Kazakhstan temporary residence permit

Citizens of the 48 states on the visa-free list may stay up to 30 days from crossing the border. For a longer stay to work, study, receive treatment, run a business, join family or carry out missionary activity, the foreigner needs a temporary residence permit. Under Article 6-1 of the Law on Migration of Population the permit is issued on the application of the receiving party: a relative inviting a family member, an employer that has signed an employment contract, a school or university that has enrolled a full-time student, a hospital treating the immigrant, a religious organisation, or the local executive body for business immigrants.

Every application includes the application form, a copy of the immigrant's identity document, a copy of medical insurance registered in the Saqtandyry system, the notarised consent of the owner of the dwelling if the receiving party does not own it, and the certificate of fingerprint registration. Purpose-specific documents are added: proof of family ties for reunification; for work, the employer's permit to engage foreign labour, a qualification certificate, an employment contract registered in the national labour contract system or a civil contract, or an intra-company transfer order; a petition from the school; a medical commission conclusion for inpatient treatment; a religious affairs certificate for missionaries; and for business immigrants a 028/u medical certificate, insurance, a petition of the local executive body and a criminal record certificate. Foreign-language documents need a notarised translation into Kazakh or Russian.

Under the Ministry of Internal Affairs rules, as amended in June 2026, the receiving party applies at its place of registration to the territorial police, through a Government for Citizens centre or on the egov.kz portal, in person or through a representative with a notarised power of attorney or company authorisation. The application is examined within one working day and the service is free. For immigrants aged 16 or over, the file must be lodged before the permitted stay ends or no later than ten calendar days after it ends. Fingerprint registration is done at the territorial police at the place of stay.

Inviting persons can be Kazakh citizens, ethnic Kazakhs and former compatriots living in Kazakhstan, permanent residents and business immigrants. Eligible relatives are a spouse married for at least one year, unmarried children under 18, adult children who cannot support themselves for health reasons, disabled dependent parents and other dependants. Relatives of Kazakh citizens receive permits for up to three years with the right to extend; relatives of permanent residents and of business immigrants who have lived in Kazakhstan for at least a year receive one-year permits renewable annually. If the basis ends, for example through divorce or the death of the inviting person, the police can extend the permit for up to six months on proof of sufficient means. Families of students, seasonal workers and humanitarian immigrants cannot use this route.

Immigrants may not live outside the place of stay named by the receiving party in the application. Hosts who are residents of Kazakhstan notify the authorities of a foreigner's stay through the Visa and Migration Portal, and an immigrant must leave when the permit ends unless there is another legal basis to stay.