FOR IT SPECIALISTS · ASTANA HUB
Digital Nomad Residency in Kazakhstan: How It Differs From the Visa, Who Qualifies, How to Apply
Digital Nomad Residency is a Kazakhstan program under which a foreign IT specialist obtains a permanent residence permit and residence status valid for 10 years. There is no income requirement — instead of proof of income, the applicant proves qualification: their profession must be on the official list of in-demand IT occupations. Digital Nomad Visa is a B9-1 category visa, the entry stage before applying for the status: it lets a specialist legally enter and stay in the country while arranging the residence permit.
Both programs run through an Astana Hub petition — Kazakhstan's innovation cluster. The petition confirms the applicant's IT qualification and replaces proof of income. The petition application is filed online, and so is the residence permit application.
Updated: July 2026
THE KEY POINT
How Digital Nomad Visa differs from Digital Nomad Residency
| Criterion | Digital Nomad Visa | Digital Nomad Residency |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A visa, category B9-1 | A permanent residence permit and residence status |
| Role in the route | Entry stage | Final status |
| Term | Single-entry e-visa up to 1 year, then multiple-entry up to 1 year | 10-year residence permit |
| Basis | Astana Hub petition | Petition plus an application on the e-government portal |
| Income requirement | None | None |
| Where it's processed | Visa-migration portal, then internal affairs bodies | E-government portal, then submitting originals in Kazakhstan |
| Right to work in Kazakhstan | Yes | Yes, including for Kazakhstani companies |
| IIN and digital signature needed | Not for the visa | Mandatory |
The visa solves "legally enter the country and stay in it"; the status solves "stay long-term and live on general terms." Citizens of visa-free countries don't need the visa to enter — for them, Digital Nomad Visa only matters as a basis for a long, continuous stay. For everyone else it's the necessary first step.
A note on the code. The B9-1 code refers to the visa, not the residence permit. The permanent residence permit has no visa code — it's a different document type, processed not through the visa track but through an application on the e-government portal.
WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE
Digital Nomad Residency, Digital Nomad Visa, and Neo Nomad Visa
| Criterion | Digital Nomad Residency | Digital Nomad Visa (B9-1) | Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | IT specialists on the in-demand list | Same | Any remote profession |
| Income | No requirement | No requirement | From $3,000/month from abroad |
| What it grants | A 10-year residence permit | Entry and stay up to 1 year | Stay up to 12 months, extendable one more year |
| Residence permit | Yes | No, it's a step toward one | No |
| Work for Kazakhstani companies | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Basis | Astana Hub petition | Astana Hub petition | Bank statement, declaration, insurance, criminal-record certificate |
| Family | Reunification on general terms | Accompanying visas | Visa for the same term, no right to work |
An IT specialist who wants to stay long-term
Goes for Digital Nomad Residency, using Digital Nomad Visa first to enter.
A non-IT remote worker earning $3,000+/month
Goes for Neo Nomad Visa.
A company opening an office
Goes for Astana Hub participation, a separate track.
Non-IT remote workers earning $3,000+ a month should look at Neo Nomad Visa. Companies should look at Astana Hub participation. A separate Altyn Visa is being prepared — a long-term resident status for investors, top specialists and doctors: the program is still launching, and criteria are being finalized.
WHO CAN APPLY
List of in-demand IT professions
The full official government list. If your position is on it, you qualify by profile. Below it, a second list maps common job titles to the official ones.
| Code | Profession (RU) | Profession |
|---|---|---|
| 2521-2-001 | Архитектор информационной технологии-инфраструктуры | Information Technology Infrastructure Architect |
| 2511-3-001 | Архитектор программного обеспечения | Software Architect |
| 2512-1-007 | Разработчик программного обеспечения | Software Developer |
| 2512-1-008 | Специалист по поддержке программных продуктов | Software Product Support Specialist |
| 2512-2-003 | Разработчик мобильных приложений | Mobile App Developer |
| 2512-3-001 | Разработчик компьютерных игр | Computer Games Developer |
| 2519-9-001 | Инженер по искусственному интеллекту | Artificial Intelligence Engineer |
| 2521-1-003 | Специалист по работе с большими данными | Big Data Specialist |
| 2523-0-006 | Архитектор информационных систем | Information Systems Architect |
| 2519-9-002 | Программист приложений | Applications Programmer |
| 2511-2-001 | Бизнес-аналитик в области ИКТ | ICT Business Analyst |
| 2512-1-001 | Дизайнер программного обеспечения | Software Designer |
| 2512-1-003 | Менеджер проектов ИКТ | ICT Project Manager |
| 2524-0-003 | Инженер по защите информации | Information Security Engineer |
| 2529-0-001 | Специалист по облачным вычислениям | Cloud Computing Specialist |
| 2141-3-001 | Инженер по автоматизации | Automation Engineer |
| 2512-2-001 | World Wide Web-разработчик | World Wide Web Developer |
| 2512-1-005 | Программист-аналитик | Programmer-analyst |
| 2317-0-003 | Преподаватель, доцент, профессор по ИТ и ПО в вузе | Instructor, Associate Professor, Professor of IT and Software Engineering |
| 2524-0-007 | Специалист по информационной безопасности | Data Security Specialist |
| 2522-0-003 | Администратор серверов | Server Administrator |
| 2512-2-004 | Разработчик приложений | Applications Developer |
| 2524-0-006 | Специалист по защите информации | Data Protection Specialist |
HOW TO TELL WHETHER YOUR ROLE QUALIFIES
Frontend, backend, full-stack, web developer: qualify. They map to "Software Developer," "World Wide Web Developer," "Applications Developer."
Mobile developer, iOS, Android, Flutter: qualifies, "Mobile App Developer."
Data scientist, data analyst, ML engineer: qualify, "Big Data Specialist," "Artificial Intelligence Engineer."
DevOps, system administrator, SRE: qualify, "Server Administrator," "Automation Engineer."
Cybersecurity specialist: qualifies, "Information Security Engineer," "Data Security Specialist."
Project manager and business analyst in IT: qualify, "ICT Project Manager," "ICT Business Analyst."
Solutions architect, systems architect: qualify, "Software Architect," "Information Systems Architect."
QA engineer and tester: no dedicated line; the closest match is "Software Product Support Specialist." The ministry determines the match, and you can still apply.
Digital marketer, social media, sales, HR, UI designer without development work: not on the list. The alternative is Neo Nomad Visa.
Note. The "Software Designer" position is about designing software, not graphic design or interfaces. UX/UI designers do not qualify under this line.
ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS
What's required of the applicant
Requirements
- A foreign citizen whose profession is on the list of in-demand IT professions
- Proof of qualification and experience: application, portfolio or work history, an interview with the committee
- A Kazakhstan individual identification number and digital signature — issued in person in Kazakhstan
- No criminal record, confirmed by certificates
- No violations of Kazakhstan's migration law
- A permanent registration address in Kazakhstan at the application stage — a hotel cannot be listed
What the simplified track removes
- No need to prove solvency, i.e. a balance in a Kazakhstani bank account
- No need to prove employment in Kazakhstan
- No Kazakh-language test requirement
- The application is filed online. Under the general procedure, filing is in person only
A petition from the relevant ministry significantly improves the predictability of the review.
STEP BY STEP
How to apply for Digital Nomad Residency
Four stages, not one. There are hard deadlines between them: missing one can reset your progress.
Registering on the portal, submitting an application in your account, moderator review, a committee video interview, and the petition is issued. If rejected, you can reapply after one month. The petition is valid for 6 months.
Issued in person in Kazakhstan, at a public service center. Route: entry stamp, arrival notification within the first 3 days, a local SIM card, the number, and a digital signature on a USB token. This stage can be prepared in advance.
The permanent residence permit application, filed remotely, signed with the digital signature. Documents: passport, criminal-record certificates, photo, the petition. You can leave Kazakhstan during this period.
Waiting for the review does not by itself grant the right to stay in the country. Watch your visa or visa-free stay period.
After preliminary approval, you have 30 calendar days to submit originals in Kazakhstan. Package: fingerprinting certificate, medical certificate, address documents, original passport, certificates and petition.
Missing the 30-day window voids the decision. You only need to be in the country for this stage.
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: A SEPARATE THREE-STEP ROUTE
Astana Hub petition — the same as stage A.
An e-visa invitation: the cluster issues it and emails it to you.
An e-visa application on the visa-migration portal. The visa arrives in your account within 1–5 business days. After entry it converts to a multiple-entry visa valid up to 1 year.
Passport requirements: validity extending at least 3 months beyond the visa's end date, at least 2 blank pages, no extension stamps and no corrections.
TIMELINE
How long the process takes
| Stage | Timeline | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Moderator review of the application | from 5 business days | — |
| Petition after the interview | up to 15 business days | Delays on the ministry's side are possible |
| Petition validity | 6 months | You must file within this window |
| Individual number | 1–2 business days | Budget 5 days to be safe |
| Digital signature | same day | Only after the number appears in the database |
| E-visa | 1–5 business days | — |
| Residence permit application review | 45 calendar days | You may leave the country |
| Submitting originals after approval | 30 calendar days | Strict. Missing it voids the decision |
We don't quote a single overall figure for the full path: it depends on when you obtain your individual number and on how busy government bodies are. The regulatory timelines for each stage are known, and adding them up gives a reasonable estimate, but no final date can be guaranteed.
DOCUMENTS
What documents you need
Criminal-record certificates
- From your country of citizenship and from every country where you lived continuously for 12 months or more
- No certificate is needed from Kazakhstan, even if you've lived there a long time
- Process: obtain, apostille, get a notarized translation into Russian or Kazakh. Translation is required even for English-language certificates
- Multiple certificates are combined into a single PDF file
Fingerprinting
- Done at a service center in Kazakhstan
- The certificate's issue year must match the year of filing
- The certificate must be marked as being for a residence permit — otherwise you'll need to redo the procedure
Passport and translations
- A Russian-language passport does not need translation
- Passports in other languages require a notarized translation
Residential address
- A hotel cannot be listed in the application — that's grounds for rejection
- The address in the application, in your housing documents, and when submitting originals must match
- You cannot buy property before receiving the residence permit
COMMON MISTAKES
Why applications get rejected and what goes wrong
Listing a hotel as your residential address
List a long-term housing address with documents from the owner.
A mistake in the application
Even a small inaccuracy leads to rejection — check your application before submitting.
Fingerprinting with the wrong marking or from the wrong year
The certificate must be dated the year of filing and marked for a residence permit.
Missing the 30-day window for submitting originals
Plan your trip to the country in advance — the window is strict.
An expired criminal-record certificate
Validity is 180 days — plan so it covers the whole cycle.
No translation for an English-language certificate
Even an English-language certificate needs translation, along with the apostille.
FAMILY
Can the status cover your family
Digital Nomad Residency is issued to the IT specialist alone. A spouse and children are not included in the program: their status is arranged separately, through general family reunification, after the main applicant receives the residence permit. Under Digital Nomad Visa, family members get accompanying visas and need notarized translations of marriage and birth certificates. Under Neo Nomad Visa, a spouse and children get a visa for the same term but with no right to work in Kazakhstan.
WHO WE ARE
How Trusted Kazakhstan helps
Trusted Kazakhstan is an Astana Hub initiative. We support foreign IT specialists for free: we check eligibility against the profession list, help with the petition application, review your application before submission, and explain the document procedures. Our success is measured by the number of specialists and companies in Kazakhstan's ecosystem, not by service revenue, so there's no need to pay an intermediary to file.
On the ground, the Expat Centre helps with: individual number, digital signature, registration in the mobile-citizens database, and practical matters. Contacts are institutional only.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS