A scheme to illegally process documents for foreign nationals at the Nurly Zhol railway station in Astana has been dismantled. Ten individuals have been convicted in connection with the case, reports infohub.kz.
According to the investigation, those involved included an employee of the migration service, four workers from the state corporation "Government for Citizens," and five intermediaries. For a fee, they helped foreigners obtain documents for temporary residence and employment, bypassing established requirements.
The intermediaries, as per the case materials, ensured priority access to government services without waiting in the electronic queue. The migration service employee's official capabilities were used to facilitate the processing. Money for these services was transferred regularly, including to bank accounts of his close relatives.
The transport police department emphasized that this turned a free government service into a paid mechanism for legalizing foreigners.
The investigation was conducted jointly with the Border Service of the National Security Committee, coordinated by the Chief Transport Prosecutor's Office. Upon completion, the case was sent to court.
The Interdistrict Criminal Court of Astana found all ten defendants guilty. Some were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from three to seven years, while others received restrictions on freedom and fines.
Earlier, it was reported that 35 Indian citizens were expelled from Kazakhstan for exceeding their permitted stay. The hosting parties, who failed to ensure the timely departure of the foreigners, were also held administratively liable.