Moving to Kazakhstan for business: residence, banking and daily life

More European founders, managers and specialists are spending long periods in Kazakhstan as business with the region grows. Moving there is very possible, but the paperwork works differently from the EU, and a few early steps make daily life much easier. This guide gives an overview of what to expect. It is general information, not immigration advice.

Short visits: visa-free stays and registration

Many Europeans can visit Kazakhstan for business without a visa. The UK government’s travel advice says British citizens can stay without a visa for up to 30 days for business or tourism, and no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Rules differ by nationality, so check yours with the Kazakh embassy or Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Points to know at the time of writing (October 2026):

• Electronic travel authorisation (ETA). According to the UK travel advice, Kazakhstan introduced an ETA through the QazETA portal in January 2026. It is recommended now and expected to become mandatory for visa-free travellers from November 2026, subject to new regulations. Apply at least 72 hours before travel.
• Registration. Your hotel or host must register your arrival with the authorities within 3 working days.
• Biometrics. British nationals aged 17 or over who apply for a visa or residency must give fingerprints.

A visa-free visit is for meetings, not for working or living there. To stay longer, work or study, you need the right visa or permit.

Living there longer: visas and residence permits

Kazakhstan has several visa categories linked to the purpose of your stay, such as business, work and investor visas. The AIFC Expat Centre, for example, lists short-term and long-term business visas, a work visa with accompanying family, and an investor visa with accompanying family.

Kazakh Invest describes the process for a permanent residence permit. Applicants must already be in Kazakhstan on a qualifying basis, such as a permanent residence visa or an investor multiple-entry visa issued at the request of the authorised investment body. The service takes 45 calendar days from submitting a complete set of documents. The documents listed include a valid passport, proof of solvency, a criminal record certificate, a housing agreement, a medical certificate and proof of fingerprinting. Foreign documents must be translated into Kazakh or Russian with a notarised translation, and usually legalised.

Working. The UK government’s export guide for Kazakhstan has long noted that foreigners need permission to work, obtained by the Kazakh employer. Check the current rules for your role before you move.

Starting a business. Kazakh Invest says foreign founders must show their right to register a business under Kazakh migration law, for example a business immigration visa or a temporary residence permit. Plan the order of steps carefully: the visa usually comes first.

The AIFC route

The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) runs two services relevant to people relocating.

The AIFC Expat Centre is a one-stop office for foreign employees, investors and their families connected to AIFC participants. It helps with visa applications and extensions, residence permit applications, fingerprinting and registration, and getting an individual identification number (IIN) or electronic digital signature.

The Investment Tax Residency Programme offers a long-term investor visa and Kazakh tax residency in return for investment in approved AIFC instruments. At the time of writing, the AIFC lists a minimum investment of $60,000 in AIX-listed securities or AIFC company share capital, or $150,000 in digital assets through licensed providers. Its FAQ describes a 5-year visa for the investor and immediate family. Tax residency under the programme requires at least 90 days in Kazakhstan each year and an annual fee. Check the current terms with the AIFC directly.

Banking and your IIN

The IIN, your individual identification number, is the key to daily life in Kazakhstan. You will need it for most financial and official services. The UK travel advice gives one example: to keep using a local SIM card for more than 30 days, you must verify your phone’s IMEI number, which requires an IIN and a border-crossing certificate from the QazETA app.

For banking, expect the bank to ask for your passport, IIN, proof of your legal basis for staying and, for a business account, your company documents. Kazakh Invest notes that to open a company account, banks ask for the charter, registration certificate and the director’s passport.

European banks you already use may also ask questions about payments to and from Kazakhstan, because of sanctions rules. Keep records of what each payment is for.

Daily life

• Language. Kazakh Invest notes that Kazakh is the official language and Russian is widely used. Learning some Russian or Kazakh makes daily life easier, and many official documents will be in one of the two.
• Healthcare. The UK travel advice says medical facilities are not as advanced as in the UK, and medical staff do not typically speak English. Have good health insurance that covers treatment and evacuation.
• Cities. Astana is the capital. Almaty and Shymkent are the other two cities of national significance. For most business purposes, the choice is between Astana and Almaty.
• Climate and distance. Kazakhstan is a very large country. Distances between cities are long, and winters can be severe in much of the country.

Getting the order right

A move goes most smoothly when the steps happen in the right order:

1. Decide the purpose of your stay: employment, your own business, investment or a long assignment.
2. Check which visa and permit fit that purpose, with the Kazakh embassy, the authorities or a qualified lawyer.
3. Arrange the visa before you travel, if you need one.
4. On arrival, make sure you are registered, get your IIN and set up banking.
5. Apply for any residence permit within the deadlines that apply to you.

How Mavericks Settle helps

Mavericks Settle helps Europeans relocating to Kazakhstan and Central Asia for business, with paperwork, banking and settling in, working with regulated partner law firms in Kazakhstan. Mavericks Go supports the business side of the move. No one can guarantee a residence permit. We make sure you go through it properly.