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VISAS

EXEMPTION FROM REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN AN INVITATION
Citizens of Britain, the EU, and several other countries no longer need an invitation when applying for one-month single-entry tourist, business, or private visas. They still require invitations when applying for any other kind of visa.

To obtain a Kazakh visa, you need:

1. Your Passport
2. 1 x Passport-type photo
3. Application form
4. Invitation (unless exempt)
5. Covering letter for Business visas
6. negative AIDS test certificate for stays over 3 months

   The information below is accurate for British passport holders. Other nationalities may pay higher fees and/or be subject to further restrictions on acceptability of invitations etc. Please contact us for details.
   
   The Kazakh Consulate is open 0930-1230 Mon,Tue,Thu,Fri. The fee charged by the consulate depends firstly on how long you will be in Kazakhstan for and whether you need a single, double, triple or multiple entry. The processing period for visa applications is normally one to three days during which time your passport will remain with the consulate. The scale of fees is:

   VISA FEES
   BUSINESS, INVESTORS, PRIVATE AND WORK VISAS
   SINGLE ENTRY up to three months	33
   DOUBLE ENTRY up to three months	43
   TRIPLE ENTRY up to three months	73
   MULTIPLE ENTRY one year two years	133 263
   TOURIST VISAS
   single entry up to 30 days double entry up to 60 days	23 33
   TRANSIT VISAS
   single entry for 72 hours	13

Application form

Business visa

Aswell as sending an invitation to you, the inviting organisation must apply to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry for approval. The Consulate here receives a daily list of visas to be issued. In general, even if you have the correct paperwork, your visa will not be issued until your name is on the list. ( If the approval has not been received when you apply for your visa, the counting period to determine the fee payable starts from when the approval arrives.)

Covering letters

You must provide a letter from your UK employers stating the purpose of the visit and requesting the visa. The letter should be signed by someone obviously senior. There is no definitive advice to give, but visas have been rejected in the past because this letter was signed by someone below the position of director.

Tourist visa

You must book accommodation through a Kazakhstan-based tour operator licensed by the government. They will then provide the invitation.  

Private visa

Your Kazakh contacts must apply to the Ministry of the Interior to issue an official invitation. The actual document issued by the Ministry must be sent to you for presentation to the consulate.

Transit visa

Firstly, anyone holding a visa for any other country of the CIS can transit Kazakhstan for upto 72 hours en route to the relevant country. No actual visa is necessary. Persons in transit to non-CIS countries will need to obtain a transit visa before departure. An invitation is not needed provided that they can provide air tickets and proof that they will be admitted to the third country.

HOTELS

See ABTA website for details of protection provided