Kazakhstan's Digital Nomad program has two similarly named products that are easy to confuse: Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) and Digital Nomad Residency (DNR). The difference is fundamental and depends first of all on your citizenship and visa regime with Kazakhstan.
The logic is simple. If citizens of your country do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan, you go for Residency - a full residence permit. If a visa is required, you use the Digital Nomad Visa, an electronic visa that simplifies entry and temporary stay.
| Parameter | Residency | Visa |
|---|---|---|
| For whom | visa-free countries | visa countries |
| Term | up to 10 years | 1 year, extendable |
| Document | plastic residence card | electronic visa |
| Right to work | full work and business rights | no right to work for a KZ company |
| Filing | eGov, simplified | online e-visa portal |
A residence permit grants far more: a long-term status up to 10 years, the ability to open companies, get employed and buy property. A visa is about a one-year temporary stay without the right to work for a local company. For anyone planning to settle or run an IT business and use Astana Hub tax benefits, residency is the obvious choice. Full residency track: Kazakhstan Digital Nomad Residency guide.
Neither the visa nor residency automatically covers family members. A spouse and children are handled separately, via a temporary residence permit under family reunification. Plan this ahead.
Do citizens of visa-free countries need the visa or residency?
Residency. With visa-free access, a full 10-year residence permit is available.
Does the Digital Nomad Visa allow working in Kazakhstan?
It does not grant the right to work for a Kazakhstan company. It is an entry and temporary-stay tool for one year, extendable.
What is better for an IT entrepreneur?
Residency: it opens the right to run a business, register a company and use Astana Hub benefits.
Accurate as of 2026 and subject to clarification by the authorities. Check your scenario with Integro.