SNT (in Russian, "СНТ", accompanying waybill for goods) is Kazakhstan's electronic document that travels with the goods and is also a primary accounting document. Since January 1, 2026, it is required for all goods brought into Kazakhstan from other countries of the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union: Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan), including Russia. On import, the SNT is issued by the consignee in Kazakhstan, not by the shipper. It must be issued before the cargo crosses the border. The procedure is set by Kazakhstan Finance Ministry Order No. 657 of October 31, 2025, published in the Adilet legal database. Below: what the SNT is, who issues it and when, and what a shipper in Moscow should do so the cargo is not held up.
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What is an SNT in simple terms?
SNT is a record in Kazakhstan's electronic invoice information system (IS ESF). Through it, the tax authority sees what goods are moving, in what quantity and from whom. Under the rules of Order No. 657, the SNT has two roles. It is a shipping document that confirms the dispatch, and it is a primary accounting document.
Russia has no direct equivalent with this name. The closest in meaning are Russia's electronic documents for goods traceability, covered below.
The SNT is issued electronically. A paper version is allowed in only one case: when a failure of the IS ESF system is officially confirmed on the website of Kazakhstan's State Revenue Committee.
Which cargo needs an SNT?
Order No. 657 approved a list of goods that require an SNT. The list has nine lines. The first seven cover specific goods: biofuel, alcohol and spirits, petroleum products, liquefied gas, narcotic drugs and precursors, and goods under EAEU traceability. Line eight covers everything else: "goods imported into the Republic of Kazakhstan from the territory of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union". Line nine covers the opposite direction, exports from Kazakhstan to other EAEU countries.
The main point for a shipper in Russia: on import into Kazakhstan, an SNT is needed whatever the goods are. Spare parts, clothing, electronics and samples fall under line eight, just like alcohol.
The rules have one exception: goods brought in by a passenger car with a permitted maximum load capacity of no more than 2.5 tonnes. There is no such exception for air cargo.
Who issues the SNT, and by when?
The rules are direct: the supplier issues the SNT, and on import the recipient does. So when cargo flies from Moscow to Almaty (ALA) or Astana (NQZ), the SNT is issued by the Kazakh company or sole trader that receives the cargo. The Russian shipper does not do this for the consignee.
The deadline for imports from an EAEU country is also in the rules: before the goods cross the state border of Kazakhstan. An aircraft crosses the border before it lands, so the consignee should issue the SNT before the flight leaves Moscow. Then the document is already in the system when the cargo is released at the warehouse.
For private persons, the rules describe only one case. When goods for an individual travel by road, the carrier issues the SNT, meaning the forwarder or courier service. The rules say nothing separate about air cargo for a private consignee. If the consignee in Kazakhstan is a person without sole-trader status, they should check with Kazakhstan's tax authority before shipping whether an SNT is needed and who must issue it.
What should the shipper in Moscow do?
The consignee issues the SNT from your data. If the data comes late or with errors, the consignee may not finish the SNT before the border crossing. This order works:
- Before you hand over the cargo, send the consignee the invoice or specification. It should list the goods, quantity, value and weight. Ask the consignee what else they need for the SNT.
- Check that the cargo description in your booking matches the documents. The air waybill (the airline's cargo document) shows the nature of the goods, the number of pieces and the weight. If the waybill says "spare parts, 3 pieces, 42 kg" and the invoice shows a different weight or description, the consignee will have to explain the difference to the tax authority.
- Send the consignee the air waybill number right after departure. With it, they can track the cargo and go to the warehouse.
If the shipper is a company, it has its own duties in Russia when it supplies goods to another EAEU country: a statistical form for customs, documents for the zero VAT rate, and for traceable goods a notice to the tax authority. According to the Federal Tax Service of Russia, a notice about moving traceable goods to another EAEU country is filed within 5 working days from the shipment date. The shipper prepares these documents. We are responsible for the flight.
Is a customs declaration needed for Kazakhstan?
No. Kazakhstan and Russia are both members of the Eurasian Economic Union, and no customs declaration is filed for ordinary cargo between them. The flight from Sheremetyevo to Almaty flies without stops in third countries, so the cargo is not placed under customs transit either. The cargo may be inspected at release.
The SNT is not a customs declaration. It is the consignee's tax document. No declaration is filed for the cargo, but the SNT is still required.
What about other EAEU countries?
The SNT and Order No. 657 apply only to Kazakhstan. The other countries of the Union have their own systems, and the consignee should check the requirements in advance:
- Belarus. The Belarus tax authority has its own goods traceability system, where data on imports from EAEU countries is filed separately. For air cargo to Minsk (MSQ), Aeroflot has one more rule: since February 1, 2025, the consignee can only be an organization.
- Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Order No. 657 does not apply to them. The consignee checks with their tax authority or accountant which records are needed on import.
As within Russia, we ship cargo to EAEU countries for both companies and private persons. The one exception is Minsk, where the consignee must be an organization.
Where does cargo fly in Kazakhstan from Moscow?
From Sheremetyevo we ship cargo to Almaty (ALA), Astana (NQZ), Shymkent (CIT), Aktau (SCO) and Karaganda (KGF). Under the schedule as of October 24, 2026, it takes about 12 hours from cargo drop-off at Sheremetyevo to arrival in Astana, Aktau and Karaganda, and about 13 hours to Almaty and Shymkent. This time covers cargo acceptance and the flight itself. So the consignee needs the data for the SNT before you take the cargo to Sheremetyevo.
To get a price for your weight and dimensions, use the online calculator. When you book, tell us the consignee in Kazakhstan will issue an SNT. We will send the air waybill number and the cargo data as soon as they are ready.
