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Any update on this service.  I will need to get my work visa processed through the Kazakhstan Embassy in the US.  Much easier then doing it in SE Asia.

Go through Travisa. I paid an extra $200 and had a personal case manager. Expensive but it got done. You are going to need to overnight them your passport, application, and evidence of the invitation to work.

Thanks for the response.  How long did it take from start to finish to get your work visa?

Travis has a special expedited service like I mentioned but the Kazakh embassy doesn't offer a faster service. All Travisa can do is use their connections in the embassy to have yours processed first. All visas take 5-7 days. I requested mine to be finished 8 days after submitting it and received it by the requested date. I overnighted the application Tuesday night but the embassy doesn't process on Wednesdays so it was turned in on Thursday. It was rejected minutes later because I didn't use the automatic application form filler. Instead, I downloaded the application and answered all the questions. The form filler doesn't capture your entries very well but I went ahead and filled it out. It was accepted Friday and by the following Friday it was approved. Travisa overnighted it Friday night for a Saturday delivery for an additional fee. Saturday I bought my ticket and flew out Sunday.

Everyone in the NIS system is very helpful but they cannot give advice for every single visa application process since there are people coming from all over the world. There are teachers here from New Zealand, Australia, England, Kenya, and Russia. I wish I would have had someone to talk to like I am you going through the process so if you have any more questions don't hesitate.

Yesterday and today we are all flying to our home towns. Looking forward to seeing the town and school.

Thanks, that is helpful.  I just need to see if they will do it for an American residing overseas.  Just easier to send it to the US via FedEx and cheaper then actually visiting Bangkok or Singapore.

Thanks for the tip about the automatic fill-in forms.

I was offered a position with NIS but turned it down.  I prefer to live either in Almaty or Astana.  Which city you headed to?  I did my Peace Corps service in Kazakhstan from 1997-1999 when it was a much different country.

Best of luck of service.  Maybe we will bump into each other in Almaty or Astana sometime.

After spending four days in Astana and one day in Aktobe, I have a sense of the difference between the two but think I'll like Aktobe. From what I've heard of Almaty it's definitely a must see before I leave the country this summer as well as some backpacking in the steppe. Good luck to you as well.

I spent two years in a small Kazakh town and loved it.  Small towns are nice but I really wanted to work in Almaty which is the primary reason for me to choose another international school instead of the NIS.

If I finally do make it there, should be middle of next month, I will contact you.