Changes of visa obtaining legislation in Kazakhstan in 2024-2025

From November 18, 2024, changes to the Visa Rules will come into force in Kazakhstan, which are aimed at creating favorable conditions for business immigrants, skilled professionals and travelers.

The updates include the following:

The A6 visa – an investor visa

What is written in the legislation?

Foreign businessmen who have invested more than 300 thousand US dollars in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan can obtain an A6 investor visa. It is issued as a multiple-entry visa for up to 10 years. The visa can be issued by the foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of an invitation.

What questions arise:

1. Can family members get an accompanying visa?

Yes, family members can accompany the main applicant. Family members are defined as spouse and children under the age of majority. At the same time, family members are not eligible for employment.

2. Does the A6 visa give the right to work?

Based on point 1, we assume that the main applicant has the right to work and can carry out work activities within the organization where the money was invested.

3. Can this visa be obtained in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan from the visa-free regime or by changing the category of visa?

It is possible to change the category of your current visa to A6 investor visa if you have a valid visa of the following categories: B3, B9, B10, C3, C4 and C5. As for obtaining A6 visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan while being in the visa-free regime, the answer is negative. The legislation does not provide for it.

4. How to confirm the amount of investment in the RoK economy?

The visa is new and there is no existing practice. We assume that it can be a contract of sale of an operating company, a contract of sale of another object of movable or immovable property. Or contracts confirming investments, for example, for construction.

5. Is it possible to invest in an existing business or should it be a newly organized company?

There is no unambiguous answer. If we take an analogy with the C5 visa for business immigrants, we believe that both options are possible: buying out a share of an existing business or registering a new legal entity.

6. Can citizens of EAEU countries and other visa-free countries (Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan) obtain a temporary residence permit similar to the A6 visa, provided that the investment in the economy in the Republic of Kazakhstan is more than 300,000 USD?

We will monitor the practice and update the information.

7. Is it possible to apply for A6 category investor visa after purchasing real estate worth 300,000 USD?

We have sent official inquiries to the relevant authorities and are awaiting a response. As soon as there is information, we will update the article on the website.

8. How to purchase real estate without a residence permit if I want to invest 300,000 USD in the economy of Kazakhstan?

We will monitor the practice and update the information. 

«C5» visa for business immigrants

The list of documents for business visa «C5» has been reduced. Medical certificates confirming the absence of diseases and a certificate of absence of a ban on entrepreneurial activity have been removed from the list.

Does this mean that these certificates are not required for business immigrants to obtain a «C5» visa?

The requirement to provide these documents remains in the Migration Act. So, there is a contradiction. We will monitor the situation in practice.

Also, it became possible to come on the basis of a single-entry C5 visa to Kazakhstan by invitation from one legal entity, and then register own company and extend the C5 visa to a multiple-entry visa without leaving Kazakhstan. But, already from your own company.

What was the practice before?

Previously, when registering a new legal entity, the inviting party of a foreign citizen in Kazakhstan was a third party. Then foreigners had difficulties in extending the visa, because the inviting party in a single-entry visa was one company, and then the visa was extended from another legal entity. This change eliminated the need to obtain a single-entry visa C5 for business immigrants twice and, accordingly, to leave Kazakhstan.

Visa «B9» for residence permit. Individuals possessing in-demand professions

A visa can be obtained by foreign nationals with in-demand professions. It is supposed to be a simplified procedure for persons in this category. In our understanding, it is analogous to the B8 visa, only more narrowly focused.

1. Where can I see the list of in-demand professions?

A full list of in-demand specialties is spelled out here.

2. How long is a «B9» visa issued for?

Single entry visa is issued for up to 90 days with the right to stay for the entire period of validity of the visa. Multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 90 days, with the right to stay for the entire period of validity of the visa. But it can be obtained only once per year.

3. What documents are required?

A visa is issued by the foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan or on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the following documents:

• application;
• a copy of a diploma that corresponds to the list of demanded professions for further obtaining a permanent residence permit in Kazakhstan.

4. Can the «B9» visa be extended?

Yes, the visa can be extended for up to 30 calendar days on the basis of an application after the documents for residence permit have been submitted and the acceptance certificate has been received.

5. What is the difference between «B8» visa and «B9» visa?

B8 visa is issued to all foreign nationals who come to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permanent residence permit, i.e. a residence permit. A «B9» visa is issued to foreigners whose education corresponds to the list of demanded professions for foreigners to obtain a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

6. What is the difference between a B8 visa and a B9 visa?

The B8 visa is issued to all foreign citizens who are coming to Kazakhstan to obtain a permanent residence permit, i.e. a residence permit. A B9 visa is issued to foreigners whose education corresponds to the list of demanded professions for foreigners to obtain a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

7. What advantages does the B9 visa have over the B8 visa?

According to the Rules for issuing temporary and permanent residence permits to foreigners and stateless individuals in the Republic of Kazakhstan, foreigners who have in-demand professions can obtain a residence permit in the bodies of internal affairs in a simplified procedure without confirmation of their financial solvency.

8. Who can obtain a B9 visa on the territory of the RoK?

Visa is also issued on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreigners or stateless individuals who are in Kazakhstan from countries with which there is a visa-free entry procedure according to paragraph 17 of the Rules of entry and stay of immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan, except for those countries with which visa-free regime lasts up to 14 days. In practice, we have encountered a situation in Almaty city and Almaty region, when B8 category visa for residence permit is not issued on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, if there is no bilateral agreement on visa-free regime. We will monitor the practice on the ground.

9. Is it possible to change from C3 work visa to B9 visa?

No, the legislation does not provide for this. Although it is possible to transfer B8 visa from C3 category work visa.

10. Is it enough to provide a notarized copy of a diploma in demanded specialties to obtain a B9 visa and in the future a residence permit?

According to the new Rules it is enough to provide a copy of the diploma for obtaining B9 visa in foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

At the same time, according to the Rules for issuing temporary and permanent residence permits to foreigners and stateless individuals in the Republic of Kazakhstan, in order to obtain a residence permit it is necessary to submit a request of the branch state body, indicating the group of occupations of the National Classifier of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter – NCO), and compliance with the requirements of the NCO (profession, level and specialization of skills, diploma, work experience in the specialization, level of qualification).

Our company has no practice of receiving such an application. We will monitor the practice in the field.

11. Is it necessary to work in demanded specialties after obtaining a residence permit under the simplified procedure?

Yes, according to the Rules it is necessary to work in the profession. The legislation states: «Not working in the profession provided for by the specified list for one hundred eighty-three calendar days within any consecutive twelve-month period from the date of issuance of a permanent residence permit» is a ground for refusal.

12. Can citizens of EAEU countries and other visa-free countries (Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan) obtain a residence permit similar to the B9 visa.

We will monitor the practice and update the information.

B9-1 Digital Nomad Visa for IT Professionals

How is it written in the legislation? The visa is issued to foreigners who have in-demand professions (in the field of IT), coming to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permanent residence permit.

How do we understand? Single-entry electronic and multiple-entry paper visa for IT-specialists, allowing permanent residence and work in Kazakhstan. At the same time, if you are supposed to work, you need a work permit, it is a work visa of category «C3». If this visa is assigned to a separate category, then they do not need a work permit. Only the list of individuals who do not need a work permit has not been updated yet. We will wait for further information.

1. How long is a visa issued for?

Visa can be single-entry (electronic) or multiple-entry for up to 1 year, with the right to stay in the country for the entire period of the visa.

2. What documents are required to obtain visas?

A single-entry electronic visa is issued through the visa and migration portal (https://vmp.gov.kz/ru/) on the basis of an invitation.

Multiple-entry paper visa is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the petition of the authorized body in the field of informatization, as well as the previously issued single-entry electronic visa.

3. What documents do I need to submit to obtain a petition of the authorized body in the field of informatization?

We will monitor the practice and update the information.

4. Where can I obtain a B9-1 visa?

Through the VMP single-entry electronic visa. Further the visa can be extended for multiple-entry visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

B12-1 Neo Nomad Visa

A tourist visa issued to foreigners who work remotely and have a permanent income from foreign sources. In our understanding, these are freelancers.

1. For what period is the visa issued and how much does it cost?

A multiple-entry visa, valid for up to 1 year with the right to stay in the country for the entire period of the visa. The consular fee is 90 USD.

2. What documents are required?

A visa is issued by foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan based on the following package of documents:

1) a bank statement for the past 6 months, which confirms a stable monthly income of over 3,000 USD;

2) a tax return issued by the competent authority of the country of citizenship;

3) a certificate of no criminal record from the country of citizenship or permanent residence;

4) medical insurance covering the period of validity of the visa.

5) an invitation and a standard package for a visa.

Important: Citizens of economically developed, politically and migrationally stable countries are issued a B12-1 visa without an invitation in accordance with Appendix 6 of the Rules.

3. Is it possible to extend a visa?

Yes, the visa is extended for a period of 1 year.

4. Can family members obtain a visa?

Yes, they can. Family members and dependents of the B12-1 visa holder are issued a visa for the same period. However, they are not given the opportunity to carry out labor activities.

5. If family members cannot work on this visa in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, does this mean that foreign citizens with a B12-1 visa can work in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan without obtaining the appropriate work permit?

We will monitor the practice and update the information.

6. Should a travel company issue an invitation? Or can any organization invite?

We will monitor the practice and update the information.