Kazakhstan
Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1): health insurance requirements
Yes: health insurance is required
Kazakhstan launched the Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1) in November 2024, the first digital nomad visa in Central Asia. It requires proof of at least $3,000 in monthly foreign-sourced income, six months of bank statements, a clean criminal record, and a health insurance policy valid in Kazakhstan for the full visa period. It runs for one year and is extendable; holders cannot work for local employers.
The requirements at a glance
| Local-licensed insurer required | No: compliant international IPMI is accepted |
|---|---|
| Accepted proof | A health insurance policy (insurance certificate) valid in Kazakhstan for the entire duration of the visa, submitted with the application via the Astana Hub portal; updated proof is required at renewal. |
Minimum monthly income of $3,000 from sources outside Kazakhstan; six months of bank statements; clean criminal record from country of residence; passport with at least two blank pages; 100% remote work as an employee, freelancer, or business owner; no employment with local Kazakh companies. A separate, more selective Digital Nomad Residency (B9-1) for vetted IT specialists via Astana Hub/MDIIA grants a 10-year residence permit with no income threshold.
Our take
The insurance condition is real but loosely defined: Kazakhstan requires cover valid in-country for the whole visa term, yet publishes no minimum coverage amount. That looseness is a trap, because a cheap policy can satisfy the letter of the rule while leaving you badly exposed. Treat the requirement as a floor, not a target.
Buy comprehensive international cover with explicit medical evacuation and repatriation. The local private system in Almaty and Astana handles routine care, but complex or critical cases are routinely moved to Dubai, Istanbul, or Western Europe, and an air ambulance dwarfs any saving from a thin plan.
What happens if you get it wrong
Submitting a basic travel insurance add-on or a policy that does not clearly state validity in Kazakhstan for the full visa duration. Renewal also requires fresh insurance proof, so a policy that lapses mid-term can sink an extension.
Assuming the $3,000 income figure and one-year-plus-extension terms are fixed. The visa is new and details have shifted between sources, so confirm the current income threshold, fee, and renewal cap with Astana Hub or a consulate before applying.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Kazakhstan without insurance?
You pay, out of pocket
$1,000–$8,000
A serious private admission or common surgery.
Bars to scale. A flight home is in another league.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
FAQ
Yes. Applicants must hold a health insurance policy valid in Kazakhstan for the entire duration of the visa. The requirement applies again at renewal.
No official minimum coverage figure is published. Because of that, the safe approach is comprehensive international cover with medical evacuation and repatriation rather than a low-limit travel policy.
Reported requirements are at least $3,000 per month from foreign sources, supported by six months of bank statements. Confirm the current threshold via Astana Hub before applying, as figures have varied between sources.
It is valid for one year and can be extended, with renewal requiring updated insurance and a fresh income statement. You cannot work for local Kazakh employers on it.
Yes. The Digital Nomad Residency (B9-1), launched in 2025 for vetted IT professionals through the Astana Hub innovation cluster, grants a 10-year residence permit and has no income threshold, but requires a criminal-record certificate and qualification vetting.
Reviewed by Lukas Schönberg, Founder & researcher, Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ
Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ (Estonia) is an information and matching platform, not currently registered as a regulated insurance intermediary in any jurisdiction. See /how-it-works for the full disclosure.
Source: gov.kzLast verified
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