Obtaining a C3 work visa for foreign teachers in Kazakhstan

Over the years, we have assisted with obtaining «C3» work visas for foreign professionals across a wide range of industries and occupations. One of our key areas of expertise is supporting the immigration process for foreign teachers and educational staff.

Recently, a private preschool educational institution approached us for assistance in obtaining «C3» work visas for two French teachers. Using this case as an example, this article explains when foreign teachers are exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit, what documents are required for the visa application, and the practical issues employers and applicants may encounter throughout the process.

When is a foreign teacher exempt from obtaining a work permit?

As a general rule, any foreign national intending to work in the Republic of Kazakhstan must first obtain a work permit for the employment of foreign labor. Once the work permit has been issued, the foreign employee may apply for a «C3» work visa.

However, Kazakh legislation provides several exemptions from this requirement. One of these applies to foreign teachers who work under international agreements on cooperation in the field of education concluded by the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as to specialists participating in the implementation of international integrated educational programs.

This exemption is established by Point 14 of the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan №1041 dated 24 November 2023.

It is important to note that exemption from obtaining a work permit does not mean that a work visa can be issued immediately. Both the employer and the foreign specialist must still comply with the applicable legal requirements and prepare a complete set of supporting documents for the visa application.

Key requirements for obtaining a C3 work visa

When applying for a «C3» work visa under this exemption, we recommend paying attention to the following key requirements:

• The foreign national must be employed as a teacher at an educational institution in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• As a general rule, the number of foreign teachers should not exceed 50% of the institution’s total workforce, unless a different ratio is established by an applicable international agreement.
• In certain cases, the Migration Service may request a copy of the educational institution’s license, where such licensing is required under Kazakh legislation.
• A confirmation letter issued by the competent government authority in the field of education may also be required.

In practice, the list of required documents and procedural requirements may vary slightly depending on the region where the application is submitted and the specific circumstances of the case. For this reason, we recommend reviewing the entire document package in advance to minimize the risk of delays or additional requests during the application process.

Qualification requirements for foreign teachers

Although foreign teachers may be exempt from obtaining a work permit, they are still required to demonstrate that they meet the applicable qualification requirements.

In most cases, the foreign specialist must hold a higher education degree in education or a related teaching field. If the diploma was issued outside Kazakhstan, it may need to be apostilled or legalized through consular legalization, depending on the country of issuance. In addition, a notarized translation into Russian or Kazakh is generally required.

In practice, the Migration Service often takes into consideration a confirmation letter issued by the local Department of Education verifying that the foreign teacher’s qualifications meet the applicable requirements. Obtaining such a letter in advance can significantly reduce the likelihood of additional document requests and help facilitate the visa application process.

Main list of required documents

A «C3» work visa may be obtained in one of the following ways:

• At a Consulate or Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the foreign national’s country of citizenship or country of permanent residence (provided the applicant holds a document confirming the right to long-term residence in that country, such as a residence permit or a valid work visa).
• In the Republic of Kazakhstan without leaving the country. Eligibility for in-country visa issuance depends on the foreign national’s citizenship, the legal basis of their stay in Kazakhstan, the type of their current Kazakh visa (if any), and other conditions established by Kazakhstan’s migration legislation.

The exact list of required documents may vary depending on the region where the application is submitted and the specific circumstances of the case. However, in most cases, the following documents are required:

• An invitation letter (or petition letter) issued by the educational institution.
• Notarized copies of the Employment Order and Employment Agreement (the requested visa validity period generally depends on the term of the employment agreement).
• The certificate of employment from enbek.kz.
• A copy of the foreign specialist’s passport, together with the original passport if the visa is to be affixed within Kazakhstan.
• The applicant’s educational diploma accompanied by a notarized translation into Russian or Kazakh and, where applicable, an apostille or consular legalization depending on the country of issuance.
• A confirmation letter issued by the Department of Education (where available or if specifically requested by the authorities).
• A copy of the international agreement on cooperation in the field of education between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the foreign specialist’s country of citizenship (if applicable, upon request).
• Corporate documents of the educational institution, including the Charter, the Resolution on the appointment of the General Director, and the Appointment Order.
• An educational activity license, where required under Kazakhstan’s legislation.
• A power of attorney authorizing the company’s representative to act on behalf of the employer.
• Proof of payment of the applicable state fees (for 2026: KZT 2 5 for registration of the invitation letter and KZT 129 750 for in-country visa issuance).

Depending on the chosen application procedure and the circumstances of the case, the migration authorities may request additional supporting documents.

Our case study

In this case, the inviting party was a private preschool educational institution.

The main challenge was that, under Kazakhstan’s legislation, preschool educational institutions are not subject to mandatory licensing. However, in practice, the Migration Service frequently requests an educational license as part of the visa application process.

To avoid potential questions or delays during the review of the application, we contacted the local Department of Education in advance. In addition to confirming the qualifications of the foreign teachers, we obtained an official letter confirming that preschool educational institutions are not required to hold an educational license.

We also included the institution’s Charter in the application package to demonstrate that the organization operates in the field of preschool education.

After preparing the complete set of documents, the invitation letter application was submitted to the Migration Service Department of Almaty at the company’s place of registration.

The security clearance from the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NSC) was obtained on the third working day after submission, and the invitation letter was ready for collection on the fifth working day. Importantly, no additional information or documents were requested by the NSC during the review process. The invitation letter, together with the visa support number, was issued within the standard processing timeframe without any delays.

Following the issuance of the invitation letter, the foreign teachers only needed to apply to the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in France to have their «C3» visas affixed to their passports.

Visa fees, processing times and extension

The standard processing time for an invitation letter is 5-7 working days. However, Kazakhstan’s migration legislation allows the review period to be extended for up to 30 calendar days if additional clearance from the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NSC) is required.

When planning the overall budget, employers should take into account not only the applicable state fees but also the costs of notarization, certified translations, and, where applicable, apostille or consular legalization of educational documents. In addition, foreign nationals may incur consular fees for visa issuance at a Kazakh embassy or consulate.

Once a «C3» work visa has been issued, it may be extended within the Republic of Kazakhstan without the foreign national leaving the country, provided the legal grounds for their stay remain valid.

An application for visa extension may be submitted no earlier than 30 working days and no later than 5 working days before the current visa expires. In practice, we recommend starting the preparation of the extension documents approximately three months before the visa’s expiration date to ensure sufficient time for collecting and reviewing all required documents.

Can family members accompany the main applicant?

Yes.
The spouse and minor children of a foreign specialist may apply for dependent «C3» visas for the same validity period as the principal applicant’s work visa. However, these dependent visas do not grant the right to work in Kazakhstan.

In addition to the standard application package, the applicant must provide a marriage certificate and/or the children’s birth certificates. Depending on the country of issuance, these documents must be apostilled or legalized through consular legalization and accompanied by a notarized translation into Russian or Kazakh.