Immigration Permits

Immigration Work Permits

A Work Permit is a document issued by the Director of Immigration Services, under the provisions of section 40 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011, to enable foreign national (s) enter Kenya and engage in trade, prospecting, farming, business, professional employment, missionary activities or even reside in Kenya. There are various classes of permits as provided for under Section 36(1), as read with the seventh schedule of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012 as listed below:-

Class A: (for prospecting and mining) – This permit is issued to a person who intends to engage, whether alone or in partnership, in prospecting for minerals or mining in Kenya.
Class B: (Agriculture and Animal husbandry) – This permit is issued to a person who intends to engage, whether alone or in partnership, in the business of agriculture or animal husbandry in Kenya.
Class C: (Prescribed profession) – This permit is issued to a person who is a member of a prescribed profession who intends to practice that profession, whether alone or in partnership, in Kenya.
Class D:(Employment) – This permit is issued to a person who is offered specific employment by a specific employer, the government of Kenya or any other person or authority under the control of the Government or an approved technical aid scheme under the United Nations Organization or some other approved Agency (not being an exempted person under section 34 (3), who is in possession of skills or qualifications that are not available in Kenya and whose engagement in that employment will be of benefit to Kenya.
Class F:(Specific manufacturing) – This permit is issued to a person who intends to engage, whether alone or in partnership, in a specific manufacture in Kenya.
Class G:(Specific trade, business or consultancy) – This permit is issued to a person who intends to engage, whether alone or in partnership, in a specific trade, business, consultancy or profession (other than a prescribed profession) in Kenya.
Class I: (Approved religious or charitable activities) – This permit is issued to a person who is a member of an institution registered under the Society’s Act who is engaged as a missionary, Member of a company limited by guarantee, Member of a trust registered under the Trustees Act and is approved by the Government of Kenya, and whose presence in Kenya will be of benefit to Kenya.
Class K:(Ordinary residents) – This permit is issued to a person who Is not less that thirty-five years of age; and has in his own right and at his full and free disposition an assured annual income of not less than the prescribed amount that is derived from sources other than any such employment, occupation, trade, business or profession as is referred to in the description of any of the classes specified in this Schedule.
Class M:(Refugees) – This permit is issued to a person who has been granted refugee status in Kenya in accordance with the refugee law of Kenya and any spouse of such a refugee who intends to take up employment or engage in a specific occupation, trade, business or profession.

Exemption

This permit is issued any person or class or description of persons, exempted by the cabinet secretary from provisions of obtaining a work permit by notice in the gazette. (Section 34 (3)(g) of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011).

Basic Requirements

Valid travel document not less than six months.
A Return ticket

Validity

An East Africa Visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

Attachments

During the application process you will be required to attach the following documents. The file formats that may be attached are: PDF or JPG

For Business Visits

Invitation Letters from company / Invitation letter for business visits
Copies of registration of the company

For Family visits

Invitation Letters from family.
Identity card / Passport / Alien card / Entry permit of the host.

For Tourists

Travel itinerary (Details about places to visit if going as a tourist).
Hotel bookings.

Identity Documents

Clear Passport biodata page.
A clear photograph

Photo requirements

Kindly consider the following while taking a photo for evisa.

DO NOT take photograph of or scan the photo in your passport.
Must be taken within the past 6 months, showing your current appearance.
Must be in color.
Must show your full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background.
Must show full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background.
Must be taken in normal street attire. Uniforms should NOT BE worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.

Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

Things to Note

Applicants should allow 3 business days to process visa applications.
A Visa DOES NOT authorize a foreign national to work in Kenya whether paid or unpaid. Those who wish to work in Kenya (paid or unpaid) require authorization from the Director of Immigration Services, Nairobi. Work/residence permit applications can be submitted by your appointed agent/contact in Kenya. For more information, please visit The Department of Immigration Services on www.immigration.go.ke and https://fns.immigration.go.ke
The possession of a visa for Kenya is not the final authority to enter Kenya. The Immigration Officer at the port of entry may refuse such a person permission to enter if he is satisfied that such a visitor is unable to fulfil the immigration requirements and that the entry and presence of such a visitor, in Kenya would be contrary to national interests even though such a person may be in possession of a valid visa for Kenya, provided that any such refusal is consented to by the Director of Immigration Services Nairobi, his Deputy or Provincial Heads of Immigration at Mombasa, Kisumu, and Garissa or any other Senior Officer so authorized to deputize.
A Multiple entry visa is valid for 3 to 12 months from the date of issue.

Apply for eVisa.