If your residence card is expiring, prepare to replace it, rather than assembling a new application for initial permission to reside permanently. For an ordinary expiry replacement, the service list names the residence card or its digital form for identification, and a valid international passport. The state fee, photograph procedure and checks against government records must also be considered. The basis is Ministry of Internal Affairs service rules No. 266.
Start by comparing two dates: the one on the card and the one in your passport. A new passport does not automatically extend the old card, and a new card cannot remain valid beyond the passport issued by your country of citizenship. If both documents are expiring, clarify the order of steps before applying.
This guide was checked on 13 September 2026. It is primarily for Russian citizens already living permanently in Kazakhstan who still have their card and need to replace it because of expiry. Loss, changes to personal details, a change of citizenship and questions about cancellation of permanent residence permission need separate assessment. Initial card issuance after approval is covered in another guide.
First, identify your situation
| Situation | What to check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The card expires soon, but the passport remains valid for several years | Card expiry date, passport and registered residential address | Clarify the expiry-replacement appointment procedure and prepare the documents |
| The card and passport expire at roughly the same time | Availability and timing of a new Russian international passport | Coordinate the passport process and card replacement before the documents expire |
| You have a new passport, but the card still shows its previous expiry date | Details in both documents and the reason for your application | Do not treat the card as extended; show the documents to the migration service |
| The card has already expired | Expiry date, passport validity and actual residence circumstances | Contact the migration service without delay to establish the documentation procedure |
Example: the card expires in December 2026, while the passport expires in March 2027. Even though the ordinary maximum validity of a residence card is ten years, that does not justify expecting a card valid until 2036 with this passport. Under Article 10 of the Identity Documents Law, residence-card validity is capped by the validity of the passport of the country of citizenship. This example illustrates the limit, not an issuance date or the validity of your future card.
Documents for an ordinary replacement
Item 10 of the list of main requirements for service No. 266 specifies the following for residence-card exchange due to expiry:
- the residence card or its digital form, for identification;
- a valid international passport;
- a receipt for the state fee for the document, or supporting documents if exempt from the fee.
This list applies to the selected reason for exchange; it is not a universal package for every situation. A bank solvency certificate, medical certificate and criminal-record certificate are not listed here as documents for an ordinary expiry exchange. Do not order them again merely because you once submitted them for initial permanent residence permission. If the authority requests additional documents, ask which separate circumstance and legal basis make them necessary.
The service provider obtains residential registration and document details from the digital system called Registration Point “Documentation and Registration of Foreigners” (RP DRI). Before visiting, check that your address and personal details are current. Retrieving information from the system does not resolve an existing registration discrepancy.
Fingerprint-registration information is also checked in the system during replacement. Where a record exists, verification is provided for; where it does not, registration in the relevant automated system is required. Having completed the procedure previously does not mean there will be no further checks at replacement.
Photographs: why two different quantities appear
The current requirements for service No. 266 provide for free on-site photography when an electronic form is used. For paper processing, the same list specifies two photographs measuring 3.5 × 4.5 cm. The electronic form is completed as part of the service: this does not promise a fully remote residence-card replacement.
At the same time, paragraph 33 of the Ministry’s general rules No. 532 lists three photographs measuring 3.5 × 4.5 cm, proof of fee payment, the document being replaced and a valid international passport for residence-card replacement due to expiry or unfitness for use. The published texts therefore differ on the number of photographs in a paper package.
KLC recommendation: before visiting, ask the receiving office whether it will use electronic or paper processing and which photograph requirement it applies. For paper processing, preparing three suitable photographs is a practical way to have a spare. This is advice to avoid a repeat visit, not a claim that the two-photograph requirement has been repealed. Check image requirements against the service list: current appearance, full-face view, a light background and its other stated conditions.
When to apply and how long production takes
Do not leave preparation until the last day. Ask your office in advance when it will accept the application, allowing time for the passport, data checks and card production. This is planning advice; it does not establish a new mandatory application deadline.
Do not apply the wording allowing processing “one month in advance” from paragraph 32 of rules No. 532 to a residence card: that paragraph concerns the passport and identity card of a citizen of Kazakhstan. Residence-card replacement is covered separately by paragraph 33 of the same rules.
Under the service No. 266 list, ordinary production takes no more than 17 working days. Expedited processing takes up to 7 working days; the day of application and payment of the expedited-service receipt is excluded from that period. These are state-service times, not the entire process including obtaining a Russian passport, correcting records and waiting for your visit.
The state fee for issuing a residence card is 0.2 of the monthly calculation index (MRP) in force on the payment date. Expedited production costs extra. Before paying, confirm the current payment details and expedited tariff; do not confuse the fee with proof of funds in an account for initial permanent residence permission.
Completing replacement without unnecessary paperwork
- Compare expiry dates and personal details in the residence card and international passport. If the passport is being replaced, clarify the sequence before applying for the card.
- Contact the territorial police authority at the Government for Citizens State Corporation at your place of residence. State the exact reason: expiry replacement of a residence card still in your possession. Clarify appointments and processing format.
- Prepare the documents for that reason and arrange photographs and payment. Do not present an expired international passport as valid or conceal the card’s expiry.
- Check the details on the application form during processing. Keep the electronic application registration slip or, for paper processing, the document-collection receipt; confirm the collection date and location.
- Collect the card and immediately check your name, date of birth, other personal details and expiry date. If there is an error, ask the officer about correction rather than waiting until the next replacement.
If you plan to travel while the card is being processed, discuss the trip with the migration service in advance, taking document dates and availability into account. Under Article 10 of the Identity Documents Law, a foreign national’s identity abroad is established by the passport of their country of citizenship. Do not treat an application slip as a passport substitute or a guarantee of crossing the border. For an existing valid residence card, also check the travel and 183-day rule.
If the card has expired or the documents were not accepted
Under the general rule in Article 22 of the Identity Documents Law, expiry makes a document invalid and requires its surrender and replacement, unless the law provides otherwise. Special exceptions must not be treated as an ordinary extension. Applying for a new card does not itself extend the old one.
Do not interpret an expired card either as automatic permission to keep using it or as proof that you must obtain initial permanent residence permission all over again. Document validity, permission status and possible administrative liability are different questions. Contact the migration service without delay with your valid passport, the residence card you have and exact dates; also disclose any loss, travel or changes to details, if applicable.
The service rules provide for checking whether grounds for administrative proceedings exist. This does not mean every applicant faces the same fine: grounds and circumstances are assessed separately. This guide offers no “grace days” during which an expired document may be used.
An incomplete package or expired documents can lead to refusal to accept an application. If it is the expired residence card itself that needs replacement, do not conceal that fact: clarify the procedure for your actual circumstances. If refused, obtain the reason, establish which document or information needs correction, and clarify the appeal procedure if you disagree. Resubmitting the same package without addressing the reason does not solve the problem.
What to bring to KLC
For an individual assessment, prepare the residence-card and passport expiry dates, information about any new passport, your registered address, travel plans and any refusal received. Do not post full document scans in public comments.
Through the Visas, temporary and permanent residence service, you can request a review of the sequence and document package for your reason for replacement. KLC does not produce the state-issued card or guarantee issuance by a chosen date. If you do not yet have permanent residence, start with the temporary versus permanent residence comparison, not the list for exchanging an existing document.
Official sources
- Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 266: where to apply, lists by reason for exchange, photography, fingerprint checks, times and state fee.
- Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 532: paragraphs 30–33 on invalidity and replacement of documents; separate rules for Kazakhstan citizens and foreign nationals.
- Identity Documents Law: Articles 10 and 22 on residence-card validity, passports and invalid documents.