation must assess whether an exception applies under the current rules.
Step 3. Obtain the commission’s referral: Form No. 031/u
The medical advisory commission, known as VKK in Russian, is part of the medical organisation. It decides whether to refer a person for assessment. The key document is the referral report for MSE on Form No. 031/u (№ 031/у). The medical organisation completes it; patients should not fill in its medical sections themselves.
Form No. 031/u is valid for no more than one month from the date it is signed. Check the date and how the documents will be sent. Even with an electronic referral, you should confirm that the information has actually been submitted and whether you need to attend in person.
Check that the referral describes the complications and functional impairments, and that your personal details are correct.
What documents are needed to apply for disability status?
The assessment service obtains some information from government information systems. A paper copy is not automatically required for every electronic document. However, if the relevant information is not available in those systems, the corresponding paper documents and originals for verification must be provided.
| Document or information | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Identity document, including a digital identity document | To identify the person and, where a representative applies, the relevant applicant. |
| Application for a medical and social assessment | Required for assessment, except under the separate proactive assessment procedure conducted without personal attendance. |
| Form No. 031/u referral report | The medical organisation’s referral containing information about the person’s health. |
| Outpatient medical record, discharge summaries, medical reports and test results | To confirm the diagnosis, the course of the condition and functional impairments. |
| The medical part of the individual rehabilitation programme on Form No. 033/u | Provided where the medical organisation has developed it. |
| Employment and temporary incapacity documents | In the cases specified by the rules, depending on employment status, whether this is an initial assessment and the purpose of the assessment. |
| Documents concerning an occupational injury or disease | To determine the relevant cause of disability and loss of occupational working capacity. |
| Guardianship documents and a PMPK report | Guardianship documents where guardianship has been established; a psychological, medical and pedagogical consultation (PMPK) report for a child, if available. |
Step 4. Undergo the medical and social assessment
The assessment is carried out by an authorised social protection unit. The clinic prepares the referral, but neither the treating doctor nor the medical advisory commission makes the final disability decision. A specialist’s preliminary opinion does not replace the assessment body’s conclusion.
Assessment in person
Assessors review the documents, ask about symptoms and difficulties, and evaluate the person’s condition. Explain which daily activities require help or assistive equipment, and how often your condition worsens. Keep copies of the medical documents you submit.
If the person cannot attend
The rules also provide for assessment at home, in hospital or without personal attendance. If your health prevents you from attending, discuss this with your treating doctor and the medical advisory commission before an appointment is scheduled. The medical organisation must document the grounds and the appropriate format in accordance with the required procedure.
Proactive assessment without personal attendance
Under this procedure, medical information is submitted electronically and a decision is made without the usual visit to the MSE department. It applies to the medical conditions specified by the rules, provided the necessary requirements are met. It is not an online service that anyone can freely choose for any diagnosis.
How to apply for disability status for a child
A parent or other legal representative contacts the child’s paediatrician or specialist. The sequence remains the same: examinations, evaluation of impairments, consideration by the medical advisory commission and referral for assessment. For a child, it is important to describe not only the diagnosis but also development, learning, communication, mobility and the need for assistance relative to the child’s age.
Children under seven may be assigned the category “child with a disability”. From age seven to eighteen, the categories are a child with Group I, Group II or Group III disability. A PMPK report is taken into account if available, but does not itself establish disability status.
Step 5. Obtain the decision and check the individual programme
The assessment determines whether disability is established, its cause, group or category, and duration. The need for social protection measures is also assessed. Where there are grounds, an individual habilitation and rehabilitation programme, commonly abbreviated as IPR in Russian, is developed.
Disability status may be granted for a specified period or without a reassessment deadline where the prescribed grounds are met. A chronic condition does not automatically qualify someone for indefinite status. The criteria in the rules, the irreversibility of impairments and the applicable lists are relevant.
Check the duration of your disability status, the reassessment date and the contents of the individual programme. Ask separately about the award of payments: obtaining disability status does not mean that all social support procedures have been completed.
What to do if a referral or disability status is refused
The clinic will not refer you for assessment
Ask for an explanation of the medical grounds for refusal and how the medical advisory commission considers the matter. If you disagree, submit a written request to the head of the medical organisation or its patient support service. Specify appointment dates, diagnoses, documented limitations and the action you are requesting.
If the issue remains unresolved, contact the competent healthcare or medical oversight authority, including through eOtinish.
You disagree with the assessment decision
Request the documents relating to the decision. In your complaint, identify the medical information and limitations that you believe were assessed incorrectly, attach supporting medical reports and state your request for a review.
Under the rules, an appeal against an assessment conducted in person must be submitted no later than three months after receipt of its conclusion. The complaint is submitted to the body or official whose decision is being challenged; the prescribed review period is 20 working days. A separate appeal procedure applies to proactive assessments without personal attendance, through the territorial unit at the person’s place of permanent registration.
A short checklist before the assessment
- Collect current medical reports on the main condition and significant complications.
- Make sure the documents describe functional impairments and treatment outcomes.
- Check the patient’s details, the contents of Form No. 031/u and the date it was signed.
- Confirm that the referral has been sent, which assessment format applies and whether attendance is required.
- Keep copies of documents and proof of your submissions.
- Prepare an accurate description of everyday limitations and the assistance needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply through eGov without going through a clinic?
An initial disability determination requires medical grounds and a referral from the medical advisory commission. Electronic services and proactive assessment without attendance do not replace medical examinations. Obtaining a certificate confirming disability status that has already been granted is a different service.
Does everyone have to wait four months?
No. The rules provide for exceptions, including anatomical defects, Down syndrome and certain palliative care cases. Eligibility for earlier referral is assessed using the medical documents.
Can I be assessed if I am unemployed and have no work history?
Yes. Having no work history does not in itself prevent disability status from being granted. Participation in the social insurance system is a separate consideration for the corresponding insurance payments.
Does a referral guarantee a disability group?
No. A referral allows an expert assessment to take place. The decision depends on documented impairments and limitations in daily activities, not merely on having Form No. 031/u.
How much does the assessment cost?
The public service for determining disability status is provided free of charge. Paying an intermediary is not a condition for obtaining a referral or a disability group.
What should I do if my referral is about to expire?
Contact the medical organisation to confirm whether the referral has been sent and whether it needs to be renewed. Do not delay: Form No. 031/u is valid for no more than one month from the date it is signed.