Work/Dependent VISA

Why work at NU?

Why work at NU?
Career growth opportunities
Corporate life
Health and Wellbeing
Campus Facilities
Professional development
Code of Ethics
Work/Dependent VISA
Business VISA
Student/Dependent VISA

General Information

Due to the fact that changes to the RoK territory entering/leaving procedure can be made in a short time, arriving foreign citizens are recommended to check the current situation before traveling.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Frontier Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Passport and visa information in this section applies to regular passport holders. For holders of diplomatic, official, special, and service passports, special rules may apply.

Visa entitles the visa recipient to stay legally in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for a time and under the conditions stated in the visa.

Visa can be single-entry and multiple-entry:

Single-entry visas entitle the visa recipient to a single entry into the Republic of Kazakhstan, travel through its territory, stay there and leave the Republic of Kazakhstan for a time, for the purposes and on the conditions stated in the visa.

Multiple entry visas entitle the visa recipient to multiple entries into the Republic of Kazakhstan, travel through its territory, stay there and leave the Republic of Kazakhstan for a time, for the purposes and on the conditions stated in the visa.

Attention! Corrections are not allowed on the visa. Corrected visas are invalid.

PASSPORT

All persons arriving in Kazakhstan must have a foreign passport. The passport validity must not expire earlier than 3 months from the date of the visa expiry. The passport must contain at least 2 blank pages intended for obtaining a visa and stamps.

If you have replaced an expired passport, please provide the responsible employee/manager of the School/Office/Department with the new passport (along with the old passport, if there is a valid visa in the old passport) for registration with the Migration Service. Please note that it is in your best interest to provide us with the necessary documents as soon as possible in order to avoid problems with registration.

At the same time, in case of a change in the residence address in Astana of foreign personnel, you are requested to immediately inform the staff of the Office of International Students and Scholars Services (hereinafter – OISSS).

The arrival of newly hired foreign employees, members of their families, as well as guests (relatives, friends, business partners, etc.) planning to stay on the territory of the housing stock of NU should be immediately reported to the Office of International Students and Scholars Services, indicating the current address of stay in Astana.

Minor children of foreign employees under the age of 16 are not subject to registration with the Migration Service Office.

If your child is 16 years old, please notify the Office of International Students and Scholars Services (hereinafter – OISSS) and provide your child’s new passport.

Republic of Kazakhstan State Border Crossing Procedure

REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN ARRIVAL NOTICE

According to Clause 9 of the Government Decree of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 21 January 2012 No. 148: Host persons shall inform internal affairs bodies about foreign citizens staying with them within three working days from the date of their arrival.

According to Clause 10.1 of Article 1 of the Law on Migration: the host party is a legal entity registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan, applying for inviting foreign citizens to the Republic of Kazakhstan for temporary residence and (or) providing a place for their residence.

Host persons are obliged to INFORM (NOTIFY) the Migration Service Department, Police Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana about foreign citizens staying with them within 3 (three) business days from the day they cross the border ofthe Republic of Kazakhstan. This does not depend on the Republic of Kazakhstan Entering and Staying Procedure, nor the purpose of a foreign citizen's visit.

The notification shall be submitted by the host party to the Migration Service in writing or through the visa and migration portal of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Egov).

It is important to remember: Late submission of the notification entails administrative liability of the host party in accordance with Article 518 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, up to the prohibition of issuing visa invitations for 1 year.

In case of non-compliance with the requirements of legislation, in accordance with Article 518 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan: (make a pop-up window with an arrow down)

Failure of the host party to take measures for timely registration of foreigners and stateless persons or execution of documents for the right to stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan, or their departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan after a certain period of stay, or late informing the internal affairs bodies about immigrants staying with them shall entail a fine for officials, small businesses or non-profit organizations in the amount of ten monthly calculation indices, for medium-sized businesses – in the amount of fifteen monthly calculation indices, for large businesses – in the amount of twenty monthly calculation indices.
Provision of housing to a foreigner or stateless person staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan in violation of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of population migration or evasion from leaving the Republic of Kazakhstan on time, or inconsistency of the actual place of residence with the address indicated during registration shall entail a fine on the official, for small businesses or non-profit organizations – in the amount of forty monthly calculation indices, for medium-sized businesses – in the amount of fifty-five monthly calculation indices, for large businesses – in the amount of seventy-five monthly calculation indices.
Actions provided for in parts one and two of this Article committed repeatedly within a year after imposition of an administrative penalty, shall entail a fine for an official, for small businesses or non-profit organizations – in the amount of forty monthly calculation indices, for medium-sized businesses – in the amount of seventy monthly calculation indices, for large business – in the amount of one hundred monthly calculation indices.
Making transactions with a foreigner or stateless person staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan in violation of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of population migration in the inconsistency of the activities carried out with the goals specified in the visa or when registering in the migration card shall entail a fine for an official, for small businesses or non-profit organizations – in the amount of forty monthly calculation indices, for medium-sized businesses – in the amount of seventy-five monthly calculation indices, for large businesses – in the amount of one hundred and fifty monthly calculation indices.
The action provided for in part four of this Article committed repeatedly within a year after imposition of an administrative penalty, shall entail a fine for an official, for small businesses or non-profit organizations – in the amount of one hundred monthly calculation indices, for medium-sized businesses – in the amount of one hundred and fifty monthly calculation indices, for large businesses – in the amount of three hundred monthly calculation indices.

Republic of Kazakhstan Temporary Residence Permit (TRP)

Internal affairs bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan issue a temporary residence permit (hereinafter – TRP) to foreigners or stateless persons temporarily staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The temporary residence permit shall be given for a period of up to one year, depending on the category of the permit received, with subsequent extension in accordance with the Rules of entry and stay of immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as their departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan, approved by Government Decree of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 21 January 2012 No. 148.

A temporary residence permit (TRP) is a document that is issued to foreigners or stateless persons temporarily staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Who needs a TRP?

citizens of the CIS countries who arrived in Kazakhstan for a period of more than 30 calendar days;
citizens of the EAEU countries (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan) and citizens of countries with a different order of stay who arrived in Kazakhstan for a period of more than 90 calendar days;

A TRP shall be obtained at each entry of a foreigner into the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. When a foreign citizen leaves the country, the temporary residence permit expires.

Holders of Kazakhstani visas, as well as children under 16 years old, shall be exempted from obtaining the TRP.

How is the TRP formalized?

For obtaining the TRP, the host party must apply to the migration service department at the place of registration.

The application must be accompanied by the original of the foreigner’s passport with a copy and a document confirming the purpose of the stay.

For example, in the case of employment, a copy of the employment contract must be attached for citizens of the EAEU countries.

When accompanied by a marriage partner and children over 16 years old, they also need to obtain the TRP. Their passports, marriage certificates for the marriage partner, and birth certificate for the child must be attached.

The time for consideration of the TRP issuance is 1-3 business days.

When should the TRP be issued?

The inviting party must obtain a permit for a foreigner:

the CIS citizen – within 30 calendar days from the moment of arrival in the Republic of Kazakhstan

a citizen of the EAEU and a country with a different order of stay within 90 calendar days from the moment of arrival in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

What is the TRP validity period?

TRP is issued for up to one calendar year.

What are the consequences of the TRP untimely registration?

The inviting country and the foreigner shall be brought to administrative responsibility for late registration of the permit under Articles 517 and 518 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

Visa-free entry to the Republic of Kazakhstan for citizens of neighboring countries

Entering and Staying Procedure for citizens of the following countries is determined by bilateral agreements:

CITIZENSHIP	RoK ENTRY	PERIOD OF STAY
AZERBAIJAN	visa-free	up to 30 days
ARMENIA	visa-free	up to 90 days or employment contract term
BELARUS	visa-free	up to 90 days or employment contract term
GEORGIA	visa-free	up to 90 days or visa period
KYRGYZSTAN	visa-free	up to 90 days or employment contract term
MOLDOVA	visa-free	up to 90 days or visa period
RUSSIA	visa-free	up to 90 days or employment contract term
TAJIKISTAN	visa-free	up to 90 days or employment contract term
TURKMENISTAN	visa	visa duration
UZBEKISTAN	visa-free	up to 30 days
UKRAINE	visa-free	up to 90 days within 180 days

Visas Registration/ Extension in the Republic of Kazakhstan

After the extension of the employment contract with NU, your visa is subject to extension.

Please read the following instructions carefully:

Attention! For extension of your visa in the Republic of Kazakhstan before its expiration, the following documents shall be submitted to the Office of International Students and Scholars Services, at least 30 (thirty) business days, but no later than 14 (fourteen) business days before the expiration of the current visa.

For an employee:

National Passport (the passport validity must exceed the requested visa validity by at least three (3) months. The passport must have at least one free page for affixing a Kazakh visa)
A copy of the passport first page (It is necessary to provide a copy of the passport first page with the applicant’s basic data (full name, photo, and if the passport validity has been extended, then a copy of the page where there is a mark on the passport renewal)
Photo (One 3.5 x 4.5 cm color photograph on a light background, taken no later than 3 months before the date of documents submission)
Filled out a visa application form for the applicant (The application form shall contain complete and reliable information. The application form shall be filled in block letters with no corrections in Russian or English. An incorrectly completed application form may serve as a refusal to issue a visa.) (download)
A copy of the employment contract (HR provided)

For accompanying spouse:

National Passport (the passport validity must exceed the requested visa validity by at least three (3) months. The passport must have at least one free page for affixing a Kazakh visa);
A copy of the passport first page (It is necessary to provide a copy of the passport first page with the applicant’s basic data (full name, photo, and if the passport validity has been extended, then a copy of the page where there is a mark on the passport renewal);
Photo (One 3.5 x 4.5 cm color photograph on a light background, taken no later than 3 months before the date of documents submission);
Filled out a visa application form for the applicant (The application form shall contain complete and reliable information. The application form shall be filled in block letters with no corrections in Russian or English. An incorrectly completed application form may serve as a refusal to issue a visa.) (download);
Apostilled/Legalized marriage certificate*;
Scan a copy of the employee’s visa (if documents are submitted separately and the employee already has a valid visa);
Application for consular fee withholding (30 MCI from the employee’s salary for a dependent visa).

For accompanying minor children:

National Passport (the passport validity must exceed the requested visa validity by at least three (3) months. The passport must have at least one free page for affixing a Kazakh visa);
A copy of the passport first page (It is necessary to provide a copy of the passport first page with the applicant’s basic data (full name, photo, and if the passport validity has been extended, then a copy of the page where there is a mark on the passport renewal);
Photo (One 3.5 x 4.5 cm color photograph on a light background, taken no later than 3 months before the date of documents submission);
Filled out a visa application form for the applicant (The application form shall contain complete and reliable information. The application form shall be filled in block letters with no corrections in Russian or English. An incorrectly completed application form may serve as a refusal to issue a visa.) (download);
Apostilled/Legalized birth certificate of children*;
Scan a copy of the employee’s visa (if documents are submitted separately and the employee already has a valid visa);
Application for consular fee withholding (30 MCI from the employee’s salary for a dependent visa).

* If you are a citizen of a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention on Abolition of Requirement for Foreign Documents Legalization, you will need to formalize the consular legalization of the required documents. Please follow the link to find your country in the list of member countries of the Hague Convention.

Visa processing time: 5-7 business days

Hope to apply for an invitation letter

Passport information

All persons arriving in Kazakhstan must have a foreign passport. The passport validity must not expire earlier than 3 months from the date of the visa expiry and must contain at least 2 blank pages intended for obtaining a visa and stamps.

If you have replaced an expired passport, please provide the responsible employee/manager of the School/Office/Department with the new passport (along with the old passport, if there is a valid visa in the old passport).

Step 1

The Office of International Students and Scholars Services will submit documents to the Migration Service Office of the Police Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana, as soon as the employee signs an employment contract with NU. When the invitation with the visa support number is ready, its scanned copy will be sent to you by email.

The following documents must be provided for receiving the visa invitation:

For employee:

Copy of the employment contract (HR provided);
Color scanned copy of the passport first page (in good quality);
Filled out visa support form for letter of invitation (download).
If the applicant is a permanent resident and plans to apply for a visa outside the country of citizenship, then a copy of the supporting document must be provided. For example, Residence permit, long-term visa (work, study, tourism), and work permit of the applicant/dependent with an official translation into Kazakh or Russian. (if applicable).

For accompanying marriage partner:

Color scanned copy of the passport first page (in good quality);
Apostilled/Legalized marriage certificate*;
Scan a copy of the employee’s visa (if documents are submitted separately and the employee already has a valid visa);
Filled out visa support form for letter of invitation (download).
If the applicant is a permanent resident and plans to apply for a visa outside the country of citizenship, then a copy of the supporting document must be provided. For example, Residence permit, long-term visa (work, study, tourism), and work permit of the applicant/dependent with an official translation into Kazakh or Russian. (if applicable).

For accompanying children:

Color scanned copy of the passport first page (in good quality);
Apostilled/Legalized certificate of birth*;
Filled out visa support form for letter of invitation (download);
Scan a copy of the employee’s visa (if documents are submitted separately and the employee already has a valid visa).
If the applicant is a permanent resident and plans to apply for a visa outside the country of citizenship, then a copy of the supporting document must be provided. For example, Residence permit, long-term visa (work, study, tourism), and work permit of the applicant/dependent with an official translation into Kazakh or Russian. (if applicable).

Please follow the link to find your country in the list of member countries of the Hague Convention.

Invitation letter processing time: 5-7 business days.

Step 2

After receiving an invitation with a visa support number, the applicant shall submit all the necessary documentation to the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan abroad, where the applicant plans to receive a visa in person. The applicant is obliged to double-check the list of required documents posted on the official website of the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Visa processing time: 5-7 business days

Visa processing at the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan abroad

Change of visas from one category to another on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan

To category С3 (working) - from category С3 (working/dependent) on the basis of an application when changing the inviting party represented by the employer.
To category C3 (working) - from category C9 (visa for education)
To category C9 (visa for education) - only for ethnic Kazakhs, regardless of the category of a previously issued visa
To category B7 (visa for educational practice or internship) - from category C9 (visa for education)
To category B8 (visa for permanent residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan) - from category C3 (working visa) and from category C9 (visa for education).

Visa Cancellation Procedure

When deciding to reduce the period of temporary stay of the visa recipient in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Documents to be submitted to the Office of International Students and Scholars Services in order to apply for a B16 exit visa (visa cancellation):

National passport;
Signed Decision on employment termination or a decision on foreign student expulsion.
The cost of issuing an exit visa (visa cancellation) – KZT 1,458.50 (0.5 MCI)

Visa cancellation period: 3 working days.

Attention! Failure to comply with the conditions of stay in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a serious offense, and you may face such sanctions as:

You may be fined;
You may be prohibited from returning to Kazakhstan for up to 5 years, which automatically prohibits you from continuing to work in Kazakhstan;
You may face short term jail time;
There will be additional fees for the lawyer and translator.

Cost of visas, state fees, and administrative fines

AMOUNT OF STATE DUTY

for 2021 issuing Kazakhstan visas and paying administrative fines

The amount of the state duty is indicated in the monthly calculation index (MCI) and the national currency Tenge (KZT).
1 MCI in 2021 is equal to KZT 2,917.
1. Kazakhstan visas

Procedure	State duty	Amount in KZT
Registration of a letter of invitation for a visa	0.5 MCI	1,458.50
Issuance of a multiple entry visa on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan	30 MCI	87,510
Extension of the validity period of a multiple entry visa in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan	30 MCI	87,510
Exit visa processing (visa cancellation)	0.5 MCI	1,458.50
Issuance of B8 visa for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit	7 MCI (single entry visa) 70 MCI (multiple visas)	20,419 87,510
Extension of the period of stay under the visa-free regime for citizens of 57 countries (issuance of a single-entry visa)	7 MCI	20,419

Note:

* Consular fees for inserting a visa in foreign missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan remained unchanged.

** the visa-free regime is suspended until 1 May 2021.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF MIGRATION RULES

imposed on a foreigner (Article 517 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan)

Type of violation	State duty	Amount in KZT
Late departure from the country during the period: up to 3 days from 3 to 5 days from 5 to 10 days over 10 days	Warning 10 MCI 15 MCI 25 MCI	0 29,170 43,755 72,925
Repeated violation within a year after imposition of a penalty	15 MCI	43,755
Employment without permission (where applicable), inconsistency of activity with the purposes specified in the visa	25 MCI	72,925
imposed on the host party (Article 518 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan)
Type of violation	State duty	Amount in KZT
Late notification of the migration service about a foreigner staying, as well as failure to take measures to draw up documents for the right to stay of foreigners and their timely departure from the Republic of Kazakhstan	10 MCI/small business 15 MCI/medium-sized business 20 MCI/large business	29,170 43,755 58,340
Repeated violation within a year after imposition of a penalty	40 MCI/small business 70 MCI/medium-sized business 100 MCI/large business	116 680 204,190 291,700

Obtaining an individual identification number (IIN) by a foreign citizen in Kazakhstan

A foreign citizen arriving in the Republic of Kazakhstan to resolve important business issues needs to acquire an IIN. It is required to receive government services, pay taxes, and other payments, and register actions. IIN is also required to get a job or open a bank account.

Individual identification number (IIN) – a unique 12-digit number assigned to an individual once and for life.

When will a foreign citizen need an IIN?

You are planning to open a current bank account with resident banks of the Republic of Kazakhstan
You receive income from sources of the Republic of Kazakhstan
You acquire property in the Republic of Kazakhstan that is taxed
When appointing foreigners as heads of legal entities that are residents in Kazakhstan
When appointing foreigners as heads of branches, representative offices of non-resident legal entities

From 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan approved changes to the rules for public service provision “Formation of an individual identification number to foreigners temporarily staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan”.

We would like to note that earlier documents for registration of an individual identification number (IIN) for a foreign worker had to be submitted to the tax committee at the place of his residence.

In accordance with the new procedure, an application for the IIN registration can be submitted to the NJSC State Corporation “Government for Citizens” (PSC) or through the portal Egov.kz.

Then the document goes for execution to the information system of the migration service. After checking the application for correctness, the migration service generates an IIN and sends information to the PSC for issuing an IIN certificate.

How to get an individual identification number (IIN) for foreign citizens in a government agency or in the NJSC “State Corporation” Government for Citizens” (hereinafter – PSC):

What a foreign citizen needs to obtain an IIN:

National passport;
Notarized translation of the passport's first page into Kazakh or Russian.
Processing time for foreigners' IIN certificates is 3 (three) business days.

How to obtain confirmation of the tax residency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens

How to obtain confirmation of the tax residence of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens in a state body or in NJSC “State Corporation” Government for Citizens” (hereinafter – PSC):

List of required documents:

Tax statement (Appendix No. 6 to Order of the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 12 February 2018 No. 160) on confirmation of tax residence in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Notarized copies of the foreign passport
A document confirming the period of stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan (visas or other documents)
Residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan (if any)
A copy of the individual identification number (hereinafter – IIN) of a foreign citizen

Time for processing documents 3 (three) business days.

Note:

In accordance with Clause 1 of Article 217 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Taxes and Other Mandatory Payments to the Budget” dated 25.12.2017. No. 120 – VI ЗРК (hereinafter – the Tax Code), a resident of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be an individual:

Permanently staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Occasionally staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan, but whose center of vital interests is in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Clause 2 of the above article provides – an individual is recognized as permanently residing in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the current tax period if he is in the Republic of Kazakhstan for at least 180 (one hundred and eighty-three calendar days) including the days of arrival and departure in any consecutive 12 twelve-month periods ending in the current tax period

Apostille and legalization of documents in Kazakhstan

In order for an official document of foreign origin to be valid in the Republic of Kazakhstan, it must be apostilled or legalized in advance in the country of issue.

For example: for obtaining a work permit in Kazakhstan, the employer must submit documents (diplomas, certificates, certificates of marriage, birth of children) of a foreign employee and his dependents with an apostille or consular legalization mark.

On the basis of the Hague Convention, to which Kazakhstan has joined, documents issued by state institutions of one of the countries participating in the Convention are valid in another participating country without consular legalization, provided that they are apostilled.

An apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, the role in which the person who signed the document performed, and, if appropriate, the authenticity of the seal or stamp that affixes such document.

Apostille in Kazakhstan is a quadrangular stamp of at least 9×9 cm in the Kazakh language, containing the obligatory heading “Apostille” and a link to the 1961 Hague Convention in French (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961).

Apostille is placed on the following documents:

Certificate of birth, death, marriage, or divorce
Diplomas, certificates, for any documents on education and training and annexes thereto, issued by educational institutions
Court decisions
Notarized copies of documents
Other notarial documents (wills, powers of attorney, etc.)
Extracts from commercial register of Kazakhstan, certificates of tax registration.

Attention! passport, driver’s license, or other laminated documents are not apostilled.

Institutions entitled to affix an apostille in the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Committee of Information and Archives under the Ministry of Culture, Information, and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Committee on Judicial Administration under the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan (as agreed)
Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan
General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan
National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Requirements for documents:

Apostille is placed exclusively on the original or on a notarized copy if the original cannot be apostilled (for example, passport, driver’s license). The documents must be in good condition with a well-visible seal and signature. Documents should not have any extraneous inscriptions or marks.

List of required documents:

copy of an identity document (passport)
original of the document subject to apostille
notarized power of attorney (if applicable)
if the applicant’s surname has changed, copies of documents confirming the change of surname with translation into Russian or Kazakh

Limitation of legalization requirements:

According to Art. 13 of the Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Matters (also called the Minsk Convention), in force on the territory of the signatory countries, documents of the participating countries do not require legalization.

The countries-parties to the Convention include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine.

Kazakhstan has been a member state of the Minsk Convention since 1994. For these states, the legalization of documents issued in Kazakhstan by affixing an apostille is not required.

For using documents issued in Kazakhstan, on the territory of the above countries, it is necessary to make their notarized translation.

Useful links

Contact us

Office of International Students and Scholars Services remains committed to supporting our international student and academic community during this health emergency. The office is still fully operational – but remotely – in support of the international community. We, as always, are ready to answer your questions and help solve your problems. Please use the contact information below:

Office of International Students and Scholars Services

Office operation schedule:
Monday – Friday: 8.30 am – 5.30 pm * Address: 53, Kabanbai batyr ave., Astana.

Phone: +7 (7172) 69 27 01 * Email: oiss@nu.edu.kz

The Office of International Students and Scholars Services is closed on weekends, state and national holidays of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

If you have questions about visas and migration, or questions, suggestions related to activities and competence of the Office, do not hesitate to send your questions by e-mail.

While it may take us some time to respond to you, we promise that we will do our best to answer your question as quickly as possible.

State and national holidays of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

January 1, 2 – National holiday New Year

January 7 – Christmas holiday

March 8 – Public holiday International Women’s Day

March 21, 22, 23 – National holiday Nauryz meiramy

May 1 – National holiday Day of the unity of the people of Kazakhstan

May 7 – Defender of the Fatherland Day

May 9 – National holiday Victory Day

July 6 – Public holiday Capital Day

August 30 – National holiday Constitution Day

October 25 – Republic day

December 16-17 – National holiday Independence Day

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Upon my arrival in Astana will someone meet me at the airport? – Upon your arrival at Astana you will be met at the airport by a school representative and then escorted to the NU campus.
Upon my arrival to Astana will accommodation be available? – You will be provided with a furnished apartment on campus. The apartment will be ready by your arrival in Astana. The number of bedrooms will depend on the size of your family (family members and children who reside in Astana) in accordance with the eligibility criteria for the allocation of apartments.
How can I request a refund for my visa fee? – You have to submit all required documents to your School HR manager.
How do I ship my personal belongings? – From January 1, 2020, each individual is allowed 31 kg free of charge per month, not exceeding 200 EUR in value. If the cargo exceeds the value of 200 euros then the tax will be 15% of the value difference. If the cargo exceeds 31 kg per month, an individual has to pay 2 euros per additional kg. https://informburo.kz/cards/internet-pokupki-dlya-kazahstancev-stanut-dorozhe-s-1-yanvarya-izmenyatsya-pravila-vvoza-tovarov.html
Can you let me know the shipment address to which I can send my belongings? – If you wish to arrange the shipment of personal belongings in advance, please ask the HR manager of your School/Office to provide the shipment address for personal belongings. Make sure you do not indicate the name of the University, in order to avoid customs issues
I want to book my travel as far in advance as possible. When should I book my travel tickets for? – We strongly advise you not to book your travel until you receive your passport with visa. The best way to avoid the unpleasant circumstance of having bought an airplane ticket only to find out that, the visa was refused, or that you will need to go through the costly process of changing your tickets to another travel date, is to wait until after your visa arrives.
How long does my passport have to be valid in order to apply for a KZ visa? - You must possess a passport valid for travel to KZ with a validity date at least three months beyond your intended period of stay in the KZ and has spare pages for the visa
I have dual citizenship. Which passport should I use to travel to KZ?- You can apply using whichever nationality you prefer, during your stay in Kazakhstan you have to use only one passport, which has a KZ visa or stamp.
Pets transportation – For the pet relocation please inform your School about the weight of each pet and carriage, so the responsible manager will be aware of this information and inform the travel agent at the moment of arranging ticket reservations. If nothing changes in the rules, the following documents will be required for your cats' relocation: Pet passport (this is a usual ‘document’ that can be obtained at any private/public veterinary clinic (not Government authority necessarily) and includes stamps on medical check and vaccinations); Rabbia vaccination; Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) vaccination; DHPPL & Rabies vaccine has to be at least 30 days old, but not older than 12 months; Tick and tapeworm treatments: 5 days before dispatch; Exit stamp from veterinary service at your departure airport.
Furnished apartment on campus – is there anything not provided that I will need to bring with me? – All apartments on campus are fully furnished.
Are there any secondary/high schools in Astana that you could recommend? – Department of International Cooperation provides 1 school visit to 3 pre-selected schools, so you could see the facilities and discuss relevant questions with school management.
Does the school tuition have to be paid in full at once? Or is it possible to pay in monthly installments? – School tuition fees at all schools are normally paid in 3 installments, but some schools offer extra discounts for early payment or if the full payment was done prior to the start of the classes. Regulations vary from school to school, so it is better to discuss them at the moment of the school visits.
How do I get my visa to KZ? – The Department of International Cooperation will submit the documents to the Migration Service as soon as the employment contract with NU is signed by both parties. Once the invitation letter is ready, its copy will be emailed to you. For more information please visit How to apply for a letter of invitation Column
How do I renew my visa in KZ? – In order to renew your visa in the Republic of Kazakhstan before its current expiration date, please provide the documents to the School HR manager. For more information please visit Visa Renewal Column.
I am single, and I live with my retired parents therefore I would like to claim my parents as my only dependents, and we would like to relocate to Kazakhstan together. May I indicate them in section 3 of the pre-employment application form? – Unfortunately, your parents do not count as your accompanying dependents. Accompanying Dependents are spouses and/or children under 18 (eighteen) years old who reside with employees in Kazakhstan. However, you may still relocate your parents to Kazakhstan. They will not be applicable to the benefits that accompanying dependents get (i.e. reimbursement of a ticket, luggage, etc.)
Can my KZ-based relative sponsor me for a work visa? – No. Only your employer can sponsor you.
How long can I stay in Kazakhstan on a business visa? – A KZ nonimmigrant visa grants you permission to travel to a Port of Entry (airport) in the Republic of Kazakhstan. You may travel to the Port of Entry during the validity of your nonimmigrant visa up to and including the last day the visa is valid.
My KZ visa will expire in the next month. Do I need to apply for a new visa after my current visa expires or can I apply in advance? – You do not have to wait until your current visa expires. You can apply for a new visa even if your current visa is valid.
I changed my name. Is my KZ visa with my old name still valid? – If your name has legally changed through marriage, divorce, or a court-ordered name change, you will need to obtain a new passport. Once you have a new passport, the Department of State recommends that you apply for a new KZ visa to make it easier for you to travel to and from Kazakhstan.
My child is studying in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Can I go live with him/her? – While you can use your travel visa (under the Visa-Free Regime to enter Kazakhstan without a visa, if eligible) to visit your child.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE KEEP ALL RECEIPTS/INVOICES for shipment and excess luggage.

In cases where original receipts are not provided within the indicated deadline, the allowance will not be paid. Our International faculty usually use USPS, DHL, and UPS.

In cases where original receipts are not provided within the indicated deadline, the allowance will not be paid. Our International faculty usually use USPS, DHL, and UPS.

Still have questions?

About Us