Some Foreigners May Soon Be Able to Obtain IIN Without Visiting Kazakhstan

Certain foreign nationals will soon be able to acquire an Individual Identification Number (IIN) remotely through Kazakhstan's consulates, representative offices, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This initiative, proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, aims to simplify the application process for issuing IINs, Orda.kz reports.

The draft law has been published for public discussion on the Open NPA portal. It outlines a pilot program for the public service titled "Formation and Adjustment of Individual Identification Numbers for Foreigners and Stateless Persons Temporarily Residing in the Republic of Kazakhstan."

The service will be available to specific categories of non-residents, including:

• Potential investors
• Exporters of goods and medicines
• Foreign spouses of Kazakh citizens (to facilitate civil registration processes)
• Children under 16 whose parent is a Kazakh citizen
• Foreigners inheriting property in Kazakhstan
• Potential participants in the Digital Nomad Residency and Visa programs
• Foreign citizens with disabilities
• Foreign citizens aged 65 and older

Employees of diplomatic missions can also obtain IINs via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

To apply, a foreign national must personally contact a foreign institution of Kazakhstan or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and submit the required documents. The service will be processed within one working day, excluding the day of application.

If adopted, the pilot project will run until December 31, 2025, and the public discussion will be open until February 6, 2025.

As a reminder,  as of January 1, 2025, Kazakhstan temporarily suspended issuing IINs to foreign nationals.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko