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Abstract

This article examines the bureaucratic aspects of repatriation policy in Kazakhstan, focusing on the everyday challenges faced by ethnic Kazakhs (Qandas) returning to their historical homeland. Repatriation has been positioned as a core component of the state’s nation-building and demographic management strategy in the post-Soviet period. However, the official rhetoric of return and integration masks complex and often contradictory administrative practices that shapes the trajectories of returnees’ inclusion in the legal and social spaces of the state.

The article views bureaucratic mechanisms not as neutral administrative procedures, but as institutional instruments for selecting and managing migration. Based on field research conducted in the Zhetysu region in 2023–2024, as well as an analysis of the legislative framework, regulatory documents, and content analysis of media materials, the study analyzes the multi-layered interaction between Qandas, local government, and national institutions. It reveals gaps between policy development and implementation at the local level, demonstrating how formal and informal practices influence the experiences of repatriates and their integration process.

It is argued that bureaucratization not only delays and complicates access to legal status, but also contributes to the formation of unequal access to state-provided resources, reinforcing structural inequalities and social hierarchy in Kazakhstani society. By highlighting the gap between formal policies and local practices, the paper contributes to understanding how repatriation functions as both a symbolic and highly administrative project within the broader framework of post-Soviet governance and identity politics.