Kenya Work Permit Navigator
Kenya issues more than a dozen categories of work and residence permits, and picking the wrong one wastes months. Answer eight direct questions and the Navigator identifies the permit class that is most likely to fit, the government fees that currently apply, and the documents typically required, checked against the Directorate of Immigration Services’ own eFNS portal.
Why permit selection is worth getting right the first time
Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services issues work and residence permits across categories lettered A through Q, plus several short-term passes, each with its own eligibility test, government fee, and document checklist. Applying under the wrong class is a common and expensive mistake: it delays a hire, an investment, or a relocation by months while a fresh application is prepared and refiled.
The Navigator below asks the same threshold questions the Directorate itself applies, in order, and stops as soon as your answers point to a class. Where a fee or figure is not published on the government’s own channels, it says so plainly rather than repeating an unverified number.
Permit classes at a glance
A quick reference for every outcome the Navigator can return. Figures marked unconfirmed do not appear on the government’s own infopack and should be confirmed with our office before budgeting.
| Class | Who it is for | Government fees |
|---|---|---|
| Class R | Any EAC Partner State citizen: employment, business, trade, or a prescribed profession | Gratis under the eFNS infopack |
| Class D | Employed by a specific Kenyan employer where local skills are unavailable | KES 20,000 processing; KES 500,000/yr issuance issuance figure unconfirmed on gov page |
| Class G | Investing at least USD 100,000 in a Kenyan trade, business, or consultancy | KES 20,000 + 250,000/yr |
| Class M | Recognised refugee (or spouse) wanting to work, trade, or run a business | not published |
| Class N | Digital nomad: remote employee, foreign company rep, or self-employed serving clients outside Kenya | USD 200 processing; USD 1,000/yr issuance |
| Class K | Person of independent means, USD 24,000/yr assured income, not working locally | KES 20,000 + 250,000/yr |
| Dependant’s Pass | Spouse, child, or recognised dependant of a citizen, permit holder, or resident | not published on infopack |
| Special Pass | Short-term bridging activity, or a pending application or appeal | generated per application |
The government’s own infopack does not publish a fee for several categories. We would rather tell a client that plainly than repeat a number we cannot verify.
Clay & Associates Advocates, Regulatory & Compliance PracticeHow we can help
Clay & Associates Advocates advises employers and individual applicants on identifying the correct Kenyan work or residence permit category, preparing supporting documentation, corresponding with the Directorate of Immigration Services, and handling renewals or responses to rejections. Fees, income and investment thresholds, and documentary requirements change from time to time by gazette notice, and, as the Navigator above makes clear, some figures are not yet consistently published even by the government’s own channels. We verify current rules before advising a client on cost or eligibility rather than assuming last year’s figures still apply.
Frequently asked questions
No. It identifies the most likely category based on the answers given, using the same eligibility criteria the Directorate of Immigration Services applies, but every application is assessed on its own facts and documentation. Treat the result as a starting point for a conversation with our office, not a final determination.
Because it genuinely is not published on the government’s own application portal for that category, and we would rather say so than repeat a figure from an unverified source. Where multiple reliable professional sources agree on a figure not itself shown on the government page, we flag that too, so you know the difference between a confirmed and a corroborated figure.
A small number of categories, including prospecting and mining, agriculture, an independently practised profession, specific manufacturing, and religious or charitable work, are outside this tool’s scope. The Navigator will say so and point you to our office for a direct assessment.
Need a permit application handled, not just identified?
Speak to our office before you file. We will confirm the class, the current fees, and the documents your specific situation needs.
Speak to an Advocate