How to buy an apartment in Almaty remotely, and what you still have to do in person

Can you buy property in Kazakhstan without visiting?

Almost entirely, but not one hundred percent. Your representative can sign the sale contract under a notarised power of attorney, and the notary files the title registration electronically. I handle viewings, document checks and price negotiations without you being there.

However, the deal won't be registered without an IIN (individual identification number, Kazakhstan's personal tax ID). Since 1 January 2026 embassies have stopped issuing it, and online issuance for foreigners has been cancelled. You can only get an IIN in person at a TsON (public service centre) or a specialised TsON in Kazakhstan. So you'll need at least one short trip, and it's best combined with seeing your two or three finalists in person.

First: whose name will the apartment be in?

Buying remotely doesn't change the main rule. A foreigner can buy housing in their own name only with a residence permit. Without one, the options are different: buying through an LLP, through a foreign company, or buying non-residential property.

If you buy through a Kazakh LLP, there's one more requirement: since 1 April 2026 the founder has to be present in person when a commercial company is registered. It makes sense to combine the trip for the IIN with the LLP registration.

How to get a power of attorney for buying an apartment from abroad

You can draw up the power of attorney with a notary in your country or at a Kazakh consulate. If a local notary certified it, the document has to be apostilled (for countries that are party to the Hague Convention) or go through consular legalisation. Then it's translated into Kazakh or Russian, and the translation is notarised in Kazakhstan.

This is standard practice, but a specific notary in Almaty may have their own requirements for the wording. So I always send the draft power of attorney to the notary who will handle the deal before you go to sign it.

• Powers: sign the contract, receive and submit documents, pay fees, collect the keys
• A specific property with its address, or clear criteria if we're still searching
• A validity period with room for delays
• Your passport details and IIN, once you have it

How video viewings work

I show the apartment over a live video call, not a pre-recorded clip. You can ask me to turn the camera to the window, open the utility cupboard, step onto the balcony, walk through the stairwell and the parking.

I spent about four years in a construction crew, so I look at what you won't see in a listing: cracks near load-bearing walls, signs of leaks, the condition of the risers, the quality of the windows. I also film the courtyard and the route to school or the office at rush hour. After the viewing I send a short write-up: what's good, what's worrying, and what it would cost to fix.

Which documents to check before buying

A remote buyer takes on more risk because they don't meet the seller. That's why I spend at least as much time checking documents as finding the apartment.

• The seller's title document and the record of title registration
• Encumbrances and seizures, from a certificate from the property database
• Consent of the seller's spouse to the sale, if the apartment was bought during marriage
• Who is registered at the address and whether any owners are minors
• Debts on utility bills and OSI (owners' association) fees
• For a new build: the DDU (shared construction agreement) is registered in Kazreestr, and the developer has a permit to raise funds or a KZhK (Kazakhstan Housing Company) guarantee
• Whether the layout matches the technical passport, and any alterations

How to pay for an apartment in Kazakhstan from abroad

Payment is made by bank transfer. For a new build this is a direct legal requirement: money is paid only after the DDU is registered and only to the account in the contract. Cash is prohibited.

For resale, we agree the payment arrangement with the seller and the notary in advance: when the deposit is transferred, when the main amount goes, how receipt is confirmed. Transfers from abroad go through currency control, and the bank may ask where the money came from. The guide on transferring money for a purchase covers this in detail.

How title registration works

The contract is certified by a notary or signed in front of an officer of the registration authority under Article 21 of the Law on State Registration of Rights. You become the owner only after state registration. The notary files it electronically.

The notary reports the deal to the Financial Monitoring Agency; this is standard procedure. The notary fee for a sale contract is 12 MRP, about 51,900 ₸, or 17 MRP if one party is a legal entity (MRP is the monthly calculation index used to set fees).

How long does a remote purchase take?

Searching and video viewings usually take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on how rare the property you want is. Large, ready apartments in good locations are the hardest to find.

The trip for the IIN itself fits into a few days, unless the TsON has another technical pause. An apostilled power of attorney is prepared on your country's timelines, which are best checked in advance. If you're buying through an LLP, add another 2–4 weeks to open the company's bank account.

What I do when you buy remotely

I become your eyes in Almaty. I find properties, show them on video, negotiate, check the documents and the seller, and agree the wording of the power of attorney and the payment arrangement with the notary. On the day of the deal, your representative and I are there in person.

I help plan the IIN trip so it takes only a few days: the TsON, a bank and an LLP through partner lawyers if needed, and viewing the final options in person. After the deal I can take over the apartment, hand the keys to a manager or find a tenant.