Property in Almaty for Chinese citizens and Chinese companies

Can a Chinese citizen buy an apartment in Kazakhstan?

In your own name as an individual, only with a residence permit. For a notary, a visa-free trip or a work visa means temporary stay, and housing won't be registered to such a buyer.

So Chinese entrepreneurs usually act through a legal entity. If you already have an LLP (limited liability partnership, locally TOO) in Kazakhstan, an apartment for a manager or an office is bought in its name. If not, you can buy commercial premises in your own name, which foreigners are allowed to do without a residence permit.

Why Chinese companies and entrepreneurs come to Almaty

Almaty remains the main trading and logistics city between China and Central Asia. Manufacturers' representatives, trading companies, contractors on large projects and students at Kazakh universities come here.

That leads to typical tasks. A team needs housing for a year or two, an office or showroom, a warehouse closer to the highways, and sometimes an apartment for a manager's family. I handle each of these differently: for staff, renting usually makes more sense, while for an office buying can be worth it.

How to rent apartments in Almaty for staff from China

For a team, I find several apartments in the same complex or nearby, so people can commute together. I check who the owner is, the deposit, who pays utilities, and whether the lease can be in the company's name.

I also discuss registration with the landlord: foreigners from visa-free countries have to be registered through the Migration Portal if they stay longer than the period allowed without registration. If an employee is coming to work, they need a work visa and an employer permit within the quota, which the company's lawyers or my partners handle.

How to pay for property in Kazakhstan from China

Here I always ask clients to talk to their bank in China first. Under the published rules of Chinese banks, an individual can buy up to $50,000 of foreign currency a year, and buying property abroad isn't on the list of permitted purposes. The regulator monitors attempts to pool money through relatives' quotas and can restrict a person's access to foreign currency.

The legal route most often goes through a company: the Chinese parent company finances a Kazakh LLP, and the LLP buys the property. In Kazakhstan, transactions by legal entities of $50,000 or more fall under currency control, and the bank will ask for a contract and documents on the source of funds. The financing structure should be agreed with lawyers in both China and Kazakhstan.

Opening an LLP and buying an office: the steps for Chinese investors

Partner lawyers handle registration and accounting. I find the premises and check the location: traffic, road access, the designated use of the premises in the documents. I learned this on the job at Kaspi Bank, where I worked through about 140 properties for branches and Magnum stores.

• The Chinese company's founding documents are apostilled and translated into Kazakh and Russian
• An IIN (individual identification number) for the individual and a digital signature are obtained in person at a TsON public service centre
• Since April 2026 the founder of a commercial LLP has to be present at registration
• Opening a bank account takes 2–4 weeks, and the bank checks the ownership structure down to the ultimate beneficial owner
• After registration the LLP gets a BIN (business identification number) and can buy housing and premises

Which districts suit Chinese specialists and families

For managers and people who meet partners often, Esentai is convenient: the business centres on Al-Farabi Avenue are close by. For teams on a tighter budget, the new blocks west of Gagarin Avenue work well: plenty of rentals, new buildings, easy access to main roads.

If the company's office is in the centre, we look at the Golden Square and Samal. In the centre's older buildings I always check the year of construction and the building series, since Almaty lies in a 9–10 point seismic zone.

How I work with clients from China

I speak Russian, Kazakh and English. With clients from China we communicate in English, and if Chinese is more convenient, we bring in an interpreter for meetings and for the deal at the notary. I prepare documents and property reports in English so they can be forwarded to head office.

Accompaniment includes finding a rental or purchase, viewings and video tours, document checks, the deal itself and liaising with lawyers on the IIN, bank and LLP. My commission on a purchase starts at 1%.