Hello everybody.
Just FYI. Lots of visa and migration laws were changed (and still being) since march 2013. It looks like Kazakh Government making it impossible for foreigners to come to this "Paradise" country.
I'm local married to South African more then 5 yrs with 2 kids, citizens of RoK.
Since last year we've been facing lots of visa problems. My husband worked in Atyrau (work permit and registration was done in Atyrau), but me and kids live in Aktobe. He worked on rotation 28/28. So every rotation off he used to come home, but last year we found out that he can't be in any other city then Atyrau (where he got work permit and registration) for more then 10 days! Showing family docs, apartment and kids didn't help. Migration said No, and said next time he'll get a fine, after that they can put him in jail....
We decided to apply for Residence Visa...it took me once month to find at least some informaion about docs needed... my husband was on work visa, he applied in local migration office...with all the documents needed (local migration officers didn't know what documents needed) according to the Law. They accepted his docs, changed his Visa to J3 visa (I found out later this type of visa is only given to ethnic kazakhs )) and we happily waited for 2 months to get a call from KNB saying they returning our docs, coz migration gave us wrong type of visa and had no right to accept our docs, my husband is illigally in Kazakhstan and must leave the country. The guy in KNB turned out a good guy with some good heart, gave me some advices and some consultation. So we collected documents again (all freshly notorized and issued).
He went to Istanbul Kazakhstan Consulate, applied from there again, docs were accepted (the officer didn't want to take all the docs) my husband insisted on giving him all the docs... they gave him private visa based on marriage certificate, he entered the country and we happily continued waiting for permission.... but 3 months later we got letter that MHA declined our docs!!! They couldn't explain why...i had to write on ministry blog (beginning of May) and got answer in June only...by that time visa expired, money finished, patience died...my husband left again to Istanbul to get private Visa.. the consulate officer seems to be a good person, issued visa quickly. Now visa is getting expired again...still no new job...we called consulate to say he's coming again for new private visa, but turned out private visa can only be given ONCE FOR 90 DAYS/YEAR!!!
So next week my husband will leave country and we don't know how to get him back. Looks like the only way for him to be in Kazakhstan is to have work visa. But if he gets job abroad he'll be able to visit us once a year. Nice...
Thank you Kazakhstan Government.
The new Law says about Family Reunion visa... it took me couple sleepless nights to try find some info...haha...i found! Lots of questions...trying to get hold of MFA and MHA.. MFA said i better ask MHA...3 days already sitting on the phone, no results. The MHA guy said that visa will be under consideration from 4-6 months...anybody wants to give shelter for my husband during this period???))
So the only way out for us is to sell apartment and car and leave this "paradize" country...i wonder if we gonna miss it?
If anybody got connections in MFA or MHA please let me know.
If u got questions about documents we collected or procedures, you are welcome.
But we came to conclusion it's impossible to get residence or family reunion visa legally.