Full procedure Move sheep across the Qara-Chik line to summer pasture
An ISEZ household's flock taken to summer pasture on tribal land and brought back in September.
Obtain an extract from the household livestock book
Extract of the district administration showing the number of sheep on the household's record.
- 1. Request the extract
Where: District administration: trade and agriculture section
Apply in the district of the household's residence, which since the 2016 reform may not be the district where the sheep winter.
Bring: ID card or passport of the applicant
You receive: Extract from the household livestock book
Cost: IS 10
Time: 30–150 min in the queue, 10–15 min at the counter, 2–5 days until the next step
Tag the sheep
Numbered ear tags bought from the State Veterinary Inspectorate and fitted by the district veterinarian.
- 2. Buy the tags in cash
Where: Cash desk of the Agricultural Directorate
The fee is paid in cash som only, at the cash desk of the Agricultural Directorate in the old building on Tokmok Street, and not at the Inspectorate. Bring the cash receipt back to the Inspectorate, where the stamp is given.
Bring: Extract from the household livestock book
Cost: IS 0.80 per head (cash som only)
Time: 20–70 min in the queue, 10–15 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step - 3. Have the tags fitted by the district veterinarian
Where: State Veterinary Inspectorate
Sheep without tags returning across the line are treated as animals of unknown origin.
You receive: Numbered ear tags for each sheep
Cost: IS 0.30 per head
Time: 0 min in the queue, 120–360 min at the counter, 1–3 days until the next step
Vaccinate the flock
Vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease and brucellosis by the district veterinary station.
- 4. Have the flock vaccinated
Where: State Veterinary Inspectorate
The flock may cross the line no sooner than 21 days after vaccination.
Bring: Numbered ear tags for each sheep
You receive: Vaccination record (foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis)
Cost: IS 1.20 per head
Time: 0 min in the queue, 180–480 min at the counter, 21 days until the next step
Agree the grazing with the clan council
Grazing agreement of the council of elders of the clan whose pasture it is.
- 5. Agree the terms through the herder's kin
Where: Council of elders of the pasture's clan
The agreement is made under customary law and is not an ISEZ document; the Gendarmerie asks to see it at the checkpoint. Its terms (often paid in sheep) are not shown in the cost estimate.
Bring: Extract from the household livestock book
You receive: Grazing agreement of the clan council
Time: 0 min in the queue, 60–600 min at the counter, 7–60 days until the next step
Obtain Form 1-VET for the flock
Certificate of the State Veterinary Inspectorate for moving the flock, valid five days.
- 6. Pay the fee in cash
Where: Cash desk of the Agricultural Directorate
The fee is paid in cash som only, at the cash desk of the Agricultural Directorate in the old building on Tokmok Street, and not at the Inspectorate. Bring the cash receipt back to the Inspectorate, where the stamp is given.
Cost: IS 30 (cash som only)
Cost: IS 0.10 per head (cash som only)
Time: 20–70 min in the queue, 5–10 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step - 7. Collect the veterinary certificate Form 1-VET for the flock
Where: State Veterinary Inspectorate
Valid five days. A flock on foot covers 15–20 km a day; from the Talas valley to the Aksay crossing the certificate is usually renewed once on the way, at the district station nearest the road.
Bring: Numbered ear tags for each sheep, Vaccination record (foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis), Grazing agreement of the clan council
You receive: Veterinary certificate Form 1-VET for the flock
Time: 30–120 min in the queue, 15–30 min at the counter, 0–2 days until the next step
Register the crossing at the Gendarmerie checkpoint
Registration of the herders and the flock at a checkpoint on the Qara-Chik line.
- 8. Present the herders, the flock and the papers
Where: Gendarmerie checkpoints on the Qara-Chik line (x 9)
The sheep are counted at the checkpoint. A count that differs from Form 1-VET by more than two head stops the crossing until the Form is corrected at the district station. No hunting rifle may be carried within 12 km of the line, and no permit for one is issued.
Bring: Veterinary certificate Form 1-VET for the flock, Grazing agreement of the clan council, Numbered ear tags for each sheep, ID card or passport of the applicant
You receive: Line-crossing registration of the herder and the flock
Cost: IS 15 per herder
Time: 60–600 min in the queue, 30–120 min at the counter, 0 days until the next step - 9. Pay the levy at the El-Choro post
Where: El-Choro post (customary levy)
The clans take a customary levy on flocks crossing their land, usually in sheep. It is not shown in the cost estimate.
Bring: Line-crossing registration of the herder and the flock
You receive: Receipt of the El-Choro post for the customary levy
Time: 0 min in the queue, 10–60 min at the counter, 0 days until the next step
Have the flock inspected on return
Veterinary inspection at the checkpoint when the flock comes back in September.
- 10. Present the flock for inspection and count
Where: Veterinary checkpoints of the Inspectorate at the frontier (x 2) (The checkpoint at which the flock crossed out)
Lambs born on the summer pasture are tagged at the checkpoint before they enter. Animals without tags are held in quarantine for 21 days at the owner's cost.
Bring: Line-crossing registration of the herder and the flock, Numbered ear tags for each sheep, Veterinary certificate Form 1-VET for the flock
You receive: Veterinary inspection report on return
Cost: IS 0.25 per head
Time: 60–600 min in the queue, 60–180 min at the counter, 0–21 days until the next step
Insure the flock
Livestock policy of Iradstrakh for the summer pasture.
- 11. Buy the policy ★ optional
Where: Iradstrakh, State Insurance Company of Irad
Losses on tribal land are paid on a report of the clan council, translated and notarised.
Bring: Extract from the household livestock book, Numbered ear tags for each sheep
You receive: Livestock insurance policy
Cost: IS 1.10 per head
Time: 20–60 min in the queue, 15–25 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step
Laws and documents
- Executive Decree of 1 March 2016 On the districts of the Irad Special Economic Zone (article 4)
- Regulation No. 77 Veterinary Control Regulation (goods of animal origin), 1998 (articles 44, 45; articles 46, 48; articles 49, 50)
- Protocol of 14 July 2009 Protocol on the Toktogul Basin and the State Route 1 Corridor (article 9)
- Bishkek Ceasefire 2007 Bishkek Ceasefire, annex on the restricted-weapons zone (annex, paragraphs 2, 5)
Institutions
- District administration: trade and agriculture section, The seat of your district (Nurzhan, Kyzyl-Adyr, Talas, Tash-Kömür, Toktogul, Sary-Bulak). Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00, lunch 12:30–13:30
- Cash desk of the Agricultural Directorate, Talas, old Directorate building, Tokmok Street 3, entrance from the yard (not at Jibek Jolu Avenue 41). Monday to Friday, 9:30–12:00. Cash som only.
- State Veterinary Inspectorate, Talas, Agricultural Directorate, Jibek Jolu Avenue 41, first floor. Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00, lunch 12:30–13:30
- Council of elders of the pasture's clan, At the clan's winter quarters or summer camp; reached through the herder's own kin. By arrangement
- Gendarmerie checkpoints on the Qara-Chik line (x 9), Qara-Chik Border Checkpoint (main), Aksay, Toguz-Bulak (x 2), Kara-Bulak, Suusamyr, Mailuu-Suu road, Arslanbob road, Kök-Kamar. Daylight hours, every day
- El-Choro post (customary levy), A hut and a few riders at the road, on the tribal side of the crossing. Daylight hours, every day
- Veterinary checkpoints of the Inspectorate at the frontier (x 2), Chu Gate crossing (Kazakh frontier) and Dostuk crossing (Uzbek frontier). Daylight hours, every day
- Iradstrakh, State Insurance Company of Irad, Any of about 60 offices; cargo policies at the Talas head office only, Central Avenue 7. Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00, lunch 12:30–13:30
Updated 2026-10-23. Developed with the support of the UNMI trade facilitation programme.