Procedure for Obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit in Kazakhstan

Procedure for Obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit in Kazakhstan

A Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) in the Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the key legal mechanisms that allows foreign nationals and stateless persons to lawfully stay in the country on a temporary basis. The procedure and conditions for obtaining a TRP are governed by the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Population Migration”, as well as by subordinate regulatory legal acts, including the Rules for Issuing Temporary Residence Permits to Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

A TRP grants a foreign national the right to temporarily reside in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of a specific purpose of stay. Unlike a visa, a TRP is not intended for crossing the state border but rather for actual residence within the country. At the same time, a TRP is not a residence permit and does not confer permanent legal status. The permit is issued for a limited period and is valid strictly within the framework of the declared ground. A change of the purpose of stay without reissuing the TRP is not permitted.

 

Who is eligible for a TRP?  

In accordance with the current migration legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, foreign citizens arriving from EAEU member states (the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Russian Federation), as well as from certain CIS states (the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan), can apply for a temporary residence permit (TRP) to legally stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the grounds specified below for a specific period exceeding the period of visa-free stay of foreign citizens in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

 

Legal Grounds for Obtaining a TRP

Foreign nationals and stateless persons are entitled to obtain a TRP, if one of the following legal grounds exists:

• Employment
• Education
• Family reunification
• Entrepreneurial activity (business-immigration)
• Missionary activity
• Medical treatment.

 

List of Documents Required to Obtain a TRP:

The following documents are required to obtain a Temporary Residence Permit:

1. Application form for the issuance of a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
2. Copy of the identity document of a foreign citizen or stateless person, subject to ratified visa-free agreements (original must be presented for verification).
3. Foreign passport.
4. Document confirming the purpose of temporary stay in the Republic of Kazakhstan (employment contract, work assignment order, certificate from the place of study, documents confirming family relations, medical certificate, or other documents depending on the basis for obtaining a TRP).
5. Certificate of fingerprint registration.
6. Medical insurance.
7. Notarized consent of the property owner for the foreign citizen to reside in the property.
8. Permanent place of residence address and registration code.

Documents drawn up in a foreign language must be accompanied by a notarized translation into the state (Kazakh) or Russian language. It is also important to note that a foreign national or stateless person must be physically present in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the time of submitting an application for a Temporary Residence Permit, must reside at the address of temporary stay (residence) specified in the Temporary Residence Permit, and is not entitled to change the place of residence without proper registration in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

 

Grounds for Refusal to Issue a TRP

In accordance with the Rules for Issuing Temporary Residence Permits to Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Kazakhstan, a TRP may be refused in the following cases:

• Establishment of the inaccuracy of documents submitted for obtaining a TRP and/or the information contained therein
• Non-compliance of the applicant’s data and information with the requirements established by the Rules for the provision of the public service
• Existence of a court decision that has entered into legal force, under which the applicant has been deprived of a special right related to obtaining a TRP
• Refusal of the applicant to provide consent for access to personal data required to obtain a TRP, in accordance with Article 8 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Personal Data and Their Protection”.

 

Validity Period and Extension of a TRP

A Temporary Residence Permit is issued for a period determined based on the declared grounds and the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Population Migration”. Upon expiration of the TRP, a foreign national or stateless person has the right to apply to the authorized state bodies for its extension, provided that lawful grounds for temporary residence are maintained.

 

Difficulties in obtaining a TRP

The main difficulty in obtaining a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan is the need to collect a complete set of documents in a timely and correct manner within the time limits established by law. A TRP can only be obtained if the personal and professional requirements stipulated by law are met, which means that the applicant must complete all stages of the procedure before the expiry of the permissible period of stay in the country.

 FChain provides comprehensive legal support in matters related to obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit, as well as other migration and legal issues, ensuring full assistance to clients at all stages of the migration process.

For professional support, please contact us at almaty@f-chain.com or via WhatsApp at +7 771 214 1820

New Rules for Immigrant Registration in Kazakhstan

Prepared by: Sergey Gaidarov and Еdigeev Arslan,

Legal Department of FChain Kazakhstan

22^th of December 2025