Kazakhstan · Business / Startup
Kazakhstan Business immigrant C5
Business-immigrant visa C5
First checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Business immigrant C5 is a business / startup route for Kazakhstan. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- 5 working days
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The visa can be extended for up to 2 years on a written request from the local executive authority. Documents are filed from 30 working days to 5 working days before the visa expires.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan
Processing5 working days
Visa processing may not exceed 5 working days. The National Security Committee's coordination takes up to 3 working days, extendable to 30 calendar days when needed.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan
Where to applyFrom abroad
Issued by Kazakh embassies and consulates abroad. Extension is handled in Kazakhstan by the territorial migration police.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Kazakhstan, not after arriving
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The applicant is an adult entering Kazakhstan for entrepreneurial activity.
What you must show1
- The charter capital is paid into a second-tier Kazakh bank in at least the legal minimum amount.
Documents4
- A medical certificate confirms the absence of diseases that impede work.
- Medical insurance covers primary and emergency inpatient care.
- A certificate shows the presence or absence of a criminal record and of a court ban on entrepreneurial activity.
- An invitation with a visa support number from the Ministry of Internal Affairs is submitted.
Steps1
- Within 2 months of entry the business immigrant registers a commercial organisation or joins one as a participant.
After you arrive1
- Failing these obligations leads to a shortened stay.
When you become tax resident
How Kazakhstan decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in any consecutive 12 months ending in the tax periodPhysical presence including days of arrival and departure; for an AIFC investment resident the test is 90 days.
- At least 90 days in any consecutive 12 months ending in the tax periodInvestment resident of the AIFC under the AIFC Constitutional Law.
- At least 183 days in any consecutive 12-month period ending in the tax periodPermanent presence makes a person resident
- At least 90 days in any consecutive 12-month period ending in the tax periodAIFC investment resident
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income, with a progressive rate of 10% on income up to 8,500 times the monthly calculation index (MCI) in a calendar year and 15% on the excess; non-residents are taxed on Kazakhstan-source income only.
All tax rules for Kazakhstan Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Medical insurance covers primary and emergency inpatient care
- Police certificate and civil documents
A certificate shows the presence or absence of a criminal record and of a court ban on entrepreneurial activity
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Visa for adults entering Kazakhstan to carry out entrepreneurial activity (business immigrants). Multiple-entry validity up to 2 years (ethnic Kazakhs up to 3). 1 2 3
Requirements
- The applicant is an adult entering Kazakhstan for entrepreneurial activity. 4
- The charter capital is paid into a second-tier Kazakh bank in at least the legal minimum amount. 4
- A medical certificate confirms the absence of diseases that impede work. 4 5
- Medical insurance covers primary and emergency inpatient care. 4 2
- A certificate shows the presence or absence of a criminal record and of a court ban on entrepreneurial activity. 4 2
- An invitation with a visa support number from the Ministry of Internal Affairs is submitted. 2
- Within 2 months of entry the business immigrant registers a commercial organisation or joins one as a participant. 4
- Failing these obligations leads to a shortened stay. 4
Stay
- Single entry up to 90 days; multiple entry visa up to 2 years (ethnic Kazakhs up to 3 years).
- Visa validity: 24 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
Work
Entrepreneurial activity.
Family
Family reunification C2 is available to business immigrants' relatives.
Official sources
- Joint Order: Rules for invitations and issue of Republic of Kazakhstan visas (Annex 1 visa categories), as amended · Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Adilet legal database) · checked 2026-10-12
- Joint Order: Rules for invitations and issue of Republic of Kazakhstan visas (current text, amended October 2025) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Adilet) · checked 2026-10-12
- Work visa - C3, C4, C5 (embassy consular page) · Embassy of Kazakhstan in Pakistan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2023-06-06
- Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 477-IV of 22 July 2011 "On Migration of Population" (Articles 27-29) · Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan · checked 2026-10-11
- Rules for Issuing Temporary and Permanent Residence Permits to Foreigners and Stateless Persons (Order No. 992 of 4 December 2015, as amended) · Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan · checked 2026-10-11
Business immigrant C5 and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business immigrant C5 | – | – | – |
| Self-employment C4 | – | – | Yes |
| SMART Visa S · 2 years Thailand | Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Business Manager Japan | Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Golden · Entrepreneur United Arab Emirates | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Business immigrant C5?
Single entry up to 90 days; multiple entry visa up to 2 years (ethnic Kazakhs up to 3 years).
How long does the Business immigrant C5 take to process?
Visa processing may not exceed 5 working days.
Can I work on the Business immigrant C5?
Entrepreneurial activity.
Can I bring my family on the Business immigrant C5?
Family reunification C2 is available to business immigrants' relatives.
How are Business immigrant C5 holders taxed in Kazakhstan?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Business immigrant C5. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on worldwide income, with a progressive rate of 10% on income up to 8,500 times the monthly calculation index (MCI) in a calendar year and 15% on the excess; non-residents are taxed on Kazakhstan-source income only. The new Tax Code applies from 1 January 2026.
More in Kazakhstan
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Joint Order: Rules for invitations and issue of Republic of Kazakhstan visas (Annex 1 visa categories), as amended · Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Adilet legal database) · checked 2026-10-12
- Joint Order: Rules for invitations and issue of Republic of Kazakhstan visas (current text, amended October 2025) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan (Adilet) · checked 2026-10-12
- Work visa - C3, C4, C5 (embassy consular page) · Embassy of Kazakhstan in Pakistan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-10
- Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 477-IV of 22 July 2011 "On Migration of Population" (Articles 27-29) · Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan · checked 2026-10-11
- Rules for Issuing Temporary and Permanent Residence Permits to Foreigners and Stateless Persons (Order No. 992 of 4 December 2015, as amended) · Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.