Kazakhstan · Business / Startup
Kazakhstan Self-employment C4
Self-employment visa C4 (in-demand professions)
First checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Self-employment C4 is a business / startup route for Kazakhstan. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- 5 working days
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The visa can be extended for the term of your employment contract with a Kazakh legal entity, up to 3 years, in the specialty on your qualification certificate. You apply yourself. Extension 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 applyAbroad or in-country
Issued by Kazakh embassies and consulates abroad, or in Kazakhstan by the migration police. Holders of several other categories can switch to C4 in the country.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a sponsor in Kazakhstan
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The applicant is an adult coming to Kazakhstan for self-employment in professions in demand in priority sectors of the economy.
Documents3
- A certificate of qualification for self-employment and a petition.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs also requires an employment contract.
- An invitation with a visa support number from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
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
Full official text
Visa for adults coming to Kazakhstan for self-employment in professions in demand in priority economic sectors. 1 2 3
Requirements
- The applicant is an adult coming to Kazakhstan for self-employment in professions in demand in priority sectors of the economy. 2 3
- A certificate of qualification for self-employment and a petition. 2
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs also requires an employment contract. 2 3
- An invitation with a visa support number from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 3
Stay
- Single entry up to 90 days; multiple entry visa up to 3 years.
- Visa validity: 36 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
Work
Self-employment in the permitted profession.
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
Self-employment C4 and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employment C4 | – | – | Yes |
| Business immigrant C5 | – | – | – |
| 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 Self-employment C4?
Single entry up to 90 days; multiple entry visa up to 3 years.
How long does the Self-employment C4 take to process?
Visa processing may not exceed 5 working days.
Can I work on the Self-employment C4?
Yes. Self-employment in the permitted profession.
How are Self-employment C4 holders taxed in Kazakhstan?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Self-employment C4. 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.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 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
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.