A government-approved investment project can still stall on a single visa. Prosecutors in Kazakhstan's Akmola region said on 24 September that the general director of China's Dalian Hesheng Holdings had twice been refused an investor visa. The company turned to the regional prosecutor's office, which worked with the authorities concerned, and the visa was issued. According to the prosecutors, the executive can now stay in Kazakhstan and oversee construction of the plant and the project in person.
The statement does not say why the applications were refused or which agency made the decisions.
What is being built
The local partner and project company is Asia Altyn Dan LLP (ТОО «Азия Алтын Дән»). The plant is going up in the Aqmola industrial zone in Arshaly district, Akmola region, and is designed for deep processing of wheat rather than flour milling.
A KAZAKH INVEST press release dated 5 May sets out the plan: three construction phases with total processing capacity of 3 million tonnes. In phase one the plant will process 1 million tonnes of wheat a year, producing 400,000 tonnes of glutamic acid plus around 150,000 tonnes of gluten, feed and other by-products. KAZAKH INVEST describes it as Central Asia's largest wheat deep-processing project; later stages include amino acid production, a captive power plant and a coal-chemical complex. The process relies on Dalian Hesheng's bio-fermentation technology, which turns wheat starch into glucose syrup that is then used to make amino acids and bioplastics.
From approval to signing
On 23 April the Prime Minister's press office announced that the government had approved an investment agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Asia Altyn Dan LLP, with a resolution signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The agreement was signed on 5 May by Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov, Akmola Governor Marat Akhmetzhanov and Asia Altyn Dan director Yu Yufei.
Rules related to this news
- Investor visa近12个月内向哈萨克斯坦经济投资不少于30万美元（投入哈国公司注册资本或流通期超过10年的本国证券），经Kazakh Invest或投资委员会邀请，可申请A6类投资者签证：多次往返、有效期最长10年，并可据此申请居留许可。Text and legal basis →
- Can a plant in Kazakhstan use summarized working time, and for how long a period?Summarized working time may be used in continuous production and work where daily or weekly hour limits cannot be met;…Text and legal basis →
The government statement adds more detail: the site covers 500 hectares, output capacity is up to 6 million tonnes of products a year, and the range runs from flour and cereal products to finished animal feed. Under the agreement, the investor is to train up to 40 technical and bioengineering specialists a year, set up a research laboratory at the plant and fund external utility infrastructure for the industrial zone.
Two investment figures
The official numbers do not match. The government's April statement put total investment at KZT 300 billion; the prosecutors' September statement says KZT 385 billion. Neither source explains the difference. Both give the same jobs figure: about 800.
What it means for Chinese companies in Kazakhstan
The practical takeaway: government approval and a signed investment agreement do not mean a foreign executive's visa will go through on the first try. In this case the company went to the regional prosecutor's office, which said it would keep working to protect investors' rights and prevent administrative barriers. Companies planning to send managers to Kazakhstan should check the visa category and document list against current requirements of the Foreign Ministry and migration authorities, and allow time for processing.
Sources:
Kazinform (Kazakh edition), 24 September 2026, https://kaz.inform.kz/news/385-mlrd-tengelk-zhoba-ek-ret-viza-ala-almagan-kitaylik-investorga-prokuratura-k-e5961777/
Astana TV, 24 September 2026, https://astanatv.kz/ru/news/178864/
24.kz, 24 September 2026, https://24.kz/kz/zha-aly-tar/ekonomika/794029-385-mlrd-tenge-investicia-akmola-prokuraturasy-viza-ala-almagan-seteldik-investorga-komektesti
KÓKSHE TV, September 2026, https://kokshetv.kz/ru/news/41710
Press office of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, 23 April 2026, https://primeminister.kz/ru/news/pravitelstvom-kazaxstana-odobreno-soglasenie-ob-investiciiax-v-akmolinskoi-oblasti-postroiat-zavod-po-glubokoi-pererabotke-zerna-31303
KAZAKH INVEST, 5 May 2026, https://invest.gov.kz/ru/media-center/press-releases/v-akmolinskoy-oblasti-planiruyut-postroit-zavod-glubokoy-pererabotke-zerna/
Kazinform (Chinese edition), 5 May 2026, https://cn.inform.kz/news/zhongyezuo-niangong100xiaogongdi-107d4957/
Key facts
- General manager of 和升: Two applications for an investor visa were not approved, but the visa was subsequently issued following coordination by the Aqmola Region Prosecutor's Office.
- Wheat deep-processing complex: The project is located in the Aqmola Industrial Zone, Arsharay District, Aqmola Region.
- KAZAKH INVEST: The project will be built in three phases, with a total processing capacity of 3 million tonnes; Phase I will process 1 million tonnes of wheat annually.
- Office of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan: The project's total investment is 300 billion tenge, with approximately 800 new jobs.
- Aqmola Region Prosecutor's Office: The project's investment amount is 385 billion tenge, which differs from the figure in the Office of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.
- Investment agreement: The Government of Kazakhstan has approved its signing between the Ministry of Agriculture and the “亚洲金谷” company. The agreement was formally signed on May 5, 2026.
FAQ
Where is the wheat deep-processing project located?
The project is being jointly developed by 和升 and the “亚洲金谷” company in the Aqmola Industrial Zone, Arsharay District, Aqmola Region of Kazakhstan, and focuses on deep processing of wheat.
Why was the investor visa application of 和升's general manager denied?
Two applications by 和升's general manager for an investor visa were not approved. Following communication between the Aqmola Region Prosecutor's Office and the relevant competent authorities, the visa was issued. The report did not explain the reasons for the denial or identify the department that made the decision.
What are the plans for the project's processing capacity?
According to KAZAKH INVEST, the project will be built in three phases, with a total processing capacity of 3 million tonnes; Phase I will process 1 million tonnes of wheat annually.
What is the investment amount for the project?
There are two official figures for the investment: 300 billion tenge, according to the Office of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and 385 billion tenge, according to the Aqmola Region Prosecutor's Office. Neither source explained the discrepancy.
Has the government approved the investment agreement?
The Government of Kazakhstan has approved the signing of an investment agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and the “亚洲金谷” company. The agreement was formally signed on May 5, 2026.