Foreigners do have the right to become citizens of Kazakhstan, and there no great barriers to doing so. Family ties and spending a significant amount of time as a resident are the two major routes available.
If an ancestor of yours permanently lived in Kazakhstan before 1 March, 1992 and had not renounced their citizenship by March 5 1995, you can apply for citizenship through this line.
You can also obtain citizenship if you have a close relative who is a citizen of Kazakhstan, even if you or they are not currently a resident of the country. A close relative is defined as a father, mother, sibling, spouse, child or grandparent.
Children born to Kazakh parents are recognised as citizens regardless of their place of birth. If only one parent is Kazakh, the child is granted citizenship if they were born in Kazakhstan or one his parents permanently lives in the country. In the latter case, written consent by the parents is required to determine the child’s citizenship.
Children who live in Kazakhstan but whose parents are unknown is deemed a citizen.
If you have lived in Kazakhstan for at least 3 years and marry a Kazakh citizen you are eligible for citizenship.
Expats living in the country for 5 years or more as a permanent resident are also eligible.
Even if you meet the one of the above criteria, your application for citizenship may be denied for any of the following reasons:
You must apply to your nearest embassy, and your application must include a letter of motivation addressed to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Other documentation to be included is: