B8 category visa for obtaining a residence permit for permanent residence in Kazakhstan
Citizens of countries that are provided with a visa must apply for a category B8 visa during the process of obtaining a residence permit in Kazakhstan. Otherwise, the application for a residence permit will not be accepted.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: A В8 visa can be obtained both on the territory of Kazakhstan, depending on citizenship and current visa, and in the consular offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Is it possible to get a В8 visa electronically?
B8 visa does not belong to the category of visas that can be obtained electronically.
How to get a visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan? What is the list of documents?
Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan inserts a visa B8, for foreigners who arrived under a visa-free regime, as well as those who are on a working C3 visa. 48 economically developed countries with whom there is a unilateral agreement on visa-free regime until recently could issue B8 visa. Now there are issues on the ground.
B8 visa from C3, C7 and C11 visas is issued before submitting the documents for residence permit, and when B8 visa is inserted from visa-free regime – firstly the documents for residence permit are submitted, a coupon on acceptance of documents is issued, and after that the visa is issued.
List of required documents:
- original passport
- visa application form
- photo 3,5*4,5
- payment of the state fee of 7 MCI (27,524 Tenge in 2025) for a single-entry visa and 30 MCI for a multiple-entry visa (117,960 Tenge in 2025).
- application for a visa.
Documents shall be submitted with the personal presence of the applicant.
In practice, a full package of documents for residence permit is required to obtain a B8 visa in Kazakhstan. Thus, in addition to the above list of documents, you will need to provide a full package of documents for residence permit. And after confirming the correctness of the documents, the migration inspector accepts the application for B8 visa.
In practice, when applying for a B8 visa at the consular offices of the Republic of Kazakhstan, they may require a real estate lease agreement, a certificate of funds in a Kazakhstan bank and other.
How much does it cost to get a category B8 visa?
The amount of the state fee is 7 MCI for a single-entry visa and 30 MCI for a multiple-entry visa (27,524 and 117,960 tenge in 2025). Additionally, it is necessary to take into account the services of immigration consultants, if you do not plan to do this personally.
How long does the process of obtaining a B8 visa take?
Visa processing takes an average of 7-12 working days. In rare cases, it can extend to 30 calendar days. The visa can be single-entry and multiple-entry, issued for up to 90 days.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: in order to correctly calculate the time and avoid visa delay, we recommend that you first prepare the entire package of documents for a residence permit, check the correctness with the reviewing officer and after their indorsement, apply for a visa. At the same time, there is a possibility of prolongation of the visa if the documents for a residence permit have been submitted and there is no decision yet. In such situations, the visa is extended for an additional 30 days. The visa can be extended several times without restriction if there are valid grounds.
I got a B8 visa and submitted documents for a residence permit. Now I need to leave the country for a few days. Is it possible?
It depends on some details. If you have a single entry B8 visa, then unfortunately you are not advised to leave until you receive your residence permit. If you leave, the visa will be canceled and you will not be able to enter except for some exceptions. Therefore, our recommendation is to stay in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan until the time of the decision on your application.
If you have a multiple-entry visa B8, theoretically you can leave. However, we recommend that you stay in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the first time after submitting the documents for residence permit, as you may be called for an interview.
RED FLAGS:
- A B8 visa does not give the right to work. Thus, holders of category B8 visas cannot work at the time of obtaining a residence permit.
- After obtaining a residence permit, accompanying persons will not be able to apply for an escort visa as in the case of a C3 visa (for work). It is necessary to apply for visa C2 – family reunification for spouses, C11 – for minor children.
- If the decision to issue a residence permit is not made before the end of the validity period of the B8 visa, you have the opportunity to apply for an extension of the visa for an additional 30 days. There are no restrictions on the number of extensions.
- After obtaining a residence permit, foreign citizens must stay in Kazakhstan for at least 183 days during the year.
- From 2024 it is necessary to undergo a dactyloscopy procedure to obtain visas.
What should citizens of countries with a visa-free regime, such as the EAEU, do? Do I also need to get a B8 visa?
Citizens of the EAEU cannot obtain a B8 visa, as there are visa-free travel agreements between the countries. Citizens of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan also cannot obtain a B8 visa. In this case, a Temporary Residence Permit of the relevant category will be required.
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