IIN, BIN and EDS in Kazakhstan: what foreigners need and how to get them

IIN, BIN and EDS at a glance

Three identifiers do most of the work in Kazakhstan's digital state. A foreign founder usually needs all three, in this order.

Who needs an IIN

Kazakhstan identifies people by IIN almost everywhere: on egov, in banks, at the tax office and in the national register of employment contracts. For a foreigner the IIN is the first thing to arrange if you are going to be:

• a founder of an LLP as an individual, or its director;
• an account holder at a Kazakh bank: Halyk and Kaspi both ask for an IIN before opening a personal account;
• an employee of a Kazakh company, because payroll taxes and pension contributions are reported by IIN;
• a user of egov services, which work through an EDS tied to your IIN.

An IIN doesn't make you a tax resident. Residency depends on spending at least 183 days in Kazakhstan within any 12 consecutive months, or on having your centre of vital interests here (Tax Code, Art. 222). Our guide to Kazakhstan tax rates explains what changes once you become resident.

How to get an IIN in 2026

Kazakh consulates issued IINs under a pilot project until 31 December 2025. Now there is one route to a full IIN and one limited online alternative.

In person at a Public Service Centre

You apply yourself at a Public Service Centre (PSC, or TsON) of the State Corporation “Government for Citizens” where you are staying, with your passport. The service is free and takes 1 business day. If your name isn't written in Latin or Cyrillic letters in the passport, bring a notarised translation. Since February 2024 nobody can file the application for you by power of attorney. Under the rules in force since 17 July 2026, a representative with a notarised power of attorney may only collect the finished registration certificate, so the founder or director still has to come and apply in person.

Plan for interruptions. In 2026 IIN issuance to foreigners was paused from 13 to 16 February and from 9 to 13 April. If you are flying in for company setup, book the IIN for the first day and leave buffer days before the bank visit.

eResidency: an online IIN with limits

eResidency is the state programme that Kazakh embassies now point foreigners to instead of the consular route. The application and identity check are done online in 1 to 3 business days, and the status is a paid annual subscription. Its IIN is not a regular IIN, though. The programme's official FAQ says it can't be used on egov or eLicense, and a company can't be registered with it in Kazakhstan's national jurisdiction, so it won't work for an LLP. What it does give is an AIFC company registration and a remote account at the programme's partner banks, which still make their own decision. A digital signature for e-residents is only planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. We don't sell eResidency and can't apply on your behalf.

EDS: your signature on egov, in banks and at the tax office

An EDS is a pair of keys with certificates issued by the National Certification Authority (NCA, pki.gov.kz). A document signed with it has the same legal force as one you sign by hand. That is why you should never hand your keys and password to anyone, including an accountant.

For a non-resident, the NCA process is an online application followed by documents at a PSC: the printed application, your passport and a document showing your IIN. Documents not in Kazakh or Russian need a notarised translation. Certificates usually last a year and are renewed online before they expire.

A personal EDS signs for you as an individual. After the LLP is registered, the director gets a separate EDS for the company, tied to its BIN. An accountant or another employee can get their own keys for the company, confirmed by the director. Give your accountant those, not yours.

BIN: the company's number

The BIN is assigned when an LLP, branch or representative office is registered, and each branch gets its own. You'll see it on the registration certificate, and you'll use it everywhere after that. The bank opens the account to the BIN, and tax returns, e-invoices and contracts carry it. Counterparties can look your BIN up in the tax office's public taxpayer search before they pay.

A foreign company that founds an LLP also has to be identified in Kazakh registers. How that works depends on the structure, so we check it before filing as part of company registration.

The order of steps for a foreign founder

1. Migration status, if you found the LLP as an individual: a business-immigrant permit or a C5 visa, arranged separately. See how a foreigner registers a company.
2. IIN in person at a PSC. An eResidency IIN won't do for an LLP.
3. Personal EDS from the NCA.
4. LLP registration through egov; the company receives its BIN.
5. Company EDS for the director, and employee keys for the accountant.
6. Bank account for the LLP. Our bank account service covers bank selection and the document pack for its checks.

If you fly in, the IIN, the EDS and a bank visit can usually fit into one trip when the documents are ready in advance. Registration itself doesn't need you in the room unless the registrar asks.

Sources

• Tax Code of Kazakhstan, 2026, Art. 222: tax residency of individuals.
• National Certification Authority: EDS for non-residents, documents and steps.
• Ministry of Internal Affairs, public service: IIN for foreigners temporarily staying in Kazakhstan, 1 business day, free of charge.
• MIA Order No. 460 of 30 June 2026: new version of the IIN rules, in force from 17 July 2026; personal application, collection by notarised power of attorney.
• eResidency of Kazakhstan, FAQ: the eResidency IIN, no egov access, no LLP registration, digital signature planned for Q4 2026.
• Halyk Bank: a foreigner gets an IIN only at a PSC, and accounts are not opened by power of attorney.