Effective 11 December 2012, there will be a change to the process of applying for a UK settlement visa in Kazakhstan. All fiancee, spousal and partner visa applications submitted in Almaty on or after 11 December 2012 will be decided at the UK Border Agency (UKBA) regional hub in Istanbul, Turkey. While necessary alterations in UKBA online visa application system are being made, the British Consulate in Almaty will not be able to offer any appointments between the 7th and the 10th of December.

The actual application process for those seeking to obtain a UK settlement visa from Kazakhstan after 11 December 2012 will remain the same. As before, it will still be possible for applications and payments to be made online at the UK Border Agency website. All marriage, fiancee and unmarried partner visa applications submitted in Almaty will be forwarded by secure courier to Istanbul along with any supporting documentation submitted by the applicant. Processed applications will be sent back to Almaty by the same route to await collection.

There will be no extra cost involved to applicants and the target times for processing will remain in line with the UKBA published customer service standards. Centralisation is aimed at providing a more effective and flexible visa service with more consistent standards in customer service and decision quality as well as helping prevent backlogs during peak periods.