Types of Visas for Foreign Nationals in Kazakhstan in 2026

Foreign nationals entering Kazakhstan are generally required to obtain a visa, unless they are citizens of countries with which Kazakhstan has established a visa-free entry regime. In this article, you can learn more about the visa categories available in Kazakhstan, their validity periods, permitted length of stay, and the procedures for obtaining them.

Part 1 – Business Visas Without the Right to Work

B2 Visa

Purpose of entry: Business

1. Installation, repair, and technical maintenance of equipment
2. Provision of consulting or auditing services.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

• Single-entry B2 visa: issued for up to 90 days, with a permitted stay of up to 30 days
• Multiple-entry B2 visa: issued for up to 180 days, with a permitted stay of up to 90 days*.

A B2 business visa may be extended in Kazakhstan for an additional 30 days.

— A B2 visa may be obtained electronically without visiting a diplomatic mission. However, an electronic B2 visa is available only as a single-entry visa for a period of up to 30 days. For more information on electronic visas, please see the relevant section below.

— When applying for a multiple-entry B2 business visa, the applicant must provide a copy of an agreement or contract confirming the business purpose of the visit to Kazakhstan.This requirement does not apply to ethnic Kazakhs, former compatriots, and citizens of countries included in the list specified in Appendix 6 to the Rules for Processing Invitations.

В3 Visa

Purpose of entry: Business

1. Conducting negotiations and concluding contracts
2. For founders or members of the Board of Directors.

Validity period and conditions of stay:
·  A single-entry B3 visa is issued for up to 90 days, with a permitted stay of up to 30 days.

• A multiple-entry B3 visa is issued for up to 1 year, with a permitted stay of no more than 30 days per entry.

— A B3 visa can be obtained electronically without visiting an embassy, but only as a single-entry visa valid for up to 30 days. For more detailed information on electronic visas, please see below.

— To obtain a multiple-entry business visa, a copy of an agreement or contract confirming the business purpose of the trip to the Republic of Kazakhstan must be provided (except for ethnic Kazakhs, former compatriots, and citizens from the list specified in Appendix 6 to the Rules for Processing Invitations).

For more detailed information about business visas in Kazakhstan, please follow the link.

Electronic Visas for Kazakhstan

Citizens of certain countries may obtain an electronic visa to enter Kazakhstan. The visa is issued based on an invitation letter, without the need to visit a consular office. Electronic visas may be issued for tourism, business trips, and medical treatment. All electronic visas are single-entry visas with a permitted stay of no more than 30 days.

Infographic on electronic visas.

Article on electronic visas is available here.

Part 2 – Visas with the Right to Work

C3 Visa

Purpose of entry: Employment and accompanying family members. The visa is issued to foreign specialists who are coming to Kazakhstan to carry out employment activities.

Validity period and conditions of stay: A C3 work visa can be obtained if there is:

• a work permit;
• a general power of attorney for managing a Branch / Representative Office of a foreign legal entity;
• a company with 100% foreign ownership, provided that you belong to the first category of positions, and other options.

A C3 visa can also be issued to family members (spouse and children) for the same period as the employee’s visa. However, such a visa for accompanying persons is issued without the right to work.

More detailed information about the work visa can be found here.

C5 Visa for Business Immigrants

Purpose of entry: Conducting business activities.

A foreign national planning to establish a company in Kazakhstan or become a founder of an existing company must obtain a C5 business immigrant visa.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

An initial single-entry C5 visa is issued only at a diplomatic mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for a period of up to 90 days, with the right to stay in Kazakhstan for the entire period. The inviting party may be a legal entity that assists with the registration of the company or a company of which the foreign national will become a founder.

Afterwards, it is possible to obtain a multiple-entry C5 visa in Kazakhstan for a period of up to 2 years, with the right to stay for the entire validity period of the visa. To do so, it is necessary to provide the Migration Service with a letter of support from the Department of Entrepreneurship and Investments. Obtaining such a letter of support takes up to 15 business days.

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.

Article about the C5 visa.

C2 Visa

Purpose of entry: Family reunification.

Who can issue an invitation?

• Spouses who have been married for at least one year;
• Children under the age of 18 who are unmarried and dependent on or under the guardianship of the inviting person;
• Children over the age of 18 who are unmarried and unable to support themselves independently for health-related reasons;
• Disabled parents who are dependent on the inviting person;
• Other family members whose maintenance is the responsibility of the inviting person.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

• A single-entry C2 visa is issued for up to 90 days, while a multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 1 year.
• A C2 visa can be obtained in Kazakhstan if the foreign national entered the country on a B10, C3, or C9 visa.
• Foreign nationals holding a C2 visa may engage in employment if they are the spouse of a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

IMPORTANT: A C2 visa grants the right to work only under certain conditions.

More detailed information about the C2 visa can be found here.

Part 3 – Investor Visas with the Right to Work

A5 Visa

Purpose of entry: Investment and employment in an investment company.

The visa is issued to:

1. Executives;
2. Deputy executives;
3. Heads of structural divisions of legal entities carrying out investment activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
4. Foreign nationals and stateless persons making investments in accordance with the investment tax residency program of the AIFC;
5. Their family members.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

A single-entry A5 visa is issued for up to 90 days, while a multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 5 years, with the possibility of extension for up to 3 years in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The process of obtaining an investor visa consists of 3 main stages:

1. Obtaining a letter of support for an investor visa from the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
2. Approval of the invitation letter by the Migration Service Department;
3. Obtaining the visa at a Kazakhstan consulate in the foreign national’s country of citizenship or permanent residence.

The letter of support for the first stage can be obtained by:

1. Submitting a set of documents to the State Corporation — processing time: 10 business days;
2. Submitting a set of documents through the elicense.kz Portal — processing time: 5 business days.

After that, approval of the invitation takes 5–7 business days, while visa issuance at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan takes up to 5 business days.

A foreign national may also obtain the visa in Kazakhstan if they entered the country on a B3, B10, C3, C4, C5, or C10 visa.

A6 Visa – Investor Visa

Foreign nationals who have invested more than USD 300,000 in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan may obtain an A6 investor visa. A multiple-entry visa is issued for a period of up to 10 years. The visa may be issued by diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of an invitation.

Can family members obtain a visa as accompanying persons?

Yes, family members may accompany the main applicant. Family members are defined as the spouse and children who have not reached the age of majority. At the same time, family members do not have the right to engage in employment.

For details on the A6 visa, please read our article.

Altyn Visa

For details on the Altyn Visa, please read our article.

Part 4 – Visas for Obtaining a Residence Permit.

В8 Visa

Purpose of entry: To obtain a residence permit (RP) and establish permanent residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Foreign nationals wishing to obtain a residence permit must first obtain a B8 visa. The visa is issued by the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the applicant’s country of citizenship or permanent residence. A B8 visa may be obtained in Kazakhstan if the foreign national entered Kazakhstan under a visa-free regime or on the basis of a C3 work visa. In this case, the applicant must prepare the complete set of documents required for the residence permit in order to apply for the visa in Kazakhstan.

Validity period and conditions of stay: The visa is issued for up to 90 days, with the right to stay for the entire validity period of the visa and to extend it for an additional 30 days.

Children under the age of 16 accompanying a residence permit holder may obtain a C11 visa for minors. It is issued for a period of stay of up to 3 years.

B9 Visa for Residence Permit – Persons with In-Demand Professions

The visa may be obtained by foreign nationals possessing in-demand professions. A simplified procedure is provided for persons in this category.

Where can the list of in-demand professions be found?
The complete list of in-demand professions is available here.

For how long is a B9 visa issued?
A single-entry visa is issued for up to 90 days, with the right to stay for the entire validity period of the visa. A multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 90 days, with the right to stay for the entire validity period of the visa. However, it may only be obtained once within a one-year period.

What documents are required?
The visa is issued by diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan or in Kazakhstan on the basis of the following documents:

• an application;
• a copy of a diploma corresponding to the list of in-demand professions for the subsequent obtaining of a permit for permanent residence in Kazakhstan.

Can a B9 visa be extended?
Yes, the visa may be extended for up to 30 calendar days on the basis of an application after the residence permit documents have been submitted and a receipt confirming acceptance of the documents has been obtained.

What is the difference between a B8 and B9 visa?
A B8 visa is issued to all foreign nationals who travel to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permit for permanent residence, i.e. a residence permit. A B9 visa is issued to foreign nationals whose education corresponds to the list of in-demand professions for obtaining a permit for permanent residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

What advantages does a B9 visa have over a B8 visa?
According to the Rules for Issuing Permits for Temporary and Permanent Residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan to Foreigners and Stateless Persons, foreign nationals possessing in-demand professions may obtain a residence permit from the internal affairs authorities under a simplified procedure without confirming their financial solvency.

Who can obtain a B9 visa in Kazakhstan?
The visa may also be issued in Kazakhstan to foreign nationals or stateless persons who are staying in Kazakhstan and are citizens of countries with which a visa-free entry regime is established pursuant to paragraph 17 of the Rules for Entry and Stay of Immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan, except for countries with which the visa-free regime is limited to 14 days.In practice, we encountered a situation in Almaty and Almaty Region where a B8 visa for obtaining a residence permit is not issued in Kazakhstan if there is no bilateral visa-free agreement. We will continue to monitor the local practice.

Can a C3 work visa be changed to a B9 visa?
No, this is not provided for by the legislation. However, a B8 visa may be changed from a C3 work visa.

Is it sufficient to provide a notarized copy of a diploma in an in-demand profession to obtain a B9 visa and subsequently a residence permit?
According to the Rules for Issuing Permits for Temporary and Permanent Residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan to Foreigners and Stateless Persons, in order to obtain a residence permit, it is necessary to provide an application from the relevant state sectoral authority indicating the occupational group under the National Classifier of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NCRK) and compliance with the NCRK requirements, including the profession, skill level and specialization, diploma, work experience in the relevant specialization, and qualification level.

Is it necessary to work in an in-demand profession after obtaining a residence permit under the simplified procedure?
Yes. According to the Rules, the foreign national must work in the relevant profession. The legislation states that failure to work in a profession included in the specified list for 183 calendar days within any consecutive 12-month period from the date of issuance of the permanent residence permit constitutes grounds for refusal.

Part 5 – Visas for Freelancers

B9-1 “Digital Nomad Visa” for IT Specialists

The visa is issued to foreign nationals who possess in-demand professions in the IT sector and are traveling to the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain a permit for permanent residence.

How do we understand it?
A single-entry electronic and multiple-entry paper visa for IT specialists, allowing permanent residence and employment in Kazakhstan. At the same time, if employment is intended, a work permit is also required, which means a C3 work visa. If this visa has been designated as a separate category, then a work permit should not be required. However, the list of persons who do not require a work permit has not yet been updated. We will await further information.

For how long is the visa issued?
The visa may be single-entry (electronic) or multiple-entry for up to 1 year, with the right to stay in the country for the entire validity period of the visa.

What documents are required to obtain the visa?
A single-entry electronic visa is issued through the Visa and Migration Portal on the basis of an invitation.

A multiple-entry paper visa is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of an application from the authorized body in the field of informatization, as well as a previously issued single-entry electronic visa.

B12-1 “Neo Nomad Visa”

A tourist visa issued to foreign nationals who work remotely and have a stable income from foreign sources. In our understanding, these are freelancers.

For how long is the visa issued and how much does it cost?
The visa is multiple-entry, issued for up to 1 year, with the right to stay in the country for the entire validity period of the visa. The consular fee is USD 90.

What documents are required?
The visa is issued by diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of the following set of documents:

1. A bank statement for the previous 6 months confirming a stable monthly income of more than USD 3,000;
2. A tax return issued by the competent authority of the country of citizenship;
3. A certificate of no criminal record from the country of citizenship or permanent residence;
4. Medical insurance covering the validity period of the visa;
5. An invitation and the standard set of documents required for a visa.

Important: For citizens of economically developed, politically and migration-stable states, a B12-1 visa is issued without an invitation in accordance with Appendix 6 to the Rules.

For details on the B12-1 visa, please read our article.

Part 6 – Other Visas in Practice

В10 Visa

Purpose of entry: Private visits.

A single-entry visa is issued to:

• persons traveling to Kazakhstan for private purposes;
• citizens of 48 economically developed and politically stable countries*1;
• persons traveling to Kazakhstan to attend a funeral or in cases of illness of relatives or close persons;
• spouses, children, or parents entering Kazakhstan together with citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• spouses and children (who are not ethnic Kazakhs) entering Kazakhstan together with ethnic Kazakhs.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

The visa is issued for up to 90 days, with the right to stay for the entire validity period of the visa.

A multiple-entry visa is issued to former compatriots for 180 days, with the right to stay for no more than 90 days per entry. For former compatriots, the visa may be issued for up to 3 years.

Where can a B10 visa be obtained?
A multiple-entry visa can be issued both by diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan and in Kazakhstan. Please contact our consultants for details. A single-entry B10 visa can also be obtained electronically.

B12 Visa

Purpose of entry: Tourism.

The visa is issued upon presentation of an invitation from a tourist company in Kazakhstan.

Validity period and conditions of stay:

1. A single-entry visa is issued for up to 90 days, with a permitted stay of no more than 30 days.
2. A multiple-entry visa is issued for up to 90 days, with a permitted stay of no more than 30 days per entry.

According to the rules, such an invitation is not required for citizens of the 48 economically developed and politically stable countries when applying for a single-entry tourist visa.

IMPORTANT: We do not provide assistance with obtaining B12 tourist visas. Please contact companies holding the appropriate tourism licenses.

C11 Visa

Purpose of entry: For minor children of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

For details, please follow the link to our article.

Part 7 – Other Important Visa Matters

Where can foreign nationals obtain visas for Kazakhstan?

1. At the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the foreign specialist’s country of citizenship, based on an invitation letter.
2. At the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the foreign specialist’s country of permanent residence, based on an invitation letter. In this case, supporting documents confirming long-term residence (residence permit, study visa, or work visa) must be provided.
3. Upon arrival at international airports in Kazakhstan, subject to certain requirements. These are exceptional cases, and visas may be issued to citizens of countries where there are no diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, or upon the instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please contact our consultants for details.
4. In Kazakhstan without leaving the country, based on an application from the employer company. The possibility of obtaining a visa in Kazakhstan depends on the foreign specialist’s citizenship, the availability of a current Kazakhstani visa, and other factors. Please contact our consultants for details.

Passport Requirements for Foreign Nationals

1. The passport must not contain additional entries, corrections, alterations, marks, reservations, entries, torn-out or unstitched pages;
2. The passport must contain at least 2 blank pages designated for visas, except for applicants obtaining visas for departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan;
3. The passport must remain valid for at least 3 months after the expiry date of the requested visa, except for applicants obtaining visas for departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan;
4. The passport must not contain any marks extending its validity period.

Other Options for Entering Kazakhstan

1. Visa-free regime;
2. Obtaining a temporary residence permit (TRP) for citizens of the EAEU, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan;
3. Obtaining a residence permit (RP).