Can You Get a Residence Permit by Buying an Apartment?
No. In Kazakhstan buying an apartment or a house is not a ground for a residence permit. It works the other way round: to register housing in their name, a foreigner needs a residence permit first — Article 9 of the Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens" does not allow temporarily staying foreigners to own housing.
Without a residence permit a foreigner can buy non-residential (commercial) property or buy through a legal entity registered in Kazakhstan. Deal details: "How a Foreigner Can Buy Property in Kazakhstan".
The popular "buy an apartment, get residency" formula belongs to other countries. Kazakhstan offers investors a separate track, but it is tied to investments in company capital and securities, not to buying a home for yourself.
Temporary Residence Permit vs Residence Permit
| RVP (temporary residence permit) | VNZh (residence permit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Temporarily residing foreigner | Permanently residing foreigner |
| Grounds | Work, business, study, medical treatment, family reunification | 2026 pilot requirements or special tracks (e.g. investor) |
| Where to apply | Migration service or the eGov portal | Migration service under the established procedure |
| Buying housing in your name | Not in practice | Yes, housing rights on a par with citizens |
Based on mybuh.kz and the law. A work-based RVP is tied to the term of the employment contract.
An RVP solves lawful stay beyond the visa-free period. Citizens of Russia and other EAEU countries may stay in Kazakhstan without obtaining a status for up to 90 days within 180 days; after that an RVP or a residence permit is required. Overstays are punished with fines and deportation (Art. 517 of the Administrative Code).
Residence Permit Rules in 2026
Until December 31, 2026 a pilot project applies that has made residence permits noticeably harder to get. Its rules were approved by a joint order of the ministries of labour, internal affairs and digital development dated January 30, 2026, and amended in April and August. For most immigrants the path looks like this:
- Online KAZTEST — 60 questions in two sections: listening (20 tasks) and reading (40 tasks). Since April 10, 2026 you need at least 70% in each section; if you fall short, you can retake the test up to twice within 30 days.
- Questionnaire and points — a questionnaire on the migration.enbek.kz portal and an automatic assessment of "immigration potential": education, work experience, languages, profession and family details. If you miss the pass mark, you can reapply after one month, then after three months, and after that no more than once every six months.
- Checks and an interview — the police and national security bodies check the applicant, followed by an interview.
- A year in a resettlement region — at least one year of legal residence in Akmola region (except Kosshy and the Arshaly and Tselinograd districts), East Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar or North Kazakhstan region, Abai or Ulytau region. Astana and Almaty are not on the list, and moving to another region before five years of permanent residence is a ground for refusal.
- Work and money — 12 months of continuous employment or business activity in Kazakhstan before applying (or income of at least one minimum wage — KZT 85,000 — per family member) and at least 1,320 MCI (about KZT 5.7 million) in an account, confirmed every year for five years.
Exemptions. Investors, holders of in-demand professions, foreigners making a significant contribution to the economy (on a government agency's petition), their family members and minors are exempt from the points assessment, the year in a resettlement region, the work requirement and the proof of funds. Since August 18, 2026 former compatriots, parents over 60 joining their children and spouses of Kazakh citizens or permanent residents (married for at least a year) are also exempt from the points assessment, the regional year and the work requirement, but still have to prove the funds. Ethnic Kazakhs are exempt from the regional year and the work requirement.
The pilot runs until the end of 2026 and its rules already changed in April and August. Before applying, check the current version of the order on adilet.zan.kz and consult the migration service.
The Investor Track: Visa and a Residence Permit of up to 10 Years
Kazakhstan offers foreign investors a separate route. According to Kazakh Invest (30.04.2025), investing at least USD 300,000 in the charter capital of Kazakh companies or in local securities qualifies for an investor visa and a residence permit of up to 10 years; the petition is filed electronically.
For companies registered at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), according to Kursiv (19.08.2025), USD 60,000 in capital gives an investor visa of up to 5 years, and USD 300,000 gives a residence permit.
An apartment for yourself is not an investment for residency purposes. The track is tied to company capital and securities. If you see offers of "a residence permit for buying an apartment in Astana", have them checked by a lawyer.
Step-by-Step Plan: From Arrival to Buying an Apartment
- Entry. Check your visa-free period: for EAEU citizens — up to 90 days within 180 days. If you stay longer than 30 days, register no later than the 30th day after entry — see "Kazakhstan Without a Residence Permit". At least 72 hours before travel, get the free QazETA electronic entry permit (qazeta.kz): from July 1, 2027 entry is refused without it.
- IIN. Get it at a Public Service Center in Kazakhstan — you need it for work, banking and deals. Details: "IIN for Foreigners".
- A ground for an RVP. Work, business, study or family — obtain an RVP before the visa-free period ends.
- Housing meanwhile. Rent an apartment; price benchmarks are in the Astana price index.
- Residence permit. Apply under the pilot requirements or through the investor track.
- Purchase. With a residence permit, register the apartment in your name under the standard procedure and plan ahead for tax on a future sale.
What You Can Buy Before Getting a Residence Permit
- Commercial property — offices, retail units, warehouses: no migration-status restrictions. Segment review: Astana commercial real estate.
- Property owned by a Kazakh legal entity — with accounting, corporate taxes and legal support.
- For CIS citizens there are no separate exceptions — see "Property in Kazakhstan for CIS Citizens".
Frequently Asked Questions
Does buying property in Kazakhstan give a residence permit?
No. Buying an apartment or a house is not a ground for a residence permit. The investor residence permit of up to 10 years is tied to investing at least USD 300,000 in the charter capital of Kazakh companies or local securities.
Can I buy an apartment with a temporary residence permit (RVP)?
In practice, no: a residence permit is required to register housing to an individual. With an RVP you can buy non-residential property or buy through a Kazakh legal entity.
What are the residence permit requirements in Kazakhstan in 2026?
Under the pilot project until 31.12.2026: an online KAZTEST (listening and reading, at least 70% in each section), a questionnaire with a points assessment, checks and an interview, at least a year of residence in a resettlement region, 12 months of work in Kazakhstan or proven income, and at least 1,320 MCI (about KZT 5.7 million) in an account, confirmed every year for five years. There are exemptions for investors, in-demand specialists, former compatriots and spouses of Kazakh citizens.
Do I need to pass KAZTEST to get a residence permit in Kazakhstan?
Most immigrants do: an online test of 60 questions (listening and reading) with at least 70% in each section and up to two retakes within 30 days. The testing rules do not apply, among others, to minors, former compatriots, parents over 60 joining their children and spouses of Kazakh citizens or permanent residents.
Can I get a residence permit while living in Astana?
For most applicants, no: the 2026 pilot rules require living for at least a year in a resettlement region first — Akmola region (except Kosshy and the Arshaly and Tselinograd districts), East Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Abai or Ulytau region. Astana and Almaty are not on the list. Exceptions apply to investors, in-demand specialists, former compatriots, parents over 60 and spouses of Kazakh citizens.
How much do I need to invest for an investor residence permit?
At least USD 300,000 in the charter capital of Kazakh companies or local securities — this qualifies for an investor visa and a residence permit of up to 10 years.
Sources
- Joint order No. 41 (Ministry of Labour), No. 60 (Ministry of Internal Affairs) and No. 47 (Ministry of Digital Development) of 30.01.2026 on the residence permit pilot, as amended on 17.08.2026 (in Russian) — adilet.zan.kz
- Digital Business, 25.08.2026: former citizens can get a residence permit without the language test (in Russian) — digitalbusiness.kz
- Kazakh Invest, 30.04.2025: 10-year residence permit for investors (in Russian) — invest.gov.kz
- Kursiv, 19.08.2025: investor visa and residence via AIFC (in Russian) — kz.kursiv.media
- Mybuh.kz: temporary residence permits and stay limits (in Russian) — mybuh.kz
- eGov: temporary residence permit service (in Russian) — egov.kz
- Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens" (in Russian) — adilet.zan.kz