Kazakhstan continues to adjust and complicate the rules for foreigners. Recently, we wrote that the country introduced new conditions for foreigners to stay without a visa — you can read more here. Now, Kazakhstan has changed the rules for obtaining a permanent residence permit. 

What has not changed? Foreigners can still enter, exit, transit, and temporarily stay in Kazakhstan with their internal documents — if there are relevant migration agreements between Kazakhstan and the countries from which they came.

The key change is that in order to extend their stay in the country, they will need to apply to the state authorities.

Personal experience: how a family from Kazakhstan moved to Spain

Here are the requirements that will have to be met from now on when applying for a permanent residence permit:

  • Provision of a passport (valid for at least 180 calendar days at the time of application). 
  • Confirmation of residence: this will require the personal presence of the owner of the housing or a person who will act on his behalf by proxy; it will also be suitable to bring a notarized consent of the owner. 
  • It is important that the address indicated in the application have an address Registration code. 

Purpose of the change. With such measures, the government wants to prevent foreigners from registering at non-existent addresses or addresses that have nothing to do with them.