Getting an IIN as a foreigner in 2026: how to do it in Almaty on the first try

How to get an IIN in Kazakhstan as a foreigner in 2026

There is only one way: go in person to a TsON or specialized TsON. Until the end of 2025 you could get an IIN at some Kazakh embassies, but that pilot ended on 1 January 2026. A power of attorney doesn't help here; you have to appear in person.

This is the main thing to build into your relocation plan. Even if you do everything else remotely, you will have to make at least one trip to Kazakhstan before a purchase or before opening a business.

Documents a foreigner needs for an IIN

Citizens of CIS countries whose passports include text in Russian usually don't need a translation. It's best to check the requirements of the specific TsON before you go: they get clarified more often than articles online get updated.

• Your valid original passport and copies of the photo pages
• Proof of legal entry: a migration card or an entry stamp in the passport
• A notarized translation of the passport into Russian or Kazakh if it has no text in those languages; the translation is certified by a Kazakh notary
• For a child: the birth certificate (translated if needed) and the parent's documents
• The application form is filled in at the TsON

How long an IIN takes, and the 2026 outages

The usual time is 1–3 working days. But in 2026 issuance of IINs to foreigners and stateless persons was halted twice for technical reasons: from 13 to 16 February and on 9 April. People who had flown in for a short stay lost days, and some lost a deal.

So I advise allowing at least a week in Kazakhstan for the IIN and not scheduling a deposit or contract signing for your first working days after landing. If you're flying in for three days, submit your documents on the first day.

Why a foreigner needs an IIN

The IIN is your tax number in Kazakhstan, and almost every serious step starts with it.

Kazakhstanis from other cities already have an IIN, so they simply skip this step. For a foreigner it comes first in any plan: until you have the number, the notary, the bank and the registry can't work with you, however many documents you bring.

• Buying property: without an IIN the notary won't certify the contract and title registration won't go through
• A bank account: banks open one for a non-resident with a passport and an IIN
• An LLP: the founder and director must have an IIN, without it registration is impossible
• EDS: the electronic digital signature is issued against your IIN and gives you access to eGov, the government services portal
• A mobile contract, employment contracts, tax returns

What to check before you go to the TsON

Your passport's expiry date. If it expires soon, the TsON may refuse or tie your data to the old document, and you'll later have to change it everywhere. It's better to arrive with a new passport.

The spelling of your name. The Latin spelling in your passport, at the bank and in the contract must match. A one-letter mistake during a deal turns into a separate application and a lost day.

Migration registration. The TsON checks that your stay is legal, and since 1 July 2026 registration goes through the Migration Portal and is confirmed by the owner of your housing. If you're renting, agree on this with the landlord in advance.

One more thing: check the official news on TsON operations the day before your visit. If issuance is suspended again, it's better to find out in the evening than in the queue. I follow these announcements and warn clients whose visit is planned for the next few days.

How I help with the IIN

The TsON issues the IIN itself, and partner lawyers and a notary prepare documents where needed. My job is to make sure you arrive with a complete set and get it done in one visit.

Before you arrive I send a document list for your citizenship, arrange the translation with a notary, find a rental with an owner willing to confirm your registration, and build the schedule so the IIN is ready before viewings and the deal. If you're buying an apartment through an LLP, the IIN and EDS come first in that same plan.

Help with the IIN is part of the relocation support package. We fix the price in writing before work starts.