How to Register a Company in Kazakhstan 2026: Guide for Non-EAEU Founders

Kazakhstan is a practical location for international businesses entering Central Asia. Foreign individuals and overseas companies may generally own a local business without a Kazakh shareholder.

For most private businesses, the usual structure is a Limited Liability Partnership, or LLP. An LLP is a separate legal entity that can sign contracts, hire employees, open bank accounts, own assets and apply for licences.

The state registration can be quick once the documents are ready. Preparation often takes longer because a founder from outside the Eurasian Economic Union may need the correct immigration status, a Kazakhstan identification number, legalised foreign documents, a local address and a clear ownership structure.

This guide explains how to register company Kazakhstan in 2026 in simple, practical steps.

For a non-EAEU founder, company registration works best when immigration, foreign documents, banking and tax are planned together. The state filing may be fast, but preparation determines whether the company can operate smoothly.

1. Why Foreign Founders Choose Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan can be used as a local sales market, a regional office, a logistics base or a place to hire a Central Asian team. It has commercial links with Europe, China, the Caucasus and neighbouring markets.

The main advantages are:

• foreign individuals and companies may generally own 100% of an LLP;
• a local shareholder is not normally required;
• private business registration is largely digital;
• the company may hire staff, rent premises and contract with local customers;
• Kazakhstan has established banking and electronic-government systems;
• the LLP structure is familiar and relatively easy to manage.

Kazakhstan is not a zero-compliance jurisdiction. Companies must keep accounting records, submit tax reports and follow employment, migration and licensing rules. The process is manageable when the steps are completed in the right order.

2. What You Need Before Registration

Before filing, a non-EAEU founder should confirm the immigration route, personal identification, legal form and registered address.

Business-immigrant status

A foreign individual who wants to establish an LLP or become its participant must first check the business-immigration rules. Kazakhstan law generally requires a business-immigrant visa or an appropriate temporary residence basis.

For citizens of visa-required countries, the usual route is the C5 business-immigrant visa. A tourist visa or ordinary business-visitor visa should not be used as a substitute. Visa-free entry also does not automatically give a person the right to register a company as a business immigrant.

A foreign legal entity does not need a visa. It establishes the LLP through authorised representatives. Individuals who travel to Kazakhstan, sign documents or act as director may still need the correct visa or residence status.

IIN and Electronic Digital Signature

A foreign founder, applicant or director will usually need an Individual Identification Number, or IIN. It is used in government, tax, banking, employment and migration systems.

The person filing the online application may also need an Electronic Digital Signature, or EDS. After incorporation, the LLP normally obtains its own EDS for tax reporting, electronic invoices and government services.

Names must be written consistently in the passport, translation, visa, IIN record, power of attorney and registration application. Small spelling differences can delay both registration and banking.

Legal address

Every LLP must have a registered address in Kazakhstan. It may be supported by a lease, sublease, owner’s consent or another lawful right to use the premises.

The address should be real, suitable for the activity and written consistently in the application, charter, corporate decisions and bank documents.

3. Which Business Form Should You Choose?

Foreign investors usually compare an LLP, a branch and a representative office. For most new commercial projects, an LLP is the most practical option.

Limited Liability Partnership

An LLP is a separate Kazakhstan company. It operates through its own contracts, employees, bank accounts and licences. The LLP is responsible for its obligations with its assets.

An LLP is usually suitable when the business plans to:

• sell goods or services in Kazakhstan;
• hire local employees;
• import or export products;
• rent an office, warehouse or production site;
• participate in tenders or apply for licences;
• operate in Kazakhstan on a long-term basis.

For an LLP classified as a small business entity, the statutory minimum charter capital may be zero. The founder should still provide enough working capital for start-up and operating costs.

Branch

A branch is not a separate legal entity. It is part of the foreign parent company, which remains responsible for the branch’s obligations.

A branch may be suitable when the parent must remain the contracting party or the Kazakhstan project is managed directly from abroad. A commercial branch normally creates a taxable presence and must maintain local accounting and payroll records.

Representative office

A representative office is mainly used for market research, promotion and negotiations. It is not normally intended for regular sales or paid services.

Question	LLP	Branch	Representative office
Separate legal entity	Yes	No	No
Commercial activity	Yes	Yes	Usually limited
Liability	LLP is responsible	Parent is responsible	Parent is responsible
Best for	Long-term local business	Direct operation of the parent	Market research and promotion

The legal form should be selected before foreign documents are issued. Changing it later may require new approvals, translations, contracts and bank documents.

4. Documents Required from Non-EAEU Founders

The package depends on whether the founder is an individual or an overseas company.

Foreign individual

A foreign individual will usually need:

• a valid passport;
• notarised translations into Kazakh and Russian;
• an IIN;
• a C5 visa or another valid business-immigration basis;
• a decision to establish the LLP;
• the charter, unless a standard charter is used;
• a decision appointing the director;
• legal-address documents;
• a power of attorney if a representative handles the filing.

The immigration basis should be checked before the incorporation documents are signed or submitted.

Foreign company

An overseas company will usually need:

• a current extract from the commercial or companies register;
• a certificate of incorporation or similar document, where applicable;
• a corporate resolution approving the Kazakhstan subsidiary;
• a power of attorney for the representative;
• documents confirming signatory authority;
• information about the ownership chain and ultimate beneficial owners;
• an apostille or consular legalisation, where required;
• notarised translations into Kazakh and Russian.

The bank may later request additional constitutional documents and information about the foreign group.

Apostille, legalisation and translation

If the issuing country and Kazakhstan are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille will usually be sufficient. Documents from other countries may require consular legalisation unless a treaty provides a simpler procedure.

The usual order is:

1. Obtain the correct original or certified document.
2. Complete the apostille or legalisation.
3. Translate the complete document, including stamps.
4. Notarise the translation in a form accepted in Kazakhstan.
5. Check names, dates, registration numbers and powers.

Confirm the required format before ordering documents. A wrong register extract or incorrectly legalised copy can delay registration and bank account opening.

5. How to Register Company Kazakhstan: Step-by-Step Guide

Once the preliminary documents are ready, incorporation is relatively straightforward.

Step 1: Confirm the founders and director

Decide who will own the LLP, each participant’s percentage, the amount of charter capital, and who will act as director. For individual founders, obtain a C5 business visa. The director must have an IIN. If the founder is a company, prepare a simple chart showing the ultimate individual owners.

Step 2: Choose the name, address and activity

Prepare the full and abbreviated company name.

Select the main economic activity code based on the expected source of revenue. It should match the business description, bank questionnaire and any licence application. Confirm the legal address before filing.

Step 3: Prepare the corporate documents

For one founder, the main document is usually a sole founder’s decision approving the LLP, charter capital, charter and director.

Where there are several founders, minutes and a foundation agreement are normally prepared. A customised charter may be useful when the founders need special voting rules, transfer restrictions or limits on the director’s authority.

Step 4: Submit the application

The application may be filed through  the relevant Government for Citizens procedure. It includes the company name, address, director, founders, participation percentages, charter capital, activity and expected number of employees.

. A foreign individual provides a passport copy with notarised translations and evidence of the right to register a commercial organisation under the migration rules.

Step 5: Receive the BIN and company EDS

After registration, the LLP receives a Business Identification Number, or BIN. It is used in contracts, invoices, tax returns, bank documents, licences and employment records.

The LLP should then obtain its own EDS and secure access to the tax and electronic invoicing systems.

Step 6: Open the bank account

Bank account opening is a separate compliance process. The bank may request the charter, registration details, director documents, ownership chart, beneficial-owner information, foreign parent documents, expected turnover and evidence of the source of funds.

Registration does not guarantee that a bank will approve the account. The company’s activity, website, contracts and planned payments should match the explanation given to the bank.

6. What to Do After Registration

A registered LLP exists legally, but several steps must be completed before it starts trading.

Tax and accounting

For most companies under the general regime, the corporate income tax rate in 2026 is 20%. The standard VAT rate is 16%. Mandatory VAT registration generally applies when annual turnover exceeds 10,000 monthly calculation indices, equal to KZT 43,250,000 in 2026.

The right tax regime depends on revenue, expenses, customers, imports, exports and payments to foreign related parties. Accounting should be organised before the first transaction. Contracts, invoices, payroll records and evidence of cross-border services should be kept from the start.

Director and employees

The founder’s decision appoints the director at the corporate level. The LLP must also complete the required employment and migration documents.

Certain first heads and deputy heads of Kazakhstan companies with 100% foreign participation may be exempt from the local foreign-labour permit requirement. This does not automatically remove visa, residence, employment-contract, payroll or notification requirements.

Licences and brand protection

Some activities require a licence or formal notification before work begins. This may apply to finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, construction, education, transport, telecommunications, security and other regulated sectors.

Registration of a company name does not automatically protect a trademark. Important names, logos, software and other intellectual property should be reviewed separately.

After registration	What to complete	Why it matters
Bank account	Compliance review and activation	Needed for payments and expenses
Tax and accounting	Select the regime and set up records	Prevents reporting problems
Director and staff	Employment and migration documents	Required before lawful work begins
Licences	Obtain sector approvals	Registration alone is not enough
Contracts and IP	Prepare agreements and protect the brand	Reduces legal risk

7. Common Mistakes, Timing and Costs

Foreign founders often face delays because they:

• use the wrong visa or residence basis;
• order the wrong foreign register extract;
• appoint a foreign director without checking employment rules;
• begin a licensed activity too early;
• transfer money without documenting whether it is capital, a loan or payment.

A short legal review before filing is usually cheaper than correcting migration, ownership or tax problems after registration.

Stage	Indicative timing
Structure and document review	Several working days
C5 visa or residence preparation	Depends on citizenship and consulate
Foreign documents and apostille	Depends on the home jurisdiction
Translation and notarisation	Usually several working days
State registration after complete filing	Within one working day for eligible filings
Bank compliance review	Depends on the bank and ownership structure

The budget may include visa support, register extracts, apostille or legalisation, translations, notarial services, a legal address, corporate documents and bank support. A quotation should clearly show what is included. A low registration price may cover only the electronic filing.

FAQ

1. Can a non-EAEU founder own 100% of an LLP?

Yes. A foreign individual or company may generally own 100% of an LLP without a local shareholder, subject to sector-specific restrictions.

2. Does a foreign individual need a C5 visa?

The founder needs the correct business-immigration basis. For many visa-required nationals, this is a C5 business-immigrant visa.

3. Can the company be registered remotely?

Some steps may be handled by a representative, but personal presence may still be needed for immigration, identification or bank compliance.

4. How quickly can the LLP be registered?

The online filing may take one working day after a complete application is submitted. Visa, IIN, translation and banking steps take additional time.

5. Can the foreign founder also be the director?

Yes. The same person may be founder and director, but visa, residence and employment rules must still be checked

Need advice for your specific structure?
Book a free initial consultation.

REGISTER YOUR COMPANY IN KAZAKHSTAN

Opening a company in Kazakhstan is easier when immigration, corporate documents, banking and tax are planned as one process. The right order saves time and reduces the risk of repeated filings or bank compliance problems.

Matias/assists international founders with choosing the legal structure, preparing documents, arranging C5 and IIN support, registering the LLP and completing the first operational steps.

Meldir Erbulekova, Managing Partner at Matias, advises foreign clients on company registration and market entry in Kazakhstan.

Book a free initial consultation to discuss your citizenship, ownership structure and business activity. The team will explain the required documents and prepare a clear registration roadmap.