Visa types to Kazakhstan for foreigners for 2024
Foreign nationals entering Kazakhstan need to apply for a visa. There are some exemptions with a number of countries with which a visa-free entry procedure is established. In our article you can get acquainted with the categories of visas, validity periods and the procedure for their registration.
VISA CATEGORIES:
- Business visa
- Work visa
- Visa for family reunification
- Visa for private purposes
- Tourist visa
- Investor visa
- Business Immigrant Visa
- Visa for obtaining a residence permit
Visa B2
Purpose of entry: business
- Installation, repair and maintenance of equipment.
- Provision of consulting or audit services.
Terms and conditions of stay:
- A one-time B2 is issued for up to 90 days with the right to stay up to 30 days.
- Multiple B2 is issued for up to 180 days with the right to stay up to 90 days*.
– B2 business visa can be extended in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for an additional 30 days.
– A B2 visa can be obtained in electronic format without visiting the embassy, but only a single one for up to 30 days. For more detailed information on e-visas, see below.
– To apply for a multiple-entry business visa, you must provide a copy of the agreement or contract confirming the business nature of the trip to the Republic of Kazakhstan (with the exception of ethnic Kazakhs, former compatriots and citizens from the list in accordance with Appendix 6 to Rules for issuing invitations).
Visa B3
Purpose of entry: business
- Conducting negotiations, concluding contracts.
- For founders or members of the board of directors.
Terms and conditions of stay:
- Single entry B3 is issued for up to 90 days with the right to stay up to 30 days.
- Multiple-entry B3 is issued for a period of up to 1 year with the right to stay not more than 30 days at each entry
– B3 visa can be obtained in electronic format without visiting the embassy, but only a single one for up to 30 days. For more detailed information on e-visas, see below.
– To apply for a multiple-entry business visa, you must provide a copy of the agreement or contract confirming the business nature of the trip to the Republic of Kazakhstan (with the exception of ethnic Kazakhs, former compatriots and citizens from the list in accordance with Annex 6 to Rules for issuing invitations).
For more information about business visas in Kazakhstan, please follow the link.
Visa C2
Purpose of entry: family reunion.
Who can invite?
- Spouses who have been married for at least 3 years.
- Children under the age of 18, unmarried and dependent or under the care of the inviting person.
- Children over the age of 18, unmarried, unable to provide for themselves on their own for health reasons.
- Disabled parents who are dependent on the inviting person.
- Other family members whose maintenance is the responsibility of the inviting person.
Terms and conditions of stay:
- Single entry C2 visa is issued for up to 90 days, and multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 1 year.
- C2 visa can be obtained on the territory of Kazakhstan if a foreign national has arrived on visas: B10, C3 or C9.
- On the basis of C2 visa, foreign nationals can carry out work activities, if they are the spouse of a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
You can read more about the C2 visa here.
Visa C3
Purpose of entry: work and accompanying family members.
A visa is issued to foreign specialists who are sent to work. A visa can be obtained both at the Embassy of Kazakhstan* in country of citizenship or permanent residence, and on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, if there is a certain category of visa or visa-free regime is available depending on citizenship..
Terms and conditions of stay:
A working C3 visa can be issued if available:
- Work permit.
- General power of attorney for the management of a Branch / Representative office of a foreign legal entity.
- A company with 100% foreign participation, and you belong to the first category of positions and other options.
A C3 visa can also be issued for family members (spouse, children) for the same period. However, such visa for accompanying persons is issued without the right to work.
To apply for visa, family members must provide marriage and child birth certificates*.
The visa is issued for the duration of the employment contract, work permit or for 12 calendar months.
*1 For citizens of countries where there are no consular offices of the Republic of Kazakhstan, visas are issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan at international airports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
*2 Documents issued abroad must be apostilled or legalized in the issuing country. If the document is issued on the territory of one of the participating countries of the Minsk Convention, it is sufficient to provide the original or a notarized copy in the country of citizenship.
You can read more about the work visa here.
Visa B10
Purpose of entry: private trips.
A single-entry visa is issued for:
- People traveling to Kazakhstan for private purposes.
- Citizens of 48 economically developed and politically stable states*.
- People going to a funeral or in cases of illness of relatives / relatives.
- Spouses, children or parents entering together with citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Spouses, children (who are not ethnic Kazakhs) entering together with ethnic Kazakhs.
Terms and conditions of stay:
Issued for up to 90 days with the right to stay for the entire period of validity of the visa.
A multiple-entry visa is issued for former compatriots, for a period of 180 days with the right to stay for no more than 90 days at each entry. For former compatriots, a visa can be issued for up to 3 years.
Where can I get a B10 visa? A multiple-entry visa is issued both at the consular offices of the Republic of Kazakhstan and on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please contact our consultants for more details. Also, a single entry B10 visa can be obtained electronically.
Visa B12
Purpose of entry: tourism.
Visa is issued if there is an invitation from a travel company in Kazakhstan.
Terms and conditions of stay:
Single entry visa is issued for up to 90 days with a stay period of no more than 30 days.
Multiple entry visa is issued for up to 90 days with the right to stay no more than 30 days at each entry.
According to the rules, such an invitation is not required for foreigners from among the 48 economically developed and politically stable states when applying for a single-entry tourist visa.
IMPORTANT: We do not apply for a B12 tourist visa. Please contact companies that have tourist licenses.
A5 Visa
Purpose of entry: investment and work.
Visa is issued for:
- Deputy of Heads.
- Heads of structural divisions of legal entities engaged in investment activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Foreigners and stateless people investing in accordance with the AIFC investment tax residency program.
- Family members.
Terms and conditions of stay:
Single entry A5 is issued for up to 90 days, and multiple – up to 5 years with the right to extend up to 3 years in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The process of obtaining an investor visa consists of 3 main stages:
- Getting confirmation from the Investment Committee.
- Proceeding with an invitation letter at the Migration Service.
- An interview at the Consulate of Kazakhstan in the country of citizenship or permanent residence of a foreigner.
You can get a petition for stage 1:
- By submitting a package of documents to a State corporation — consideration of 11 working days;
- By submitting a package of documents to the kz portal – consideration of 5 working days
Further, the approval of the invitation takes 5-7 working days, and the insertion of the visa at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan takes up to 5 working days.
Foreign national can also obtain a visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan if he entered the country on visas: B3, B10, C3, C4, C5 or C10.
Visa С5
Purpose of entry: to conduct business.
Foreign national planning to open a company in Kazakhstan or join the founders of an existing company must obtain a C5 visa for a business immigrant.
The conditions for obtaining a visa are as follows:
- Provide medical certificate confirming the absence of diseases that hinder labor activity.
- Provide medical insurance.
- Provide certificate of the presence / absence of a criminal record.
- Provide certificate of the presence / absence of a ban on entrepreneurial activity.
Terms and conditions of stay:
The primary single entry C5 visa is issued only at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for up to 90 days with the right to stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the entire period. The inviting party may be a legal entity that helps with the registration of a company or a company whose founders will include a foreign national.
Further, on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it is possible to obtain a multiple entry C5 visa for up to 2 years with the right to stay for the entire period of validity of the visa. To do this, it is necessary to submit to the migration service a petition from the Department of Entrepreneurship and Investment. It takes up to 15 working days to receive such a request. The rules provide for obtaining a multiple-entry visa at the initial stage. Unfortunately, this practice does not always work.
Video about the C5 visa for business immigrants.
Visa B8
Purpose of entry: to apply for a residence permit.
Foreign nationals wishing to apply for residence permit must first apply for a visa of category B8.
The visa is issued at the consular offices of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the country of their citizenship or permanent residence. B8 can be obtained on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan if a foreigner has arrived in Kazakhstan under a visa-free regime or on the basis of a C3 work visa. At the same time it is necessary to collect the whole package of documents for residence permit to apply for a visa in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please check with our consultants for details regarding visa-free travel and obtaining a B8 visa in different regions.
For any other visas, it is necessary to leave the country and get a B8 at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Terms and conditions of stay:
The visa is issued for a period of up to 90 days with the right to stay for the entire period of the visa and an extension for 30 days.
Accompanying children under the age of 16 of the residence permit holder can get a C11 visa – for minors. It is issued for a stay of up to 3 years.
More detailed information about the B8 visa is available here.
Electronic visas to Kazakhstan
To enter Kazakhstan, citizens of some countries can obtain an electronic visa. The visa is issued on the basis of an invitation letter, but without visiting the consular offices. E-visas can be issued for tourism, business travel, and medical treatment. All e-visas are single entry with the right to stay for no more than 30 days.
Infographic on electronic visas.
An article on e-visas is available here.
A6 visa-an investor visa
Foreign citizens who have invested more than 300.000 (three hundred thousand) US dollars in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan can get an A6 investor visa. A multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 10 years. A visa can be issued by foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of an invitation.
Can family members get an accompanying visa?
Yes, family members can accompany the primary applicant. Family members include a spouse and children who have not reached the age of majority. At the same time, family members do not have the right to work.
Does an A6 visa give you the right to work?
Based on paragraph 1, we assume that the main applicant has the right to work and can carry out labor activities within the organization where the money was invested.
Can I get this visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan from the visa-free regime or when changing the visa category?
It is possible to change the category of a valid visa to an A6 investor visa if you have a valid visa of the following categories: B3, B9, B10, C3, C4 and C5. Regarding obtaining an A6 visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan while on a visa-free regime, the answer is no. The law does not provide for this.
How can I confirm the amount of investment in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
The visa is new and there is no existing practice. We assume that this can be a contract of sale of an existing company, a contract of sale of another object of movable or immovable property. Or contracts confirming investments, for example, for construction.
Is it possible to invest money in an existing business or should it be a newly organized company?
There is no definitive 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.
Can citizens of the EAEU countries and other countries with a visa-free regime (Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan) get a TRP similar to the A6 visa, provided that they invest more than 300,000 USD in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Unfortunately, no. The law does not provide for the issuance of TRPs for the purpose of investment.
Is it possible to apply for an A6 category investor visa after purchasing a property worth 300,000 USD?
We have sent official requests to the relevant authorities and are awaiting a response. As soon as the information is available, we will update the article on the site.
How can I buy a property 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.
B9 visa for permanent residence – individuals with in-demand professions
A visa can be obtained by foreign citizens who have in-demand professions. A simplified procedure is expected for persons of this category. In our understanding, this is an analog of the B8 visa, only more narrowly focused.
Where can I view the list of popular professions? Here you can find a full list of popular specialties.
How long is a B9 visa issued?
Single entry visa, issued for up to 90 days and with the right to stay for the entire period of validity of the visa. A 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 you can only get it once a year.
What documents are required?
A visa is issued by foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan or on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the following documents:
- application form;
- a copy of the diploma that corresponds to the list of required professions for further obtaining a permanent residence permit in Kazakhstan
Can I extend my B9 visa?
Yes, the visa is extended for up to 30 calendar days on the basis of an application after the residence permit documents have been submitted and a ticket for accepting documents has been received.
What is the difference between a B8 visa and a B9 visa?
B8 visa is issued to all foreign citizens who go to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permanent residence permit, that is, a residence permit. A B9 visa is issued to foreigners whose education corresponds to the list of professions in demand for foreigners to obtain a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
What are the advantages of a B9 visa over a B8 visa?
According to the Rules for issuing temporary and permanent residence permits to foreigners and stateless persons in the Republic of Kazakhstan, foreigners with in-demand professions can apply for a simplified residence permit in the internal affairs bodies without confirming their ability to pay.
Who can get a B9 visa in the Republic of Kazakhstan?
A visa is also issued on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreigners or stateless persons who are in Kazakhstan from countries with which there is a visa-free entry procedure in accordance with paragraph 17 of the Rules for Entry and Stay of Immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan, except for those countries with which the visa-free regime lasts up to 14 days. In practice, we have encountered a situation in Almaty and the Almaty region, when a B8 visa for a residence permit is not issued on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, if there is no bilateral agreement on visa-free travel. We will monitor the practice on the ground.
Can I switch from a C3 work visa to a B9 visa?
No, the law does not provide for this. Although it is possible to transfer a B8 visa from a C3 category work visa.
Is it sufficient to provide a notarized copy of a diploma in a demanded specialty to obtain a B9 visa and, in the future, a residence permit??
According to the new Rules, to obtain a B9 visa in foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it is enough to provide a copy of the diploma. At the same time, according to the Rules for issuing temporary and permanent residence permits to foreigners and stateless persons in the Republic of Kazakhstan, to obtain a residence permit, you must submit an application from a branch state body, indicating the occupation group of the National Classifier of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the NCP), and meeting the requirements of the NCP (profession, level and specialization of skills, diploma, work experience by specialization, qualification level).
Our company does not have the practice of receiving such a request. We will monitor the practice on the ground.
Do I need to work in popular professions after obtaining a residence permit under a simplified procedure?
Yes, according to the Rules, you must work by profession. The legislation states: “Not working in the profession provided for in the specified list for one hundred and eighty-three calendar days within any consecutive twelve-month period from the date of issuance of a permanent residence permit” is grounds for refusal.
Can citizens of the EAEU countries and other countries with a visa-free regime (Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan) get a TRP similar to a 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), traveling to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permanent residence permit.
How do we understand it? A single-entry electronic and multiple-entry paper visa for IT professionals that allows permanent residence and work in Kazakhstan. At the same time, if you are supposed to work, then you need a work permit, then this is a C3 work visa. If this visa is assigned to a separate category, then they don’t need a work permit either. Only the list of people who do not need a work permit has not yet been updated. We will wait for further information.
How long is the visa issued for?
The 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.
What documents are required for obtaining a visa?
A single-entry electronic visa is issued through the visa and migration portal (https://vmp.gov.kz/ru/) based on the invitation.
A multiple-entry paper visa is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of a request from the authorized body in the field of informatization, as well as a previously issued single-entry electronic visa.
What documents do you need to submit in order to receive a request from the authorized body in the field of informatization?
We will monitor the practice and update the information.
Where can I get a B9-1 visa?
By means of the VMP, a single electronic one. Further, the visa can be extended for multiple times already in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
B12-1 Neo Nomad Visa Visa
A tourist visa that is issued for foreigners who work remotely and have a permanent income from foreign sources. In our understanding, these are freelancers.
How long is the visa issued and how much does it cost?
Multiple-entry visa for up to 1 year with the right to stay in the country for the entire period of validity of the visa. The amount of the consular fee is 90 USD.
What documents are required?
A visa is issued by foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the following set of documents:
- a bank statement for the past 6 months, which confirms a stable monthly income of over 3000 USD;
- a tax return issued by the competent authority of the country of citizenship;
- a certificate of non-criminal record from the country of citizenship or permanent residence;
- medical insurance covering the period of validity of the visa;
- invitation and standard visa package.
Important: For citizens of economically developed, politically and migration-stable countries, a B12-1 visa is issued without issuing an invitation in accordance with Annex 6 of the Rules.
Can I extend my visa?
Yes, the visa is extended for a period of 1 year.
Can family members get a visa?
Yes, they can. Family members and dependents of the B12-1 visa holder are issued a visa for the same period. At the same time, they are not given the opportunity to work.
If family members cannot work on this visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, does this mean that foreign citizens with a B12-1 visa can work on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan without obtaining the appropriate work permit?
We will monitor the practice and update the information.
Should a travel company issue an invitation? Or can any organization invite you?
We will monitor the practice and update the information.
Where can foreign citizens get visas to Kazakhstan?
- At the Embassy/At the Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the country of citizenship of a foreign specialist on the basis of an invitation letter.
- At the Embassy/At the Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the country of permanent residence of a foreign specialist on the basis of an invitation letter. In this case, you must provide a proof of long-term residence (residence permit, study or work visa).
- Upon arrival at international airports in Kazakhstan, subject to a number of requirements. These are exceptional cases and visa processing is possible for citizens of countries where there are no consular offices of the Republic of Kazakhstan, or on the instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please contact our consultants for more details.
- On the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan without traveling abroad at the request of the company-employer. The possibility of obtaining a visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan depends on the citizenship of a foreign specialist, the availability of a current Kazakh visa and other factors. Please contact our consultants for more details.
Requirements for passports of foreign citizens
- It should not contain additional entries, corrections, erasures, marks, reservations, entries, torn or embroidered pages;
- Must have at least 2 blank pages intended for visas, with the exception of recipients of visas for leaving the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- The validity period must expire no earlier than 3 months from the expiration date of the requested visa, with the exception of recipients of visas for leaving the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- It should not be marked with an extension of the validity period.
Other options for entering the territory of Kazakhstan
In addition to these visas, foreigners can enter Kazakhstan using the visa-free regime. For more information about the countries of origin and the period of stay, see our infographic.
Also, there are countries with a visa-free regime that issue TRPs. You can read more details in our article about TRP.
