Imiatlas

🇰🇪 Kenya

Kenya Work Visa: requirements and how to apply

Issued to foreign specialists offered specific employment by an employer in Kenya who possesses qualifications not available locally.

Official Kenya work visa page

Class D Employment Work Permit

Issued to foreign specialists offered specific employment by an employer in Kenya who possesses qualifications not available locally.

Typical duration
2 years renewable
Path to permanent residency
Eligible for Permanent Residency (Class D track) after 7 continuous years of legal work permit status

Main requirements

  • Kenyan corporate sponsorship
  • Understudy training plan for Kenyan citizen

Official page

Documents usually needed for Kenya

  • Employment contract with a registered Kenyan company or regional multinational headquarters in Nairobi
  • Proof that no Kenyan citizen is currently qualified/available for the position (Labor market justification)
  • Certified academic degree certificates and clean police clearance certificate from country of origin
  • Passport valid for at least 6 months and a compliant photo (make yours here)

Application steps

  1. 1

    eCitizen Electronic Foreign Nationals Portal (eFNS)

    Submit digital application on fns.immigration.go.ke with company registration and CV.

    4 - 8 weeks

  2. 2

    Permit Approval & Statutory Issuance Fee

    Receive notification of approval from the Permits Determination Committee and pay statutory fee.

    1 - 2 weeks

  3. 3

    Alien Card Biometrics (Foreign National Certificate)

    Visit Nyayo House in Nairobi for biometric capture to collect physical Alien Card.

    2 - 3 weeks post-arrival

More about moving to Kenya

Find a licensed adviser

For advice on your own case, use a licensed immigration lawyer or adviser. Always check they are registered before you pay anyone. Imiatlas does not refer or review cases.

Look for a lawyer registered with the national bar association or law society in Kenya. The official immigration website explains any rules on who may represent applicants.

Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS) - Ministry of Interior & eCitizen

General information to help you research, not legal advice. Rules change often: always confirm with Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS) - Ministry of Interior & eCitizen on the official website before applying.