Kandas status in Kazakhstan in 2026: who qualifies, where to apply, the regional quota, benefits and the path to permanent residence and citizenship

Kandas status is granted to ethnic Kazakhs who move to Kazakhstan to live permanently. It opens a simplified route to permanent residence and citizenship and, if you are included in the regional quota, a right to relocation and housing grants. In 2026 the procedure changed: under a pilot scheme, applicants take the KAZTEST, complete a scored questionnaire and attend an interview, and state support is tied to seven resettlement regions.

Below is what is known about the procedure as of November 2026. The pilot runs until 31 December 2026, so check the conditions again when you apply.

Who is a kandas

The Law "On Population Migration" defines kandas as ethnic Kazakhs who have obtained this status in the manner set by law. In practice this covers two groups:

• ethnic Kazakhs living abroad and planning to move;
• ethnic Kazakhs who have already entered Kazakhstan on their own — egov.kz has a separate service for granting or extending status for them.

The status is issued to the applicant and family members. It ends once the person obtains Kazakhstan citizenship.

The 2026 pilot: how status is now granted

A joint order of the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Digital Development of 30 January 2026 (Nos. 41, 60 and 47) launched a pilot for two services — permanent residence permits and granting or extending kandas status. It took effect on 13 February 2026 and was amended in April (joint order of 10 April 2026, Nos. 131, 100/NҚ and 263). According to the Ministry of Labour, the path is:

1. Choose a resettlement region, taking housing and jobs into account.
2. KAZTEST — an online Kazakh-language diagnostic on testcenter.kz: 60 questions in listening and reading. A certificate is issued for 70% or more in each block; a lower score produces a statement that does not let you proceed. Results come within 3 working days after proctoring review.
3. Questionnaire — education, work experience, qualifications, language, health, family. The answers feed a points-based (criteria) assessment of immigration potential.
4. Checks by the national security and internal affairs bodies.
5. Interview and decision.
6. Application for kandas status via migration.enbek.kz.
7. Inclusion in the regional quota — a separate decision if you are seeking state support.

According to reports citing the Ministry of Labour, status is granted free of charge within up to 30 working days, and a decision on quota inclusion takes up to 14 working days. The egov.kz service card for those already in the country shows a shorter time; rely on the time stated in your own application.

Regional quota and resettlement regions

The 2026 quota for kandas and resettlers is spread across seven regions:

According to egov.kz, when resettling to a designated region, status is granted for five years with no extension. Moving to a region not designated for resettlement may be a ground for cancelling the status. From 1 January 2027, according to the Ministry of Labour, a kandas or resettler must arrive in the chosen region within three months of the quota decision, or the decision may be revoked.

What support is available

Only people included in the regional quota receive state support. According to the Otandastar foundation, for 2026 it is:

The housing grant is paid for up to 12 months or until housing is provided under the programme. Regions also run kandas adaptation and integration centres that help with paperwork, jobs and school enrolment. Grant amounts are set by regulations and may change — confirm them with the akimat of the receiving region.

Some benefits do not depend on the quota: ethnic Kazakhs are exempt from consular fees and state duty for visas, and, when applying for permanent residence, from the proof of solvency under Ministry of Internal Affairs Rules No. 531.

Path to permanent residence

A kandas, like any foreigner, first secures lawful stay: citizens of visa-free countries obtain a temporary residence permit (RVP), citizens of visa countries a visa. Ethnic Kazakhs may apply for a permanent residence permit regardless of visa category and are exempt from showing 1,320 MCI in a bank account.

Under the 2026 pilot the sequence is: kandas status, then a permanent residence permit, then a residence card. An ethnic Kazakh holding an RVP for two years or more may invite a spouse, children and dependent parents for family reunification. Practical tips on relocating with relatives are in our guide to moving to Kazakhstan with your family.

Path to citizenship

Kandas living lawfully and permanently in Kazakhstan are admitted to citizenship under the simplified (registration) procedure (Article 16-1 of the Law on Citizenship):

• the length of residence does not matter;
• the file is reviewed within three months;
• ethnic Kazakhs do not take the Kazakh language, Constitution and history test;
• you must give up your current citizenship — for this category the law provides for a notarised renunciation statement filed through the internal affairs bodies.

For the procedure and refusal grounds, see our guide to Kazakhstan citizenship for foreigners.

Documents to prepare in advance

The portal generates the exact list when you apply, but the core set for ethnic Kazakhs from different countries is similar:

1. Passport for the applicant and family members — with plenty of validity left, because the RVP term depends on it.
2. A document confirming Kazakh ethnicity — usually a birth certificate or another document recording the nationality of the applicant or their parents.
3. Marriage and children's birth certificates — so the status covers the whole family.
4. Diplomas and proof of work experience. Since April 2026, according to media reports, education points in the criteria assessment are awarded only for a verified diploma (authenticity check or apostille); a notarised copy is not enough.
5. KAZTEST certificate with 70% or more in each block.

Foreign documents need a translation into Kazakh or Russian and, as a rule, an apostille. This matters especially for ethnic Kazakhs from China: China has applied the Apostille Convention since 7 November 2023, and earlier documents may have been legalised under the old procedure. See our guide to apostille and translation of Turkish and Chinese documents.

Common mistakes

• Expecting grants without a quota place. Kandas status and quota inclusion are two separate decisions.
• Moving to another region early. This may lead to cancellation of the status and loss of support.
• Preparing for KAZTEST at the last minute. The 70% threshold per block is considerably higher than before.
• Leaving translations to the end. Birth and marriage certificates and diplomas from abroad need translation and an apostille or legalisation.

Visa Navigator helps ethnic Kazakhs and their families plan the sequence: checking documents, obtaining an RVP or visa, preparing the permanent residence package and then the citizenship file. Kandas status and quota inclusion are decided by state bodies on their own criteria; we are responsible for complete and accurate documents. See the permanent residence (residence permit) service page.

This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. Rules and practice change — verify the current requirements as of the date you apply.