Getting married in Kazakhstan

The Kazakh language requirement has been ongoing for a few years now and it is extending to more and more areas, so that is no surprise at all.

The IIN is a new one, just get it, it relatively painless, although I'm confused when you say that you will only be there for 30 days. You must lodge your documents in person, when it is lodged, you will be given two dates, one will be a mandatory "cooling-off" period of 30 days date from lodgement when you must return to the office where you lodged the application, to confirm that you both intend to commit to the wedding, the second date will be the earliest date that the wedding registration can take place.

This is generally a few days after the mandatory "cooling-off" period.

As for the document regarding children, you need to make it absolutely clear with the Kazakh end precisely what they require (the name of the document and what they expect to appear on it). The former CCCP states often have arcane documents they require and these confuse the hell out of embassies worldwide.

Regarding the apostilles, as mentioned earlier, the UAE is not signatory to the Apostille Treaty (Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) and therefore you have to do two sets of legalisations ... rather than just the simple single apostille for the Certificate of No Impediment To Marriage as you would if you were from Australia or the UK (or any other of the 110 countries that are signatory to it).

So you will need to get two sets of legalisations rather than the single apostille for all UAE documents that would otherwise require apostilles.

You will also require a certified copy of immigration card (no additional stamp is needed despite what some notaries will try to tell you, ask them to call the immigration police and they will resolve the dispute, or just go to the next notary, there are notaries every 10 metres in Kazakhstan).

NucMed wrote:

The Kazakh language requirement has been ongoing for a few years now and it is extending to more and more areas, so that is no surprise at all.

The IIN is a new one, just get it, it relatively painless, although I'm confused when you say that you will only be there for 30 days. You must lodge your documents in person, when it is lodged, you will be given two dates, one will be a mandatory "cooling-off" period of 30 days date from lodgement when you must return to the office where you lodged the application, to confirm that you both intend to commit to the wedding, the second date will be the earliest date that the wedding registration can take place.

This is generally a few days after the mandatory "cooling-off" period.

I'm taking a 60 day visa, so I have to do a renewal run after 30 days. Also my fiancee is pregnant, so they waive the period drastically  (ZAGS and TSON both said so) - so I won't be there more than 30 days (more than likely)

The IIN concerns me, as apparently they need a Tax number from my country of residence - Expats don't pay tax in the UAE, so no tax office exists....will I need that from the UK as I am a British Citizen?

NucMed wrote:

Regarding the apostilles, as mentioned earlier, the UAE is not signatory to the Apostille Treaty (Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) and therefore you have to do two sets of legalisations ... rather than just the simple single apostille for the Certificate of No Impediment To Marriage as you would if you were from Australia or the UK (or any other of the 110 countries that are signatory to it).

So you will need to get two sets of legalisations rather than the single apostille for all UAE documents that would otherwise require apostilles.

It looks like a mix of apostilles and legalisations -
I am from the UK - so my CNI and passport should just be apostille jobs
But divorce cert and birth cert are UAE, so need the legalisation

Did I get that right?

NucMed wrote:

You will also require a certified copy of immigration card (no additional stamp is needed despite what some notaries will try to tell you, ask them to call the immigration police and they will resolve the dispute, or just go to the next notary, there are notaries every 10 metres in Kazakhstan).

That looks straight forward enough....well that part anyway

Thanks for your help...I'm tearing my last few hairs out!!!

Hello Zvezdopad,
You are welcome.

Very pity to hear about translation requirements become more strict. It means more expenses to spend for translation and as a consequences time that will be spend....

Well, apostile - yes it's a stamp. But looks like a page of document. Usually fulfilled in French, as what I saw.... maybe English. Google the pictures of apostile.

TSON needs IIN, that's true.
We went to local tax body that refer to your hotel's location. Showed them translated passport, paid fee, showed migration registration documents and they issued IIN within 3 days. They asked if we need it ASAP we can add 5000 tenge under table and we will get it in 1 day.

In my opinion you're better to bring your son's birth certificate as well. And translate+authorise it, in any case... it KZ! Everything can happen.

Honestly I think it's already becoming more easy just to register your marriage abroad, like UK or UAE....

Good luck and God bless

Thanks Joe&Sabi

Joe&Sabi wrote:

TSON needs IIN, that's true.
We went to local tax body that refer to your hotel's location. Showed them translated passport, paid fee, showed migration registration documents and they issued IIN within 3 days. They asked if we need it ASAP we can add 5000 tenge under table and we will get it in 1 day.

Thinks in the CIS never change lol

Joe&Sabi wrote:

In my opinion you're better to bring your son's birth certificate as well. And translate+authorise it, in any case... it KZ! Everything can happen.

Will do that, and his passport too - make sure there is no way they can argue!

Joe&Sabi wrote:

Honestly I think it's already becoming more easy just to register your marriage abroad, like UK or UAE....

Good luck and God bless

Thank you for that!  If only the UAE was easier - because she is pregnant, we can't do it here...or we'll get arrested! Also I need Male relatives, witnesses, permission etc....on top of compulsory genetics test. Oh, and I forgot - as she is Muslim, I would have to convert and pass an exam on Islam to get permission to get a marriage licence!!! KZ actually looks like less stress! lol

Aweeee...  now I see....
You'd better convert her to Christ...
God bless you all and baby inside!

"The IIN concerns me, as apparently they need a Tax number from my country of residence?"

For my IIN, they did not require a tax number from my country (Australia), perhaps it is a new requirement in the last 4 years, I only got an IIN because I wanted a local bank account.

Do you have a tax number in the UK, perhaps bring an old tax assessment notice or national insurance number?

"... they waive the period drastically  (ZAGS and TSON both said so) - so I won't be there more than 30 days (more than likely) ..."

Things are not always as they say, on the day, they may decide not to waive the period ... be careful and have a plan B for anything to do with the bureaucracy in Kazakhstan ... and don't be tempted to "pay a little extra under the counter" for preferential treatment ... I'm reasonably sure you don't want to inspect the insides of a KZ gaol for any length of time ... the crackdown on corruption is increasingly catching the lower level officials (bureaucracy officials et cetera) ... and leaving the ones at the top relatively untouched ...

Hi there,

Update:

All paperwork in hand, translated, and attested (to the tune of $2000+!!!) apart from IIN and (CNI) Certificate of No Impediment from UK embassy in Astana.

Quick Q - with CNI, do I need to send off to the UK, or can I get a stamp in the UK embassy in Astana, do a translation and use?

Thanks - Am actually starting to see the light at the end of this marathon!!!

Thanks for that - definitely not planning to visit the clink! Am almost there - Have legalised, attested and translated Divorce cert and contract & sons birth certificate as they are UAE docs. Will do my passport this weekend in KZ, as well as apply for my CNI!

Should also get my IIN too - as you need one to open a bank account too. They told me to say I want it for banking, and they will do it quicker than if I want it for marriage....bizarre!

"...  or can I get a stamp in the UK embassy in Astana, do a translation and use?"

As you have a certificate of no impediment to marriage from the government of the UK, you need to have that apostilled by whatever department of the UK government that handles that ( it appears that at least according to the FCO website ...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-an … kazakhstan

you must get the legalisation done by the Legalisation Office ... http://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised ).

Thanks NucMed,

That seems painless enough.....after all the other steps, its prob one of the easier ones!

Dumb question.....

Once I get the apostillised/legalised CNI from the FCO, I need to get it translated. Do I need to have that legalised or can a local legal translator take care of that? Am just seeing time being eaten up by a crazy number of steps....

"Do I need to have that legalised or can a local legal translator take care of that?"

I think you can have that either done by the UK embassy in Astana or they may be able to direct you to someone that can do it for you in Astana (I am unsure of all the documents that the UK embassy will and will not provide since I am Australian rather than British).

Perhaps the website ...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-an … kazakhstan

may be able to direct you in the right direction ...

OK - next part of the odyssey......

Got my CNI from the British Embassy, stamped and in Russian....Got told to go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get it stamped....so my other half calls ahead to check where and what the process is - MFA then proceed to tell us they don't deal with this, and that TSON does it.....
TSON then say they only deal with Kazakh bodies - not foreign embassies, and to go back to the embassy

So I called the FCO, who do the apostille for any UK docs (Embassies no longer do it....part of a cost cutting exercise by the delightful government we have) Then got told FCO in the UK won't apostillise a document that is in Russian.......AAAGH!

So now waiting in limbo for the embassy to advise us of anything we can do - It would be funny if it wasn't so stressful....

So, you have a certificate of no impediment to marriage in English that has been apostilled?

Do you have a translation of that document in Russian? Have you got that notarised?

What else do they want if not those two documents (apart from the other bits of paper unrelated)?

Only the translation needs to be notarised, only the original needs to have an apostille.

Surely the UK embassy in Astana can direct you to a notarius (if you are missing a notarised version of the translation)? Or you could walk down the street and find one within a few minutes (in most cities in KZ, there are нотариус every 20 metres)?

Forgive me if I have either got the wrong end of the stick here or the rules have changed recently.

Hi there,

The embassy have given me a letter in Russian ( it's the CNI). It's been signed by the Pro-Consul and stamped by the Embassy. I don't have any documents in English.

Was told to take that to MFA for legalisation....

I recall there was some documents you had to get legalised twice because they were from the UAE, but the certificate of no impediment to marriage was just from the UK embassy (or have I got that wrong)?

If so, the the certificate of no impediment to marriage originally should have been in English and apostilled.

Then a translation of that into Russian should be made and notarised and presented (along with all your other documents) when you go to register to marry.

Well...I'm finally in Kazakhstan and to cut a Lon story short - we got married yesterday!

The no objection from the embassy needed to be arrested by MFA consular dept in Astana, and we got it back after 3 days, and ZAGS accepted a letter from doctor re pregnancy status, and they decided to offer us the next day! All done and dusted now!

Hi!  there are some rules to be married in Kazakhstan. I would advise you to contact Kazakh Service Centre. This world wide company helps expats with their paperwork when they are going to enter the country and with their KZ police certificates and other issues when expats are out of the Kazakhstan.
This Company can obtain for you the Certificate of non impediment in Canada and legalize it. prepare the Statutory Declaration of Single Status in US, UK and apostille them and mane many things. And the most important thing - Kazakh Service Centre does not charge as  lawyers, the rates are pretty reasonable! The service is fast!

Congratulations!! Cheers!!! After a long process, time to celebrate.

Hi!

I am German and planning to marry my Kazakh girlfriend in Kazakhstan. Currently we are also trying to get all the required documents together and there is one thing that I find especially confusing and maybe you can help me here.

On eGov one of the requirements for a foreigner getting registered in Kazakhstan is:

"[for a] foreigner temporarily staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan- document, issued by the authority of internal affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, giving a permission for temporary residence in the RK;"

Now I wonder, how exactly I can get this "temporary residence document". My girlfriend was asking the people at zags in Almaty and they just didn't know.

On the same eGov site it is stated, that "Registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily staying in the Republic of Kazakhstan is available online, passing through this link."

Now following this link, I am required to register on this website, which seems to require an electronic signature (EDS). Looking into the matter of how to get an EDS it seems that this is only possible if I have an IIN. I couldn't figure out now how I could get such an IIN or if I am even following the right path here.

If anyone here could give me a hint I would be absolutely grateful.

Cheers

Hi, I don't know if you've seen my original post from a few years ago ...

Below are the documents and procedure you need to follow ...

Translated and notarised passport with apostille

Translated and notarised Certificate of No Impediment To Marriage with apostille (from your government)

Certified copy of immigration card (no additional stamp is needed despite what some notaries will try to tell you, ask them to call the immigration police and they will resolve the dispute, or just go to the next notary, there are notaries every 20 metres here in Ust-Kamenogorsk).

The application form needs to be filled out in Russian, and when it is lodged, you will be given two dates, one will be a mandatory "cooling-off" period of 30 days date from lodgement when you must return to the office where you lodged the application, to confirm that you both intend to commit to the wedding, the second date will be the earliest date that the wedding registration can take place.

This is generally a few days after the mandatory "cooling-off" period.

The IIN, if needed, is easy to get (I only got it so I could open a local bank account), but at the time I married, it was not a requirement (at least in Ust-Kamenogorsk), perhaps things have changed, but it is not a problem to obtain one.

The "temporary residence document" sounds a bit weird, unless it's the "immigration card", the risible little piece of white paper you fill out that is stamped when you arrive and must hand back when you depart ...

There should be no reason or need for you to get involved with the e-Gov site to have yourself "registered" as long as you have arrived at one of the international airports, your passport and "immigration card" will have been stamped correctly ...

However, if you have arrived across a land border, your mileage may vary ... not all give the correct stamps and your partner will need either need to get involved with the e-Gov site and sign up for an account and the ability to sign documents electronically, or go to the local immigration police ...

Cheers, all the best ...

NucMed wrote:

Hi, I don't know if you've seen my original post from a few years ago ...

Hi NucMed! Thanks for your quick reply. I did see your post in fact, I was just unsure, if the regulations might have changed in the last couple of years.

I knew about the requirement of the "Certificate of No Impediment To Marriage" with apostille. We are right now in the process of obtaing it here in Germany.

I missed the fact, that the passport also needs to have an apostille! You mean, they will put an apostille in the passport itself? I am glad that you pointed that out to me! Up to now people only mentioned to me that an identity document of me as a foreigner must be submitted with notarized translation into Kazakh or Russian.

NucMed wrote:

The "temporary residence document" sounds a bit weird, unless it's the "immigration card", the risible little piece of white paper you fill out that is stamped when you arrive and must hand back when you depart ...

It does sound weird, that is why I am scratching my head over it right now. Giving them a notarized copy of my immigration card is easy. I will definitely arrive in Kazakhstan at the international airport in Almaty and get one.

NucMed wrote:

The IIN, if needed, is easy to get (I only got it so I could open a local bank account), but at the time I married, it was not a requirement (at least in Ust-Kamenogorsk), perhaps things have changed, but it is not a problem to obtain one.

If it is easy to get, I think I should get one. Up to now I was quite unlucky to google how to apply for an IIN. How did you apply for one?

"I missed the fact, that the passport also needs to have an apostille! You mean, they will put an apostille in the passport itself? I am glad that you pointed that out to me! Up to now people only mentioned to me that an identity document of me as a foreigner must be submitted with notarized translation into Kazakh or Russian."

At the time, I had to get a apostilled copy of the translation of my passport, perhaps this has changed now (it was back in 2013), nothing, in fact, would surprise me.

In theory, the marriage registration office should be able to supply you with a list of documents that you will need, it was certainly the case here in Ust-Kamenogorsk at the time and we just fulfilled that list. I'll have a look around and see if I can find a copy of it and send you a private message with the requirements attached.

Having said that, the bureaucracy in Kazakhstan is Byzantine and never the same two days running and often varies from oblast to oblast, city to city,and for all I know, from mikrorayon to mikrorayon ... it is why there are so many notarius offices here ... it is the only way the average citizen can make sense of the place, you know all those little blue folders you see people carrying around? Well, they are their documents that they need to use to navigate the bureaucracy and are constantly at one notarius or another being examined, notarised or apostilled ...

The IIN, was just a matter of going to the tax/financial office in your city and making an application (passport, immigration card were the only two documents I needed) and waiting for seven days from memory, coming back and picking it up. I have heard of some that have obtained it the same day, but I'm unsure of the circumstances in that situation.

Cheers, all the best

Hello, I am from Quebec, Canada. I met  a wonderful woman from Kazakhstan , and we want to get married. She is from Almaty. Now the procedure seem to be to apply for wedding and wait for 30 days before being able to get the marriage official.
So it means that i have to go there, apply, come back to Canada, and go back to Almaty for the celebration.
Is there simpler way?
would it (could) be simpler for her to come to Canada and get married here?

I am not really good at all these formality papers, so any help would beverywelcome
Thanks, merci.

"So it means that i have to go there, apply, come back to Canada, and go back to Almaty for the celebration."

You don't have to go back to Canada, just leave KZ before the 30 days is up, perhaps catch KC109 to Bishkek, walk off the 'plane, through Kyrgyz immigration (Canadians get 60 days visa-free in Kyrgyzstan), out through migration and back onto KC110 to Almaty ... you now have another 30 days in KZ, done and dusted in about 3 hours.

"... would it (could) be simpler for her to come to Canada and get married here?"

Perhaps ... depending on how easy it is for her to obtain the relevant Canadian visa and what your intent is post marriage (live in Canada or Kazakhstan).

Hi NucMed,

NucMed wrote:

At the time, I had to get a apostilled copy of the translation of my passport, perhaps this has changed now (it was back in 2013), nothing, in fact, would surprise me.

I am still struggling with the documents here. Did you get the apostile on the translation of your passport copy in your home country or in Kazakhstan? It seems next to impossible to get the German authorities to put an apostile on a translation. The only thing that was offered to me, is the apostile on an untranslated copy of my passport. I wonder, if it would be enough to get the apostiled copy translated in Kz instead of getting the translation of the copy apostiled in Ger.

Cheers,
Manuel

"The only thing that was offered to me, is the apostile on an untranslated copy of my passport. I wonder, if it would be enough to get the apostiled copy translated in Kz instead of getting the translation of the copy apostiled in Ger."

That would probably be best since you are having problems getting it done otherwise. Then get it translated and notarised in Kazakhstan.

Hmm.. is that what you did too, or did you get an apostile on the translation of your passport? I just don't want to risk that my documents get rejected, once I am taking a flight to Almaty. 

From memory, I got the translation of the apostilled passport in Ust-Kamenogorsk and that was notarised. The certificate of no impediment to marriage was translated and apostilled in Australia.

Apostille is done on the original document, by the government which has issued this document. So, if you hold, for example, German Passport, apostille will be done by German government/Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Germany or some Government agency appointed by German government. But, there is a cache - Passport is not apostilled.

So, what you should do is to translate your passport to Russian and and notarise it. The notary office will generally have both the facility of translation and notarisation. They would certainly ask your original document/passport to be produced at the time of notarisation.

After this, no apostille is required. you can live with peace. This is how I have done and this is how world does.

(In exceptional situations, photocopies may be apostilled of those documents such as driving license, tax card etc. when there is no space on the back of documents to put multiple signatures/stamps. But, such photocopies should be apostilled by the government which has issued it. Once they apostille it, Kazakh Government need not apostille it. This is how it works. That's why it is Apostille as per Hague Convention.)

I would be happy to answer any more questions.

Hello everyone.
I am a Bangladeshi citizen. I am 24 years old . I live in Tokyo. I am divorced. Now i have a relation with a kazkh girl. She is 21 years old. We decided to marry in Bangladesh. And for kazakh citizens to visit Bangladesh it's visa free. And after marriage I will bring her in Tokyo.
So my question is
1. Is there objections to visit in Bangladesh for kazakh .
2. If we marry and register in my country and also want to register in Kazakhstan then what should we do? And how long it will take to get registered?
3. Can we rigister our marriage in Kazakhstan?
4. I cannot get 60 days double entry visa. Only single entry and 30 days visa.

Please please please help us to overcome this situation. We love each other very very much. Please help us

Hi, a bit off topic but hoping someone will reply.  I'm planning to go visit my ex who is a Kazakh male (I'm a white foreign female) and he's invited me to stay with him at his place. It will just be the two of us, we are both now single and it will be a romantic catch up. I was wondering however if me staying with him is ok in the eyes of the law in Kazakhstan and also if it's culturally acceptable to do so. I don't want to get into any sort of trouble or cross any lines. The places will be both in Almaty and also in a smaller town in a country area. Also, can you please tell me if public affection in KZ is ok or not (holding hands, hugging, kissing). Thanks!

My husband is about moving to Kazakhstan to live and work. How's standard of living for foreigners there? Are there jobs there?

Hello, in which city he is going to work ? Because climate in Kazakhstan is so different, on north in winter temperature could be -50C, but in south same time -1C, so it depends. For more questions you can write me to ***

He's considering Astana but I want you to help me with information about the standard of living there for foreigners. Is it difficult getting a good job? Please send me your private link.

Hello Mr Peter,

I would like to request you to share some information about the visa  in 2020 which will help me to stay in Kazakhstan ( Oskemen) more than 30 days in order to complete marriage at ZAGS .

how to get this visa > can my fiance send me a LOI  with  private visa or any other kind of visa?

My email : ***

Many many thanks to you .

Hi I am Indian citizen but I have been living and working in new zealand from last 6 years .I have one girl friend in Almaty.we want to marry .she agree  to marry me .but I don't know the procedure of wedding and document required how many days and which category do I apply for visa for Kazakhstan. please send me some information .I Would really appreciate your help.my email I'd  is
***

Hi , you can apply for Private Visa which will allow you stay in Kazakhstan at least 90 days so you can comply with 31 days notice period . Kindly ask you fiancee  to visit RAGs ( marriage registration office ) & inquire list of documents required for submission during filling up forms .
Minimum mandatory documents :
Marriage registration form ( provided by RAGS )
Bachelor Hood or single hood certificate   or Non Marriage certificate ( If not married before )
Passport copy
Visa  copy

all document has to translated & Notarized. Rags officer will verify original & translated  documents.

After filling up form & once marriage officer are satisfied with all documents , will be provided date of marriage & payment  details for marriage . Payment can be done online before actual registration .

if  documents are correct , registration process is simple.

Hope above explanation helps.

Cheers , Good luck

Hello guys!

I am an EU citizen and planing to get marry with my Kazakh girlfriend. We planned to do it in Kazakhstan.

My first question is , am I allowed to get merry in Kazakhstan ? Because they say that I need to have a document, issued by the authority of internal affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, giving a permission for temporary residence in the RK. I have  a promission to be in KAzakhstan in 30 days without the visa.

I am planning to come in Kazakhstan on 10 - 15 days to sumbit all documentation and appllication tfor he marriage registration and then come back to my country because I am not allowed to stay there longer than 30 days and I can`t get so long vacation.

After few weeks (after cooling-off periond) I am planning to come again and get merry.

Guys is it possible to do it ? Or I must have at least 60 days long visa to get merry in Kazakhstan? And is it possible to come in the country , be there  like 10-15 days, leave and than come back after few weeks ?