Immigration Processes

Most foreigners need a visa to visit Kenya. Business visas must be arranged at the nearest Kenyan embassy or High Commission before travelling to Kenya. Tourist visas, which bar any work or commercial activity, can be issued on arrival at major Kenyan airports and borders. Visas for children aged under 16 are free. An online application system, e-Visa, is available to arrange visa approval before travelling, but it is not mandatory.

Types of Visas

  • Ordinary/Single Entry Tourist or Business Visa: Single work or holiday trips, maximum 3 months
  • Transit Visa: If you are travelling on to a third country within 72 hours of arriving in Kenya
  • Diplomatic Visa: Free to diplomats with appropriate passports
  • Multiple Entry Tourist or Business Visa: Usually 12-month validity, maximum 3 months each trip

General Requirements for Entry Visas

  • A valid passport, with validity of at least 6 months.
  • A set of duly completed and signed application form for visa.
  • A set of photocopy of the applicant’s passport.
  • Two recently taken passport size photos of the applicant.
  • Vaccination against yellow fever.

 Visa on arrival fees are preferred in US Dollars, in cash.

Consult your local Kenyan Embassy or High Commission for relevant fees if you are applying at home.

Type of Visa Fee (USD $)
Ordinary/Single entry 50
Multiple entry 100
Transit 20
East Africa Tourist 100

Entry Permits for Foreign Workers

Any foreigner intending to stay in Kenya to work, to volunteer, or to live even if not working, will need an entry or work permit that the Department of Immigration will issue. Work permits generally are applied for in person in Kenya. There are a series of different Classes of entry permit, and visitors are advised to consult the Department of Immigration to understand clearly into which category they fall.

The following are some of the pertinent classes of Permits and their respective requirements. Each Permit applies to one worker only. The process to apply for each Permit varies. Please consult the Department of Immigration online and in person to be clear about the relevant application process.

CLASS A – Prospecting and mining

Requirements:

  • Bank statement, shareholding certificates, or audited accounts proving minimum of €90,000 to be invested or already invested
  • Copy of relevant prospecting licences
  • For renewals, proof of tax compliance, list of Kenyans employed
  • Fee: €2,230 per year plus processing costs

CLASS B – Agriculture or animal husbandry investment

Requirements:

  • Bank statement, shareholding certificates, or audited accounts proving minimum of €90,000 to be invested or already invested
  • Proof of land owned or leased legally for the purpose
  • Clearance from the relevant authorities
  • For renewals, proof of tax compliance, list of Kenyans employed
  • Fee: €893 per year plus processing costs

CLASS D – Specific employment

Requirements:

  • For foreigners offered specific employment by a specific employer, to be carried out in Kenya by a foreigner qualified to undertake that employment
  • Provide proof the employer failed to fill the vacancy from the local market
  • Copies of academic and professional certificates, and a CV
  • Fee: €1,785 per year plus €89 processing fee

CLASS G – Specific trade or business

Requirements:

  • Bank statement, shareholding certificates, or audited accounts proving minimum of €90,000 to be invested or already invested
  • Proof of registered membership of an association or institute of the prescribed profession
  • Company Personal Identification Number (PIN), and company registration or certificate of incorporation if business already operating in Kenya
  • For renewals, proof of tax compliance, audited accounts for previous two years, list of Kenyans employed
  • Fee: €893 per year plus processing costs

CLASS I – For missionary societies

Requirements:

  • A copy of the organisation’s certificate of registration in Kenya
  • Academic and professional certificates of the applicant
  • Fee: €44.65 per year plus processing costs

CLASS K – For non-workers of independent income

Requirements:

  • Documentary proof of assured income from outside Kenya
  • Applicants may not undertake work of any kind, paid or unpaid, in Kenya
  • Fee: €893 per year plus processing costs

CLASS M – For conventional refugees

Requirement: recognition letter from UNHCR

Special Pass – For short-term contracts

Requirements:

  • This is a short-term approval to work in Kenya for individuals given a specific employment by a specific employer for no more than three months
  • Letter from employer, passport copy, two passport photos
  • Clearance from regulatory bodies
  • Fee: €134 per month plus €8.93 passport pass

Permanent Residency

Foreigners who have lived and worked with all necessary legal permits for a continuous period of seven years can apply for permanent residency, which means annual work permits are no longer necessary. Kenyan citizens whose citizenship lapsed, Kenyans whose children were born overseas, and their spouses after three years of marriage, may also apply for permanent residency.

Driving Licences

Foreigners may drive legally on their national driving licence for three months from the date of their arrival in Kenya, after which they will need a Kenyan driving licence. Apply via www.ecitizen.go.ke.