Illustration: AI
Foreigners in Kazakhstan will be able to apply for an individual identification number (IIN) or correct its details online through the QazETA app. The service will take one working day, excluding the day the application is submitted (kursiv.media). The pilot is intended for foreigners and stateless people staying temporarily in the country.
What happened
The pilot project is set out in Interior Minister Order No. 825 of November 2, 2026. Applications will be accepted and results issued through MAQ, a digital migration services platform available in QazETA.
To apply, users need to register or sign in to the app and consent to the collection and processing of their personal data. They will then need to photograph their identity document and complete a biometric check.
What this means for applicants
There is an important detail here: a photo of the document alone is not enough. The system will check that the applicant has entered Kazakhstan through the Berkut Unified Digital System. When opening an application in MAQ, users will need to confirm their geolocation and pass a Liveness check to verify that a live person is in front of the camera.
After these checks, the app will prepare an application using the details from the document. Users will then need to check those details, enter their place of birth, contact details and ethnicity, and submit the application.
How documents will be checked and IINs issued
When an application is prepared, the system will compare the applicant’s biometrics against the immigrant database and check whether they already have a registered IIN. This cross-check will help identify cases where one person uses several documents.
An Interior Ministry operator will check that the application is complete and that its details match the image of the document. They will also check for duplicate IINs. If the application meets the requirements, a number will be generated for the applicant.
Where to find the result
Application status and results will be available in QazETA through the MAQ widget. Users will be able to view and download their registration certificate. The service will be refused if the details do not meet the requirements or if the documents or the information they contain are found to be false.
The authorities had previously announced plans to move IIN issuance online. In October, Vice Minister Rostislav Konyashkin described it as the remaining service among the ten most requested services being digitized. Those ten services accounted for 79% of requests at public service centers.
