ASTANA – The Government for Citizens Corporation launched Jan. 12 the first public service centre for immigrants and a digital public service centre in the capital.
The immigration service centre is located at 31 Imanov Street and is open from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.. Applicants can receive a medical examination, fingerprinting and issue an insurance policy and get an individual identification number.
“The migration centre is one of a kind. Earlier it took five days to get a work permit and other necessary documents. It was necessary to get an individual identification number, a tax permit and the documents were passed to seven institutions. Insurance was also needed. Foreigners will be able to get permission within an hour or two. It is convenient both for migrants and employers. It had also been one of the limiting factors for attracting investments,” said Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev.
The minister noted that the digital public service centres are important to developing a creative society. People have the opportunity to use the services independently.
“It’s important that our staff can teach clients how to use e-government and get necessary documents,” he said.
More than 446,000 foreign citizens applied for work permits through the public service centre in Kazakhstan in 2017.
The digital public service centre for residents was also opened at 7 Sauran Street on the left bank of the city.
“The centre is divided into two sections with the main focus on digital services. Clients can synchronise their phone number to an individual identification number and obtain electronic references with a digital signature at the centre or online. They can get necessary information, submit documents to the state agency in the required format, or call the operator,” said Government for Citizens Corporation Board Chair Abylaikhan Ospanov.
The front office employees conduct free courses six days a week for all comers to improve the digital literacy.
More than 700 services can be obtained through the e-government portal and other sources. Digital offices are scheduled to open in other cities in the near future.
