How to transfer money to buy property in Kazakhstan

How currency control works in Kazakhstan in 2026

The basis is the Law on Currency Regulation No. 167-VI of 02.07.2018, with 2026 amendments. Since 19 April 2026, new Rules for Currency Transactions, approved by National Bank Resolution No. 29 of 31.03.2026, have been in force.

For individuals, control starts at $10,000 per transaction. Transfers under $10,000 can be received without opening an account; larger ones go through an account with documents. For legal entities the threshold is $50,000. For some transactions the bank requires a currency contract registration number, and without it the payment is held or returned to the sender.

Sources don't say clearly whether a registration number is needed when a non-resident buys an apartment from a resident. I check this with the bank and a lawyer for each deal.

Which currency do you pay the seller in?

Payments between residents of Kazakhstan are, as a rule, made in tenge: that's a general principle of currency law. If the seller is a resident and the buyer a non-resident, the rules are different, and it's better not to guess.

In practice, I agree the currency and payment arrangement with the notary and the buyer's bank before any deposit. A common setup: the money arrives in your account at a Kazakh bank, is converted into tenge there and goes to the seller by bank transfer. The price in the contract is stated in tenge.

What is proof of source of funds?

In Kazakhstan, banks and notaries are entities subject to financial monitoring. They may ask where your money came from, and they report deals to the Financial Monitoring Agency. This is routine; you just need to be prepared.

The larger the amount and the more complicated the money's route, the more questions there will be. It's best when the money goes straight from the buyer's own account to the buyer's account in Kazakhstan, without intermediaries or third parties.

• Bank statements for recent months
• A sale contract for other property, if the money comes from that sale
• Tax returns or income statements
• A gift agreement or inheritance documents, if that's how you received the money
• Documents on dividends or the sale of a business stake

How to transfer money for an apartment from Russia

Since 2022, Kazakh banks have run additional compliance checks on payments from Russia. This applies both to opening accounts for Russian citizens and to incoming transfers. Each bank has its own requirements and they change, so ask your chosen bank in advance which documents it expects and through which correspondent banks it accepts payments.

Separately, check the restrictions on the Russian side: currency rules for Russian residents and limits on transfers abroad. I'm not a specialist in these and suggest discussing them with a lawyer or your bank before you sign for a deposit. Sanctions risks also need to be considered: if the sending or receiving bank is under restrictions, the payment can get stuck.

How to transfer money from the UAE, China and Europe

In practice, payments from the UAE and China go through standard customer checks. The main thing is that the payment purpose and documents match what you tell the bank.

From Europe, transfers usually go via SWIFT in dollars or euros. The European sending bank may also ask about the purpose, especially for a large amount going to Central Asia. Keep the contract with the seller or a preliminary calculation to hand.

The advice is the same for every country: first make a small test transfer to your Kazakh account and see how many days it takes and what questions the bank asks.

Do you need a bank account in Kazakhstan?

I recommend opening one. Non-residents may open accounts under National Bank rules, but in practice you need a personal visit, an IIN (individual identification number) and often a local phone number. Since 2026 the IIN is issued only in person at a TsON public service centre, so it's convenient to open the account on the same trip.

Your own account in Kazakhstan gives you control: you can see the money has arrived, convert it at a good moment and pay the seller by bank transfer. If you're buying through an LLP, the account is opened in the company's name, and the checks take 2–4 weeks.

How to transfer money for an apartment bought through an LLP

If your Kazakh company is buying the apartment, the money first has to be put into it legally: as a contribution to charter capital, a loan from the founder or another method. For legal entities the currency control threshold is $50,000, and some transactions need a currency contract registration number. One consultant gives $500,000 as the registration threshold for legal entities, but I haven't found that figure in the primary source.

An accountant or tax adviser decides exactly how to structure the financing to avoid unnecessary taxes. I bring one in before the money is sent.

What to avoid when transferring money

• Cash payments for a new build: the law prohibits them, and payment is only by bank transfer after the DDU is registered
• Transfers to the seller's or an intermediary's card before the documents are checked
• Schemes through third parties and exchange services that don't give you documents: later you have nothing to prove where the money came from
• Paying a deposit before you've checked that your bank will let the main amount through
• Understating the price in the contract: it causes tax problems when you sell later and makes it harder to explain the money to the bank

What to prepare before the transfer, and how I help

The short list: an IIN, an account at a Kazakh bank, documents on the source of funds, a payment arrangement agreed with the notary, and a test transfer. With that in place, the main amount usually goes through without trouble.

I don't process payments and I don't advise on currency law. My part is making sure the whole chain is coordinated: the seller knows when and how the money will arrive, the notary knows which documents they'll check, and you know what the bank will ask. If a question goes beyond the deal, I bring in a lawyer.