Obtaining a C5 business immigrant visa for US and an Armenian citizen

A foreign US citizen entered Kazakhstan for the purpose of registering a legal entity. Having realized that this would require obtaining a C5 business immigrant visa for a US citizen, he turned to us for advice.

The client had two citizenships: the USA and Armenia. At the same time, it was planned to use a US passport to obtain a business immigrant visa in Kazakhstan. The difficulty was that the client did not plan to travel outside of Kazakhstan. At the same time, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a business immigrant visa of category C5 for a US citizen and other foreign citizens can be obtained at consular offices of Kazakhstan abroad.

Thus, the question arose about obtaining a residence permit in Kazakhstan for a US citizen. This could be done without leaving Kazakhstan, but with significant time costs.

Ultimately, the decision was made to travel to the United States to obtain a C5 business immigrant visa.

Stage 1 – Registration of a legal entity on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since a foreign citizen cannot register a legal entity, and the invitation letter must be issued from a Kazakh legal entity, it was decided to register the company in the name of a friend. The process takes from 1 to 5 business days. The package of documents was minimal and was collected quite quickly.

Stage 2 – obtaining a single-entry C5 business immigrant visa for a US citizen. After registering a legal entity on the territory of Kazakhstan, we begin to issue a letter of invitation. The data of the foreign employee and employer are required. The United States was chosen as the destination for obtaining a C5 business immigrant visa.

In addition to the approved visa support number, a foreign citizen must provide the following package of documents:

• certificate of no criminal record
• certificate confirming the absence of a ban on business activities
• medical certificates
• a completed application form
• confirmation of payment of the consular fee.

The process takes on average 1-3 business days to insert a visa. However, in some states, obtaining a certificate of no criminal record and a certificate of no business ban may take longer. It is recommended to check with the place of actual application for details.

Stage 3 – entry into Kazakhstan on the basis of a single-entry business immigrant visa of category C5 and re-registration of a legal entity. As soon as a foreign citizen has entered Kazakhstan, he must submit an entry notification and receive an IIN. Next, we conclude a purchase and sale agreement in the presence of a notary and send the transaction for registration to the Department of Justice. The procedure takes from 3 to 7 working days.

Stage 4 – obtaining a multiple-entry C5 business immigrant visa for a US citizen. After the transaction is registered in the Department of Justice database, we proceed to extend the C5 visa. The procedure consists of two stages:

• receiving a confirmation letter from the authorized body (10-15 calendar days)
• insertion of a visa at the migration services (10-20 working days).

In total, the US citizen received a multiple-entry C5 visa for one year and registered a legal entity on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The turnkey procedure took 2 months.

FAQ:

From January 1, 2024, a mandatory fingerprint registration procedure was introduced in Kazakhstan. Tell me, at what stage should I take fingerprints?

Yes, that’s right. From the beginning of 2024, a fingerprint registration rule has been in effect for visa recipients. For a single-entry C5 visa for a US citizen, fingerprinting will need to be taken at the Kazakhstan Embassy in the US. 

I have a valid single-entry C5 business immigrant visa for a US citizen. But I received it in 2023. Do I need to get fingerprinted now?

A single-entry C5 visa gives the right to register a company or buy out an existing business. If you plan to extend your C5 visa to a multiple entry visa, then yes, you will need to undergo a fingerprint registration procedure.

Where do you need to undergo fingerprinting?

For visa recipients, fingerprinting must be taken at the migration service department at the temporary registration address of the foreign employee. At the same time, in practice there are cases when you are asked to go to the employer’s registered address. The addresses of the Migration Services Departments can be found at the link in the addresses section: https://dos-immigration.kz/en/legislation/