Eligibility quiz
Do you intend to work remotely while in Kenya?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in Kenya
You can enter and live in Kenya for the period printed on your permit, as long as your required assured income remains available.
Your permit can be renewed for a fee, but renewal is not automatic.
Each permit or renewal can last for no more than five years from its issue or renewal date.
How to apply
From outside KenyaFrom outside Kenya
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your Class N permit application.
See required documentsFill in the application
Create or use your eCitizen account and sign in to the eFNS portal. Select “Apply now”, “Submit Applications”, “Permit Issuance/Renewal” and Class N, then complete Form 25 and print and sign it.
Fill in the applicationSubmit your application
Upload the required documents and submit your application through eFNS. An invoice will appear under Dashboard, then Payments.
Submit your applicationPay the processing fee
Pay the non-refundable US$200 processing fee through eFNS using an available online method, such as card or mobile money. If you cannot pay online, present your printed application and requirements at immigration headquarters or a regional immigration office in Kenya for payment and processing.
Pay the processing feeWait for the decision
Follow your application through your email and eFNS notifications, and respond to any requests from immigration.
Track your applicationPay the issuance fee
Once your application is approved, pay the issuance fee shown in eFNS. The fee is US$1,000 per year.
Pay the issuance feePrint your permit
Print your issued permit from eFNS to take to an immigration office for endorsement.
Print your permitEnter Kenya
Enter Kenya within 90 days of your permit being issued. The immigration director may grant a written extension of up to another 90 days.
Find entry informationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I enter Kenya with an issued Class N digital nomad permit?”
Once in KenyaOnce in Kenya
Get your permit endorsed
Present your printed permit to an immigration office for endorsement. You can then work remotely in Kenya within the terms of your permit.
Find an immigration officeSearches DuckDuckGo for “Where can I get my Kenya Class N digital nomad permit endorsed?”
Documents needed
Required to applyRequired to apply
Proof of income
Provide your bank statements or payslips for the last three months. They must show your monthly income.
Copy of your passport
Provide a copy of your valid national passport.
Passport photos
Provide two recent colour passport-size photos of yourself.
Proof of accommodation
Provide proof of where you will stay in Kenya. This can be a hotel reservation or a lease or rental agreement.
Application form
Complete and sign Form 25, the online application for a residence and work permit. Print the completed form.
Your cover letter
Write and sign a detailed letter addressed to the Director General of Immigration Services. Describe your work or business, where it is located and how long you intend to stay in Kenya.
No objection letter
Ask your home country's embassy for a letter saying it has no objection to your application.
Copy of checklist
Provide a copy of the application checklist.
Employer's cover letter *
Ask your employer, company or organisation for a signed cover letter addressed to the Director General of Immigration Services. If you are self-employed and work only for individual clients, check with Immigration Services what to provide instead.
* Only if an employer, company or organisation supports your application.
May need translationImmigration status *
Provide proof of your current immigration status in Kenya, such as your current pass or permit.
* Only if you are already in Kenya.
May need translationForeign company details *
Provide the company's physical address, telephone number and email address. Include a contact person's name, job title, telephone number and email address.
* Only if your work is connected with a company outside Kenya.
May need translationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Limits on work
This permission does not allow you to work, whether paid or unpaid, or run a business, trade or practise a profession.
You need separate permission for work or another income-generating activity, including remote work.
Doing so without the necessary permission is an offence and can also end your permit.
Family passes can end
A family member’s dependant’s pass can end if they stop relying on you, you can no longer support them, or you die.
It can also end if you leave Kenya in circumstances suggesting your absence is not temporary, or if they work.
The pass does not allow them to work, trade or carry out an income-generating activity.
A child’s pass ends at 21, with exceptions for full-time education or incapacity.
Permit can be cancelled
Your permit can end if you stop living in Kenya, work without the required permission, or break its conditions or immigration rules.
It can also end if you are barred from entry or considered undesirable, or if you are convicted and sentenced to at least three years in prison.
Fraud, false statements or hiding information when obtaining it can make it invalid and lead to its cancellation.
The immigration director can revoke it on the recommendation of the permit committee.
Other legal grounds can also make it invalid.
Permit expiry and entry
Your permit ends when its validity period expires unless it is renewed.
It can also end if you no longer have the required assured income.
If your permit was issued while you were outside Kenya, it becomes invalid if you do not enter within 90 days.
The immigration director can give you a written extension of up to another 90 days.
Your permit can also end if you do not take up residence within 90 days without written approval.
Discuss
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