Work visa renewal in Kazakhstan
A work visa is usually issued for 1 year. It is necessary to initiate the visa extension procedure a month before the expire date of the document. Otherwise, a foreign specialist will need to leave Kazakhstan and get a visa at the Embassy in the country of permanent residence. To extend the visa, Migration requires an original passport, therefore during period of application consideration (5-10 working days) the foreigner travels without the original document. Accordingly, there is no possibility to travel to other regions.
A work visa may be prolongated on the following grounds:
- A work permit for the employment of foreign labor issued by the local executive authority;
- A General Power of Attorney and a Resolution/Decision appointing the Head of a Representative Office or Branch of a foreign legal entity in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Employment as the Chief Executive Officer (Director) or Deputy Director of a Kazakhstan LLP (TOO) with 100% foreign ownership;
- Employment as a teacher at educational institutions operating under international agreements of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of educational cooperation;
- Employment with companies participating in, or bodies affiliated with, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), Astana Hub, and other entities benefiting from special employment regimes.
It is important to note that the work visa extension procedure is only possible upon the request of the inviting party that issued the initial visa for the foreign specialist.
Where can a visa be extended?
A work visa may be extended within the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan without the need to leave the country. Documents are submitted to the local Migration Service authorities at the place of employment of the foreign specialist, no later than 5 working days before the visa expiry date.
As an alternative, the inviting company may issue an invitation letter, after which the applicant can obtain a work visa at a Kazakhstan Embassy or Consulate abroad.
When should the work visa extension process in the Republic of Kazakhstan be initiated?
First of all, before starting the visa extension procedure, it is necessary to extend the work permit, if such a permit is required for the foreign specialist.
After the work permit has been extended, and subject to the above-mentioned grounds, the visa extension documents must be submitted no earlier than 30 working days and no later than 5 working days before the visa expiry date.
What are the processing times for work visa extension in the Republic of Kazakhstan?
The visa extension procedure in Kazakhstan generally takes from 5 to 10 working days on average. However, in certain cases, the approval process by the National Security Committee (NSC) of the Republic of Kazakhstan may be extended up to 30 calendar days.
What is the validity period of a work visa?
The validity period of a Category C3 work visa is typically extended for 1 year or for the duration of the work permit, but not exceeding 3 years. For participants and bodies of the Astana International Financial Centre, as well as employees of participants of the Astana Hub or employees of Astana Hub, the visa may be issued for up to 5 years. However, it should be noted that even if an application is submitted for a 3- or 5-year visa, the authorized state body may determine a shorter validity period based on the results of the review. In practice, most work visas are issued for a period not exceeding one year.
How can Category C3 visas for family members be extended?
The extension of Category C3 dependent visas for family members accompanying a foreign specialist may be carried out through a simultaneous submission of documents to the Migration Service.
If, for any reason, simultaneous submission is not possible, the principal foreign specialist’s visa must be extended first. After the principal visa has been issued, documents for the extension of family members’ visas may be submitted, provided that the deadlines for document acceptance by the Migration Service are observed.
