Obtaining a C3 Work Visa in Companies with Full Foreign Ownership

Conditions for obtaining a C3 work visa under the simplified procedure

Main criteria for hiring foreign specialists under the simplified scheme:

• The company must have full (100%) foreign ownership, i.e. the founders must be foreign citizens only. For an LLP this condition is mandatory. For a branch or representative office, the simplified procedure applies only to first managers, not to their deputies.
• The specialist's position must belong to the first category, i.e. be an executive one. The company's charter must state that, for example, the head is a Director, General Director, Executive Director, etc. Deputy heads (for finance, economics, etc.) also fall into the first category if such a structure is set out in the Charter.

Documents required for companies with 100% foreign capital

• Confirmation letter from a government body on 100% foreign ownership.
• Copy of the first page of the foreign employee's passport.
• Minutes or decision of the founders on appointing the first manager.
• Employment contract — if a deputy is being registered.
• Order of appointment to the position.
• Certificate of state registration of the company and other constituent documents.
• Information about the foreign specialist: residential address in Kazakhstan and abroad, contact details, etc.

How long does it take?

The whole procedure takes about four weeks on average:

• Obtaining the letter on 100% foreign ownership takes 10–15 business days.
• After that, the document package for the work visa application is prepared.
• Migration authorities review the application within up to 10 business days, but in some cases it can extend to 30 calendar days.
• Overall, obtaining the visa can take from 4 to 8 weeks.

Cost of obtaining a C3 visa

The main costs include:

• State fee or consular fee — 30 MCI (110,760 tenge for 2024);
• Law firm services for preparing the confirmation letter and supporting the visa process;
• Additional legal expenses — for example, obtaining an IIN and sending notifications to the authorities.

Advantages of the simplified procedure over the standard one

• No work permit is required.
• No need for a foreign labor quota.
• No state fee for a work permit is charged.
• No need to comply with the ratio quota of local to foreign workers.
• No qualification or experience requirements for the foreign employee.

Where can a C3 visa be obtained under the simplified scheme?

• At a Kazakhstani consulate or embassy in the foreigner's country of citizenship.
• At a Kazakhstani consulate in the country of permanent residence (if the person holds a residence permit, work, student or other long-term visa).
• In Kazakhstan — under certain conditions, such as a valid visa or visa-free entry.
• On arrival at international airports of Kazakhstan, but only in exceptional cases and with the consent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Obtaining a C3 visa in Kazakhstan without leaving the country

This option is possible if the foreigner is in the country:

• Under the visa-free regime;
• On a business visa (categories B2, B3);
• On a private visa (category B10);
• On a family reunification visa (C2);
• When changing employer, if the new employer already holds a C3 visa;
• On a student visa (C9);
• On a C10 visa, intended for ethnic Kazakhs.

Can family members get a C3 visa?

Yes, the spouse and children of the foreign specialist can obtain an accompanying C3 visa. This requires:

• Marriage certificate (for the spouse);
• Children's birth certificates.

Documents must be legalized or apostilled depending on the country. The visa validity period will match that of the main applicant's visa.

Important: an accompanying C3 visa does not give the right to employment in Kazakhstan.

C3 visa extension

The visa can be extended without leaving Kazakhstan. Documents should be filed no later than 30 business days before the current visa expires.

For the extension you need:

• An updated letter on 100% foreign ownership.
• We recommend starting the process 2 months before the visa expires.
• The final deadline for filing documents is 5 business days before the current visa expires.

If the deadline is missed, you will have to leave the country and start the process again.