Business visa obtainment in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, in the course of its dynamic economic development, is becoming an increasingly attractive country for foreign citizens for investment and business. To get acquainted with our country and develop partnerships with local Kazakhstani companies, foreign citizens apply for business visas.

In this article, we will get acquainted with the B2 and B3 visas, the most common for entering Kazakhstan for business purposes.

Business visa of category B2

The B2 visa is issued to foreign citizens arriving for the purpose of:

• Installation, repair and maintenance of equipment;
• Provision of consulting or audit services.

The multiplicity and terms of a business visa В2

• A single-entry visa is issued for a period of 90 calendar days with the right to stay no more than 30 days from the date of entry into Kazakhstan.
• A multiple-entry visa is issued for a period of 180 calendar days with the right to stay no more than 90 calendar days in total.

Business visa of category B3

The B3 visa is issued to foreign citizens staying for the purpose of:

• Holding meetings and negotiations;
• Conclusion of contracts/agreements within the framework of cooperation in the field of industrialization and investment;
• Founders or members of the board of directors of the inviting company.

The multiplicity and terms of a business visa B3

• A single-entry visa is issued for a period of 90 calendar days with the right to stay no more than 30 days from the date of entry into Kazakhstan. A single-entry visa provides only one entry into the country for the purpose of meetings and negotiations.
• A multiple-entry visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year with the right to stay for no more than 30 calendar days at each entry into Kazakhstan. A multiple-entry visa provides for the stay of foreign citizens for the purposes of holding meetings and negotiations, concluding contracts and being founders or members of the board of directors.

What law regulates the issuance of business visas B2 and B3?

Registration of business visas of categories B2 and B3, including the list of necessary documents, is regulated by the Rules of registration of invitations, approval of invitations for entry of foreigners and stateless persons to the Republic of Kazakhstan, issuance, cancellation, restoration of visas of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as extension, etc.

How long does it take to issue business visas of categories B2 and B3?

The first stage of visa processing is the preparation and submission of an invitation to a foreign citizen from the inviting company. Consideration of the invitation and approval of documents takes an average of 5-7 working days. However, according to the Rules, according to the decision of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the approval can be extended up to 30 calendar days from the date of submission of documents to the Migration Service. After indorsement and positive approval, the invitation will be issued with a visa support number.

The second stage will be the insertion of a visa at the Embassy/The Consulate of Kazakhstan. After receiving an invitation with a visa support number, a foreign citizen will be able to apply to the Embassy/The Consulate of Kazakhstan in the country of citizenship or permanent residence (on the basis of a residence permit, a work or long-term business, as well as a study visa in this country). The insertion of a visa takes 1-5 working days on average.

If there is no Embassy in the country of citizenship of a foreign citizen/The Consulate of Kazakhstan or by agreement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in other exceptional cases, visas can be obtained upon arrival at international airports.

Is it possible to obtain visas electronically?

Single-entry B2 and B3 visas can also be obtained electronically through the visa and migration portal without the need to visit the Embassy/Consulates of Kazakhstan.

The third stage after obtaining a visa, a foreign citizen can arrive in Kazakhstan. Upon arrival, the inviting company must submit a notification of arrival to the Migration Service within 3 working days from the date of crossing the border of Kazakhstan.

The Rules also provide for obtaining single-entry visas of category B3 at the Embassy/The Consulate of Kazakhstan in a simplified manner without an invitation from the host company, citizens of the countries listed below:

1. Australia
2. The Republic of Austria
3. United States of America
4. Kingdom of Belgium
5. United Arab Emirates
6. Republic of Bulgaria
7. Federal Republic of Brazil
8. Federal Republic of Germany
9. The Hellenic Republic
10. Kingdom of Denmark
11. New Zealand
12. Japan
13. The State of Israel
14. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
15. Republic of Ireland
16. Republic of Iceland
17. Kingdom of Spain
18. The Italian Republic
19. Canada
20. The State of Qatar
21. Republic of Cyprus
22. Republic of Korea
23. The Republic of Latvia
24. The Republic of Lithuania
25. Principality of Liechtenstein
26. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
27. The Republic of Hungary
28. Federation of Malaysia
29. The Republic of Malta
30. The Principality of Monaco
31. The Kingdom of the Netherlands
32. Kingdom of Norway
33. Sultanate of Oman
34. Republic of Poland
35. Portuguese Republic
36. Romania
37. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
38. Republic of Singapore
39. Slovak Republic
40. Republic of Slovenia
41. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
42. The Republic of Finland
43. The French Republic
44. Republic of Croatia
45. Czech Republic
46. Swiss Confederation
47. Kingdom of Sweden
48. The Republic of Estonia

What documents are required to apply this visas?

For the first stage of obtaining a visa for a foreign citizen, the inviting company must prepare and submit the following documents to the Migration Service at the place of registration of the company:

• Invitation letter (to prepare an invitation, registration data about the inviting company, the purpose of stay with an indication of the visa multiplicity, passport data of a foreign citizen, the planned date of his arrival in Kazakhstan, the route of movement in Kazakhstan, the name of the employer abroad and the position are required)
• Receipt of payment of the state fee for the invitation: 0.5 MCI*
• A copy of the service agreement/service agreement between the inviting company and the employer of a foreign citizen. The term of the contract must cover the period of the requested business visa. Required only for multiple-entry business visa category B2, however not required for some countries*;
• A copy of the passport of a foreign citizen
• Power of attorney – if the documents are submitted by a representative or proxy of the inviting company.

*MCI for 2023 – 3450 tenge.

*The list is listed above for countries that do not require an invitation to apply for a single-entry business visa of category B3.

To insert a visa at the Embassy/The Consulate of Kazakhstan needs the following documents:

• A copy of the invitation letter with the visa support number (*not required for countries to apply for a single-entry business visa of category B3);
• Application from a foreign specialist (*for citizens of countries to apply for a single-entry business visa of category B3);
• 1 color photo 3.5*4.5;
• Visa application form completed and signed by a foreign specialist;
• A receipt for payment of the consular fee for a visa (on average 200-300 USD).

Is it possible to extend business visas while in Kazakhstan without leaving?

The extension of a business visa of category B3 is not provided in Kazakhstan.

However, according to the Rules, it is possible to extend a B2 business visa without leaving Kazakhstan only once for up to 30 calendar days.

What is necessary to extend a B2 business visa in Kazakhstan:

1. A completed and signed visa application form for foreign specialists;
2. 1 fresh color photo 3.5*4.5 of a foreign specialist;
3. The original passport of a foreign specialist;
4. Application letter from the inviting company for visa extension;
5. Power of attorney, if the documents are submitted by a representative/proxy from the inviting company;
6. A copy of the service agreement/service agreement between the inviting company and the employer of a foreign citizen. The term of the contract must cover the period of the requested business visa.
7. Receipt of payment of state duty: 7 MCI

Red flags and sanctions

1. The total stay of a foreign citizen in Kazakhstan for business purposes should not exceed 120 calendar days during a calendar year (from January 1 to December 31). If this deadline is exceeded, the inviting company must obtain a work permit for this foreign specialist. The requirement is established by the Rules for Establishing Quotas and Determining Persons whose work activity does not require a work permit.
2. In case of exceeding the permitted period of stay on a visa, a foreign specialist and an inviting company are subject to administrative liability in accordance with Articles 517 and 518 of the Code of Administrative Violations.
3. On business visas, it is prohibited to carry out work, conclude an employment contract and/or receive any remuneration.
4. Business visas are provided only for a foreign specialist without accompanying family members.
5. The inviting company will be refused to accept an invitation to a foreign specialist if it has a proscription on issuing invitations to foreign persons 12 months before submitting the application due to a violation of the submission of arrival notifications and failure to take measures to issue documents (visas and TRPs) for the right of stay of foreign citizens in the Republic of Kazakhstan.