The spouse and children of a Russian citizen working in Kazakhstan may live with the worker under the rules for family members of an EAEU worker. However, one person’s employment contract does not automatically arrange residence for the whole family: you must establish the family relationship, check each person’s deadlines and apply for temporary residence permits (RVPs) for those who need them.
This guide covers a family in which the worker and the accompanying spouse and children are Russian citizens, and the worker has a valid employment contract with an employer in Kazakhstan. The basis and procedure must be checked separately for relatives of another nationality, an unmarried partner or other dependants.
A child under 16 does not need a separate RVP. This is an exemption from obtaining a permit, not permission to stay without regard to the duration and basis of residence. The RVP application form provides for details of accompanying children under 16. The rules and sources were checked on 12 September 2026.
First identify the family’s basis for residence
Article 96 of the EAEU Treaty defines a family member as a person married to the worker, as well as dependent children and other persons recognised as family members under the legislation of the state of employment. A marriage certificate therefore establishes a registered marriage; for a child, check the relationship and whether the dependency condition applies. Reaching adulthood alone does not provide a definitive answer for every child. EAEU Treaty, Articles 96–97.
Do not confuse this route with the separate “family reunification” service: its document list refers to a relative permanently residing in Kazakhstan. A worker’s RVP grants temporary residence. A Russian worker’s family should check the rules for family members of an EAEU worker, rather than treat the worker’s RVP as a permanent residence permit. RVP issuance rules, Appendix 2.
The temporary stay of an EAEU worker and their family members is linked to the term of the employment or civil-law contract. Kazakhstan’s rules provide workers who do not need a work permit and their families with a one-year RVP, renewable annually, but not beyond the contract term. The permit must also not extend beyond the validity of the national passport. One year is not guaranteed for every contract. Stay rules, paragraph 10.
Make a separate row for each person
Complete a family table before applying. This is a preparation checklist, not an additional government form.
| Family member | What to check | What to prepare for the check |
|---|---|---|
| Working parent | Whether the contract is valid and the employer’s records match the Unified System for Recording Employment Contracts (ESUTD) | Contract, employer details, existing RVP |
| Spouse | Whether the marriage is registered, the spouse’s own entry dates and passport | Marriage certificate, identity document, entry details |
| Child under 16 | Age, relationship, dependency and details in the family section of the application | Birth certificate, travel document, entry date |
| Child aged 16 or over | An RVP is required; check eligibility for the family basis and individual deadlines | Identity document, evidence of relationship and, where necessary, dependency |
Example. The worker’s contract runs until 31 December, and the spouse and a ten-year-old child arrive in September. The spouse cannot expect an RVP until the following September merely because the rules mention one year: the contract limits the term. The ten-year-old does not receive a separate RVP, but their basis and permitted stay, and inclusion of their details in the application, must be checked. If the spouse’s passport expires before the contract, this further limits that spouse’s permit.
Which documents to gather and what to clarify when applying
For applications through the police or the Government for Citizens State Corporation, the general list includes an application form, a copy of an identity document with the original for verification, a copy of medical insurance registered in Saqtandyry with the original, notarised consent to residence in the case specified below, and a fingerprinting certificate. Notarised consent is required if the service recipient does not own the accommodation being provided. Do not replace this condition with a claim that any rental agreement is sufficient. Document list, Appendix 2.
This is the general list for that submission channel, not a statement that every item applies equally to every family member. Before arranging insurance and fingerprinting, clarify which requirements apply to the particular applicant, age and basis. Where the necessary information is available in integrated digital systems, the rules allow it to be used without resubmitting documents.
To check the family basis, prepare marriage and birth certificates, name-change documents where records differ, the worker’s current contract and migration documents. For adult children and other dependants, clarify in advance which documents establish their status. This is a recommended set for checking the link to the worker: it should not be presented as an exhaustive separate list identical for every family and submission channel.
Before applying, ask the migration service at the place of stay which application subtype to use for an EAEU worker’s family, who acts as the host, how to establish the link to the worker’s contract and how to enter children’s details, especially if they arrived later. The rules provide for checking the foreign national’s individual identification number (IIN) and those of accompanying family members. Check IIN availability and consistent names across documents in advance; the worker’s single digital signature or IIN does not replace information about the whole family.
Who does what before and after entry
- Before travel, the family checks passports, certificates, children’s ages, contract dates and the residential address. If a child will soon turn 16, agree in advance on the procedure after that birthday.
- The employer confirms the valid contract and the accuracy of its details in ESUTD. The family agrees with the employer and host on who collects and submits documents. Do not assume that HR has already arranged residence for relatives together with the employee.
- After entry, the host notifies the internal affairs authorities of arriving foreign nationals within three working days. Notification does not replace an RVP. Family members may have different entry dates; check confirmation for each person. Stay rules, paragraph 9.
- To submit the application, the host uses a channel provided by the rules: the territorial police, the State Corporation or the eGov portal. The portal requires the host’s digital signature; a representative’s authority must be documented under the rules. Clarify the documents for the chosen channel, and obtain and retain confirmation of acceptance.
- After issuance, the family checks the names, basis and dates of each permit, and separately records the deadlines for children without RVPs. Renewal of the worker’s contract is a reason to arrange renewal of family residence in advance, not proof that it has already been renewed.
The submission and data-checking procedure is set out in paragraphs 4–10 of the RVP issuance rules. Contract preparation is covered in the employment-based RVP guide for Russian citizens; notification is explained in the separate guide for hosts.
Allow time and budget for preparation
The government RVP issuance service is free of charge, with an application processing time of one working day. For applications through the State Corporation, the day documents are accepted is excluded from the service period. Portal applications outside working hours, on weekends or public holidays are handled taking the next working day into account. This is not a promise to arrange residence for an entire family within 24 hours of arrival. RVP issuance rules, paragraphs 7–9 and Appendix 2.
Obtaining missing documents, correcting records, notarial services and insurance, where applicable, require additional time and may cost money. There is no single official price for a “family RVP”. Ask for the cost of each necessary service before paying, separating it from the free government service.
If the contract ends, an application is refused or a deadline has passed
When employment ends, check the residence position of the whole family, not just the worker. A future expiry date on an RVP does not remove the need to check a basis that has ended. The conditional right of an EAEU worker to conclude a new contract within 15 days does not automatically extend relatives’ RVPs. The conditions and steps are explained in the guide to changing employers.
An incomplete set or expired documents may lead to refusal to accept the application; inaccurate information and failure to meet requirements may lead to refusal of the service. Obtain a written document stating the reason and check whether it can be addressed before the permitted stay ends. Writing “family member” in the application does not replace evidence of the relationship.
If the permitted period has already ended, promptly take your documents and dates to the territorial migration service. Separately, paragraph 5 regulates RVP applications for immigrants who turned 16 while in Kazakhstan: before the permitted stay expires, or no later than 10 calendar days after it ends. If that ten-day deadline is missed, in this specified case documents must be submitted no later than 15 calendar days after a decision imposing administrative liability without expulsion. These periods cannot automatically be applied to any adult relative; they are not additional authorised days of residence and do not remove liability. Do not expect one relative’s application to resolve the position of everyone else. RVP issuance rules, paragraphs 5–6 and Appendix 2.
The next step for your family
Gather the family table, the worker’s contract and evidence of family relationships. Submit entry dates, passport expiry dates and existing permit dates for an individual check through the Visas, temporary and permanent residence service. This helps identify a route for each relative rather than give one general answer for the whole family.
Check your basis and get a personalised RVP document list. The questionnaire provides only an initial list; the personalised set for the spouse and children is clarified during an individual review.