Visa & Immigration

International students are required to have a C9 student visa. Students will apply for the visa through the Consulate/Embassy of Kazakhstan in their home/resident countries. Student visas are typically issued for a period of an entire academic year (or the full academic term for short-term students). This visa type allows students to make multiple entries to Kazakhstan. The visa must be renewed each year. Depending on your nationality, you may not need a visa.

Since immigration regulations may change at any time, check the most up to date immigration regulations per the government of Kazakhstan and get contact information for specific consulates.



Apply for a Student Visa


Step 1: Clarify all steps, requirements, costs and timeline

The length of time your visa takes to be processed will depend on a number of factors, including your country of residence. Check with the relevant consulate of Kazakhstan nearest you to learn more about what to expect throughout the application process. Also make sure to work with your International Coordinator throughout the application process so you can manage your travel and arrival to Kazakhstan accordingly. You can get in touch with an International Coordinator at onboarding@narxoz.kz.


Step 2: Get a Letter of Invitation (LOI)

Before students can apply for a visa, the Narxoz International Student Coordinator must obtain a Letter of Invitation from the Kazakhstan government on the prospective student's behalf. It can take up to 14 days for Narxoz to receive the Letter of Invitation, so students must email all required documents to the International Student Coordinator as early as possible (at least one month before the start of the semester).


The International Student Coordinator reviews the following documents, then submits them to the Office of Migration Service in Almaty. Once the Office of Migration Services issues a Letter of Invitation, the Coordinator sends a scan of the LOI to the prospective student to use in his/hers visa application process.

To obtain Letter of Invitation (LOI) the following documents should be submitted by the candidate to the International Student Coordinator:

• Electronic copy of passport identification page
• If the applicant permanently resides and plans to apply for a visa out of their country of citizenship: an electronic copy of the document confirming the long-term stay (e.g. residence/work permit, long-term visitor/dependent visa with an official translation into Kazakh or Russian)
• Admission letter from Narxoz: As soon as you receive your letter, check to make sure all your personal information is correct and matches the information in your passport. Contact the Admissions Office immediately (admissions@narxoz.kz) immediately if anything is incorrect.

NOTE: Upon arrival at Narxoz, students will be required to reimburse Narxoz for the fees associated with the visa invitation process. These fees are equal to half of the Kazakh Government's Monthly Calculation Index (MCI). For instance, since the MCI is 3692 KZT in 2024, students paid a visa invitation fee of 3692*0.5, or 1846 KZT + bank commission 150KZT.

By facilitating an early application for a Letter of Invitation and working closely with the International Student Coordinator you can increase your chances of getting a visa in a timely manner, although it varies based on your country of residence and citizenship.


Step 3: Apply for the visa

Once the student receives a Letter of Invitation from their International Student Coordinator, they should follow the instructions on the websites of the Embassy/Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan of your home country to apply for a visa.


Typically, the following documents are required as part of this process:

• Copy of the Letter of Invitation
• Visa application form(from the Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the student's home country or country of permanent residence)
• Admission letter from Narxoz: As soon as you receive your letter, check to make sure all your personal information is correct and matches the information in your passport. Contact the Admissions Office immediately (admissions@narxoz.kz) immediately if anything is incorrect.
• Passport (original + two copies; valid for at least six months beyond the length of the requested visa and have at least two blank pages to stamp the visa)
• Copy of flight itinerary to Kazakhstan
• One passport-style photograph (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm)
• Additional supporting documents: bank statements, health insurance, proof of accommodation in Almaty (hotel, dormitory, etc.)
• Pay the visa fee (varies from country to country)

Arriving in Kazakhstan

• When crossing the border, you need to show your passport and visa, and specify the educational purpose of the arrival to the immigration officer. You may also be asked to show supporting documents, such as your letter of admission.
• Additionally, all foreigners must notify the Migration Service of their arrival within three calendar days from the moment they cross the border of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Your Narxoz International Student Coordinator will help you with this.
• After leaving Kazakhstan for any period of time (even for a few hours), you must re-notify the Migration Service about your arrival within three calendar days following the same procedures as when you first arrived in Kazakhstan.

Temporary Registration

Foreign students arriving from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, instead of a visa upon arrival, are issued temporary registration at the place of residence for a period of one academic year. For temporary registration, you need to provide the original of your passport to the International Students and Faculty Department. The rest of the documents are drawn up by the Department Coordinator:

• application (2 copies - filled in by the Department Coordinator)
• enrollment order / order to transfer from course to course
• arrival notification
• an official letter from the University

Remain in status

Re-Registration Requirements

After leaving Kazakhstan for any period of time (even for a few hours), you must re-register in the Migration Service following the same procedures as when you first arrived in Kazakhstan. Make sure to coordinate with your International Student Coordinator before you leave Kazakhstan so that they can arrange your re-registration.


Student Visa Renewal

International student visas are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. In order to renew your visa before its expiration date, provide the following documents to your International Student Coordinator at least 30 working days, but not later than 14 working days, before the expiry of the valid visa:

• Passport (original)
• Copy of passport identification page
• One passport-style photograph (3.5cm x 4.5cm)
• Completed visa application form
• Letter confirming that you are a student of Narxoz University (available at the Narxoz Student Service Center)
• Visa fee (paid receipt from the Narxoz Accounts Office)

Visa Cancellation

When students end their academic program before the end of completion, their visa must be cancelled. The process takes three to five business days. The following documents must be submitted to the Department of International Cooperation (DIC) for C9 visa cancellation:

• Passport (original)
• Signed contract on student withdrawal from Narxoz University