Obtaining a temporary residence permit for a business immigrant for a citizen of the Russian Federation

In May 2025, we were approached by a citizen of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the RF) who was planning to open his own LLP in the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the RK). According to changes in legislation since 2024, citizens of EAEU countries (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan), as well as citizens of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, must first obtain a 90-day temporary residence permit for business immigrant in order to open an LLP or purchase a share in an LLP.

During this period, it is necessary to register a company or purchase a share in an existing LLP.

At the time of application, the Russian citizen had a temporary residence permit for the purpose of “work,” which had not yet expired, but he was planning to resign at that time. In accordance with the law:

• after dismissal, the employer must cancel the temporary residence permit within 15 days;
• after cancellation, the Migration Service issues the foreigner a shortened TRP for a period of up to 15 days;
• within these 15 days, it is necessary to obtain a new TRP or leave the Republic of Kazakhstan.

This is exactly what happened to us: the previous employer canceled the TRP, the foreign citizen of the Russian Federation received a shortened TRP, and we had exactly 15 days to prepare the entire package of documents and submit an application for a business immigrant TRP.

To obtain a temporary residence permit for business immigrant, two mandatory documents from the country of citizenship are required:

• Certificate of no criminal record;
• Certificate of no restrictions on entrepreneurial activity (or a similar document confirming that there are no restrictions on doing business).

In Russia, there is no single document called a “certificate of no restrictions on entrepreneurial activity.” Instead, a document called “Certificate of absence in …” is used. This certificate is issued by the tax authorities of the Russian Federation and contains information that the applicant is not included in the register of persons who are prohibited from holding managerial positions and engaging in entrepreneurial activity.

Where can these certificates be obtained?

• Certificate of no criminal record:

– in the Russian Federation; or at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Kazakhstan (Almaty).

• Certificate of no restrictions on entrepreneurial activity:

– issued at the place of registration of the foreigner in the Russian Federation;

– in most cases, it is issued in person; it is also possible to issue it by notarized power of attorney from the applicant (but this must be clarified at the specific inspection office at the place of registration of the foreigner in the Russian Federation).

Requirements for certificates submitted from the Russian Federation:

Certificates from the Russian Federation must bear a live official seal of the state authority and a live signature of an official. Such documents are accepted by the Migration Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan without additional certification.

Some tax authorities in the Russian Federation provide certificates in electronic format with a QR code. In this case, a notary in the Russian Federation first certifies the authenticity of the electronic version of the certificate, and then this certified version is notarized in Kazakhstan. After that, the certificate can be submitted to obtain a temporary residence permit.

Documents issued in Kazakhstan:

All other documents, such as:

• medical certificate
• fingerprint certificate
• consent of the property owner, etc., are issued in Kazakhstan.

An application for a temporary residence permit is submitted by a notarized power of attorney from the property owner. Important points:

• If the property has several owners, consent is required from each of them.
• The owner must be registered in the same city where the application is submitted (in our case, this is Almaty).
• The application for a temporary residence permit is submitted to the Administrative Services Center at the place of residence specified in the consent form from the property owner.

A foreign citizen of the Russian Federation must have a valid IIN issued for the passport with which they last entered Kazakhstan and which they are using to apply for a temporary residence permit. If the IIN was issued for a different passport, it must be corrected to the passport used to apply for the temporary residence permit.

The owner of the property submits a notification of the foreigner’s arrival via the visa and migration portal https://vmp.gov.kz/ru or https://eqonaq.kz/?lang=ru. The notification specifies the purpose of arrival as “business immigrant”.

Step-by-step process for obtaining a temporary residence permit for business immigrant after the foreigner’s arrival in Kazakhstan

• Submission of a notification of arrival by the property owner. We can help with the submission of the notification; if necessary, please check the details with our consultants.
• Obtaining an IIN (if not previously issued); if the IIN was previously issued for a different passport, an adjustment is made to the passport for which the temporary residence permit is being applied for. We can assist in obtaining an IIN; if necessary, please check with our consultants for details.
• Fingerprinting at the Migration Service / Service Police at your place of residence. We can assist you in obtaining an IIN; if necessary, please check with our consultants for details.
• Obtaining a medical certificate.
• Collecting documents.
• Submitting an application for a TRP by a representative authorized by the property owner.

We managed to collect the necessary documents and submit the application within the 15-day period of the shortened temporary residence permit. The Migration Service issued a 90-day temporary residence permit for a business immigrant to the foreign citizen.

During this period, the Russian citizen registered a limited liability partnership, which provides grounds for extending the business immigrant’s temporary residence permit for one year based on a request from the authorized state body (the Department of Entrepreneurship and Investment) or for obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of “work” also for a period of one year if the foreign citizen is the CEO of his company.