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[teacher X]

OK, I know this is going to be a weird question, but I have just endure something which can only be described as Kafkaesque and I'm still rather perplexed.

I had planned on visiting Kazakhstan this summer and this morning I attempted to get a visa. I failed.

After getting shouted at by some guy in the embassy and then by an angry policeman, I eventually learnt that visas are processed in the secret back entrance.

I went inside and saw many people waiting in the waiting room. There was a door with a security barrier, behind which there were a few people queuing. I joined the queue. After 20 minutes of queuing in a line which never moved I heard the couple in front of me speaking English (one of whom was American). I asked them what the system was for getting a visa. They told me that this was their third attempt (never a good sign) and that I need to write my name down on a piece of paper and wait for my turn.

Basically, there's a self made list showing the order in which people arrived. I signed my name.

This is where things got tricky and confusing. I can't read Russian handwriting, so I couldn't work out who was supposed to be in front of me and therefore couldn't wait to see when my turn was coming up. You never see the staff. They are hidden well beyond the security point. They never call out to see anyone. Nobody knows when they're supposed to progress into the next room. I sat down and waited. After 30 minutes not a single person had progressed beyond the checkpoint. Occasionally people from outside would come in and go straight through, but they would never come back out again, seemingly gobbled up by the embassy.

So I waited longer, assuming that at some point people would go through. I should add that there are two lists. One for Visas and one for something else (I couldn't make out the cursive) So I don't even know if the people going in were for Visas or for the other mysterious service. Actually, I don't even know why Russians even needed to apply for visas since they have a waiver system in place.

Eventually the American woman and her husband went through the barrier. They weren't called and I saw no reason as to why they should progress through at that particular moment in time. They went to a window, spoke to the unseen entity behind it and then took a seat in the next room. So in the space of an hour, they had progressed from one waiting room to another. Nobody else seemed to be able to leave the room I was in. Eventually they moved from the second room into an unseen room down a corridor. I never saw them again. I can only assume that they were killed and sacrificed to some god.

I continued to wait, desperately searching for some sort of system or way to understand when (and if) it would be my turn. Nothing. Not once did I see a member of staff. Not once was anyone called to progress into the next room. We all just sat there. 2 hours I sat, perplexed.

Eventually a South African gentleman appeared, speaking to a Russian in English. I pounced on the pair and desperately asked how the system was supposed to work and when I would know it was my turn. The Russian looked at me with mild annoyance and said, "You need to write your name on the paper, wait and hope that you get lucky".

I sat back down, feeling even more confused that I had done before. It was then that I realised that I had written my name down on the wrong list. Not that it would have made any difference since nobody ever checked the list and nobody seemed able to leave the waiting room anyway. After 2 hours and 30 minutes I gave up and left.

So, here's my question; Have any of you managed to navigate through this system and actually get a Kazakh visa? I have to make another attempt, but I am none the wiser after my previous experience. My Russian, though improving, is still beginner level, so I don't even know if it's possible to get through this without Russian skills.

Why the system takes so long is beyond me. Surely I just hand over the completed documents, pay, leave and then come back in a week. I can only guess why everyone disappears and never returns. Is there an interview process? I've applied for dozens of visas in my life, but I have never encountered such a place. Nothing happens. You just wait. I wonder if it's a test. Perhaps Kazakhstan only admits people with a strong spirit and this system helps to weed out the weak.

[Nexus]

Hi,

Yes, I've done it about 7 or 8 times over the last few years. It is a bit of a pain and is time consuming:

1. Fill in the application form and print it before you go. Make copies of all the documents you need (copy of visa, passport page etc).

2. Arrive at the door for visas (at the back of the embassy) no later than about 8am and you'll get it done that day. Put your name on the piece of paper (waiting list) for visas and find out who the person is immediately before you on the list, you should ask who is last in the queue for visas.

3. They'll be letting some people through for other consular questions and they'll say "for visas" when the next person is up on the visa list. When you see the person before you go in, be ready to go for it.

4. Inside, you just give your name at the window and go through to the person who deals with the applications. She should speak a bit of English. She'll check your form, correct any errors in dates etc and give you a paper for payment.

5. The bad news is that the bank where you pay is near to Trubnaya metro so you need to rush there, pay, and get back to the office before they close to submit your proof of payment.

6. They'll give you a receipt with the day and time to collect your passport. i think it's 5 working days.

Do let us know how you get on!

[teacher X]

Awesome! I never expected such a useful reply.
But it does make me worry. In the 2.5 hours that I waited, I saw only 2 people go in for the visa service. That means that they were processing 1 person every hour! How does that even make sense?

I'm going again on Thursday and I'm bringing a Russian friend, so hopefully I'll fare better this time.

Thanks for your advice.

[Nexus]

I don't know why that was. When I've applied, there were usually about 10 - 12 people for visas and we all got our applications in. Occasionally I saw people arrive at about 11:00 and they were unsuccessful.

Get in the queue before the doors open and you'll be fine. Just make sure you have all the docs and copies of everything they ask for on the site.

[teacher X]

You're right about it being time consuming.

I got there at 8am and put my name on the list. I was person number 4.
I finally left the embassy at 11:30am. It was a good thing that I had brought a Russian speaker because none of the staff there spoke a word of English and my Russian simply isn't up to such a task.

It almost kicked off whilst I was there. People with diplomatic passports can jump the queue and it seemed that Thursday was Diplomat Day! We had to wait a whole hour before even person number 2 was able to go through because half a dozen diplomats kept coming and going.

Those Russians who were further down the list were obviously not too pleased and large amounts of shouting took place.

I'm actually a little worried that I wont get the visa. Despite bringing everything they asked for on their website, they decided that they didn't want half of the forms. Then, they requested my work contract in Russia (something which isn't mentioned as a required document)

Obviously I didn't have it. Then they found fault with my registered address in Moscow. Basically, all the things they said they needed, they didn't want, and things that weren't mentioned at all were suddenly very important.

I have to go back next Thursday to retrieve my passport.