Your first 90 days in Kazakhstan: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The 3-day registration is real and its absence surfaces on exit as a fine and a border problem, not while you are in the country. Confirm your hotel or landlord actually filed it — verbal assurance is not evidence, and the migration record is what the border officer reads.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Ensure your arrival is registered with the Migration Service and apply for the residence permit or work permit at a Public Service Centre
Registration within 3 working days of arrival — hotels and hosts normally file it electronically, but the duty is yours to confirm it happened
Most nationalities get 30 days visa-free with a 90-day-in-180 cap. The residence permit file requires an IIN, a police certificate, a medical examination including HIV testing, and proof of solvency.
Get your IIN (Individual Identification Number)
It is Kazakhstan's universal identifier — banking, SIM cards, property, employment and every filing with the State Revenue Committee run on it.
Issued at a Public Service Centre (ЦОН/PSC) on presentation of your passport and notarised translation; you can get one as a visitor, and it is genuinely the first errand to run.
Open a bank account
Kaspi Bank dominates everyday payments to an extent that is hard to overstate — the Kaspi app is how Kazakhstan pays for things — and it, Halyk and Freedom Bank open accounts on the IIN plus passport. Getting the IIN first makes the bank account a same-day errand.
Enrol in healthcare
The OSMS compulsory social health insurance covers contributors and their dependants; employees are enrolled through payroll and others pay in directly. Public facilities vary widely; private clinics in Almaty and Astana are good and inexpensive, and complex cases are often referred to Turkey, Korea or Germany.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence with a notarised translation is accepted for the initial period; residents must obtain a Kazakh licence, which requires a medical certificate and, for most foreign licences, theory and practical examinations. Driving is on the right.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Kazakhstan?
Add your email for new Kazakhstan guides and a heads-up when the arrival rules or figures change. We never file anything ourselves.
Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Kazakhstan: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Kazakhstan?
Ensure your arrival is registered with the Migration Service and apply for the residence permit or work permit at a Public Service Centre — Registration within 3 working days of arrival — hotels and hosts normally file it electronically, but the duty is yours to confirm it happened. Most nationalities get 30 days visa-free with a 90-day-in-180 cap. The residence permit file requires an IIN, a police certificate, a medical examination including HIV testing, and proof of solvency. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the IIN and do I need one?
IIN (Individual Identification Number) is Kazakhstan's personal tax/ID number. It is Kazakhstan's universal identifier — banking, SIM cards, property, employment and every filing with the State Revenue Committee run on it. Issued at a Public Service Centre (ЦОН/PSC) on presentation of your passport and notarised translation; you can get one as a visitor, and it is genuinely the first errand to run.
Can I drive in Kazakhstan on a US license?
A foreign licence with a notarised translation is accepted for the initial period; residents must obtain a Kazakh licence, which requires a medical certificate and, for most foreign licences, theory and practical examinations. Driving is on the right. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Kazakhstan?
The OSMS compulsory social health insurance covers contributors and their dependants; employees are enrolled through payroll and others pay in directly. Public facilities vary widely; private clinics in Almaty and Astana are good and inexpensive, and complex cases are often referred to Turkey, Korea or Germany. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Kazakhstan's system treats foreign residents.