Abstract: Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are prone to renal insufficiency, which may progress into end-stage renal disease (ESRD). HIV infection has been previously considered as an absolute contraindication of transplantation. The lives of HIV-positive ESRD patients can only maintained through dialysis. With the development of medicine, transplantation practitioners at home and abroad attempt to perform kidney transplantation in HIV-positive patients. Whether kidney transplantation is feasible for HIV-positive patients, whether HIV-positive donor kidneys can be used for transplantation, and the efficacy of kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients has always been hot topics in the field of transplantation. In this article, HIV-associated nephropathy, the conditions of kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients, the efficacy of kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients, use of HIV-positive donor kidneys, use of immune-inducing drugs and postoperative use of immunosuppressants for HIV-positive patients were illustrated, aiming to provide reference for kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients in clinical practice, application of HIV-positive donor kidneys and postoperative management of HIV-positive patients.