Kairylman status in Kyrgyzstan
Kairylman is a status for ethnic Kyrgyz who live permanently abroad and wish to resettle to Kyrgyzstan for permanent residence. The status is confirmed by a special certificate that gives the right to registration at the place of residence and to state guarantees on resettlement.
Source: cbd.minjust.gov.kg — Regulation on the procedure for granting kairylman status
Who can obtain kairylman status
The application is filed by an adult member of the family in person or through an authorised representative.
Already in Kyrgyzstan
- An ethnic Kyrgyz who is in Kyrgyzstan temporarily and lawfully
- Files the application with the territorial office of the authorised migration body at the place of temporary residence
Abroad
- An ethnic Kyrgyz who is outside Kyrgyzstan and wishes to resettle for permanent residence
- Files the application with an embassy or consulate of Kyrgyzstan, which forwards the documents to the authorised migration body
What it costs
| State duty and consular fee for obtaining kairylman status at an embassy or consulate of Kyrgyzstan | 0 USD |
|---|
Documents to gather
The following are submitted together with the kairylman application:
- A passport or a document replacing it
- A birth certificate
- A marriage certificate — if the applicant is married
- Where there is no birth certificate — the birth certificate of a close relative, the parents' marriage certificate or the birth certificate of a more distant relative
- Foreign documents — legalised and translated into the state or the official language of Kyrgyzstan, with the translator's signature certified by a notary
- For the issue of the kairylman certificate — an application form and two colour photographs measuring 30×40 mm
How the process runs
The procedure for examining the application and issuing kairylman status.
- 1
Filing the application
An adult member of the family files the application in person or through a representative: abroad, with an embassy or consulate of Kyrgyzstan, which forwards the documents to the authorised migration body within ten working days of registration; in Kyrgyzstan, with the territorial office at the place of temporary residence.
- 2
Examination of the application by the commission
2 monthsThe commission of the territorial office or of the authorised migration body examines the application after agreeing it with the national security and internal affairs bodies. The decision to grant the status or to refuse it is taken within two months of the day the application was registered.
- 3
Notification of the decision
5 working daysThe commission hands the decision to the applicant or to the authorised representative in person within five working days of the day the decision was taken. A refusal to grant the status may be appealed in court.
- 4
Issue of the kairylman certificate
The person who has received the status submits an application form and two colour photographs measuring 30×40 mm. The kairylman certificate confirms the status and serves as the basis for registration at the place of residence and for receiving state guarantees. It is issued to everyone aged 18 and over; the details of children and dependants under 18 are entered in the certificate of one of the parents, the guardian or the custodian.
Who you can bring with you
Kairylman status extends to the applicant's family where they live together.
A spouse and minor children
Dependants
Children and dependants under 18
Renewal and the grace period
The kairylman certificate is valid for one year. Its validity may be extended, but by no more than two years.
How it differs from the routes next to it
The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.
| Kairylman status | Digital nomad status | W1/W2 work visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grounds | Ethnic Kyrgyz | IT specialists | Employment contract |
| Money | No investment or income requirements — this is a repatriation programme | Proof of income for self-support is likely; the exact threshold is not publicly fixed | Compliance with Kyrgyz labour law and the minimum wage (estimated) |
| Work | Full right to work (as for permanent residents and citizens) | Remote work for clients abroad; local work requires a separate permit | Work for a particular employer; a change of employer requires a new permit |
| Residence | Residence in Kyrgyzstan as part of the resettlement | Actual presence for most of the term is likely | Residence in Kyrgyzstan and registration of the address |
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to permanent residence
A programme for obtaining permanent residence on simplified terms
Route to citizenship
A simplified and accelerated route to citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic
Frequently asked questions about Kairylman status
Who can obtain kairylman status?
How much does it cost to obtain kairylman status?
How long does the examination of the application take?
Does kairylman status extend to the applicant's family?
How long is the kairylman certificate valid and what happens once it expires?
How does kairylman status differ from the Meken visa?
How is kairylman status connected with obtaining citizenship of Kyrgyzstan?
Other ways to move to Kyrgyzstan
- Digital Nomad statusDigital nomad
- Work visaWork residence permit
- Investment residence permitResidence permit by investment
- Visa-free stay for nationals of EAEU countriesVisa-free regime
- Electronic visa of the Kyrgyz RepublicVisa
- Category S study visaVisa
- Category F family visaVisa
- Category B business visaVisa
- Category G guest visaVisa
- Meken visa of category M for ethnic KyrgyzVisa
- Category TS tourist visaVisa
- Admission to citizenship of the Kyrgyz RepublicCitizenship
Every route in one list — migration programmes: Kyrgyzstan.
The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.