Permanent Residence
sections 37-39, Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011 · Official name: Permanent Residence - Categories A to D
Kenya's Directorate of Immigration Services grants permanent residence in four categories: former Kenyan citizens by birth (A), people who have held work permits for at least 7 years and lived in Kenya continuously for the 3 years before applying (B), children of Kenyan citizens born abroad who took another citizenship (C), and spouses of Kenyan citizens married for at least 3 years (D). Applications are made online on the eFNS portal. The processing fee is KSh 50,000 (KSh 20,000 for children of citizens) and the issuance fee ranges from KSh 100,000 to KSh 750,000 by category. The service charter gives a timeline of 24 months.
1 entry rule for Kenya based on recent travel
These apply to people who were recently in certain countries. Sign in and add your trips to see whether any apply to you.
Yellow fever certificate needed after a stay in countries with risk of yellow fever transmission (WHO list)
Travellers aged 1 year and over arriving from a yellow fever risk country must present a valid yellow fever certificate. Without one: may not be allowed into the country (Kenya Airports Authority).
Ministry of Health Kenya: Incoming Travellers Kenya Airports Authority: Port Health WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1: Countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring proof of vaccination against yellow fever (18 Nov 2022, revised 3 Jan 2023) WHO ITH Country List: Vaccination requirements and WHO recommendations for international travellers, 2022 edition (18 Nov 2022, revised 3 Jan 2023) Checked October 19, 2026
Life in Kenya
Finance
3
Currency
Kenyan Shilling
KES
Kenyan Shilling
Cost of living
35
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
10–35%
Income tax (national)
VAT 16%
35% applies to income above KES 800,000 per month (KES 9.6m per year).
Living
1
Happiness
#108 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Premium
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Long-term work permit holders, spouses and children of Kenyan citizens, and former Kenyan citizens.
Eligibility
Category A - former Kenyan citizensEx-Kenyan
Sign in to check this route against your profilePeople who were Kenyan citizens by birth, renounced their citizenship, and cannot hold dual citizenship under the law of their new country.
Category B - lawful residentsWork permit holder
Sign in to check this route against your profileYou need at least 7 years of work permits and 3 years of continuous residence in Kenya immediately before applying.
Time requirements
- Work permits held
- 7 years
- Continuous residence
- 3 years
- Spouse and children apply individually after the principal applicant is approved
- Dependants apply on eFNS
Official wording
People who have held work permits for at least 7 years and lived in Kenya continuously for the 3 years before applying. Once the principal applicant is approved, the spouse and children apply individually on eFNS.
Category C - children of citizensChild of a citizen
Sign in to check this route against your profileChildren of Kenyan citizens born outside Kenya who acquired the citizenship of their country of domicile.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Fees
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 1 more requirement
- 6 documents
- 6 fees
- 5 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Want a licensed advisor to check your case?
Connect with a licensed legal advisor for Kenya. They set their own price and you pay them directly.
Before you pay anyone, check their licencePlaces to visit in Kenya
Attractions picked for you, based on your profile and interests.
Finding places for you…
