For the latest updates always check with immigration’s website at http://www.immigration.go.ke/
LATEST NOTICE FROM IMMIGRATION
Foreign Nationals Services ( eFNS)
This is to inform the General Public that as from 1st March 2016, all Foreign Nationals Services i.e Permits & Passes, Aliens Card, Permanent Residence & Kenya Citizenship Applications must now be filled and submitted online via https://fns.immigration.go.ke/We are in a position to fill and submit online applications on behalf of our clients using our Agency Immigration Account. If you would like to use our services kindly CONTACT US.
SPECIAL NOTES:
- The application fee for applications made by East Africans (Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) will amount to KES 5,000
- Your current status (pass or permit) must be current (not expired) before submission of the Citizenship application and your status must always be kept current throughout the application process (the Citizenship process will take quite a few months)
- Proof of Residence may include children’s birth certificates, property ownership, welfare/association’s membership, utility bills/receipts, school certificates, etc.
1. Spouses, Widows and Widowers of Kenyan Citizens
The applications under this category are made by persons who have been married to citizens of Kenya for a period of at least SEVEN years.
2. Citizenship by Lawful Residents
Applications under this category are made by persons who have been ordinarily resident in Kenya for a period of SEVEN years immediately preceding the date of application and must have been so resident under authority of an entry permit or exemption. If the applicant has been out of the country for 1 year or longer during their (at least) 7 year tenure in Kenya and/or the applicant’s valid status has been broken for any period of time, they have broken the 7 year cycle and are NOT eligible until they have completed another 7 year cycle.
3. Citizenship for Children
Applications under this category are made for the biological or legally adopted children of Kenyan citizens (a child means any human being under the age of eighteen years). If your children are below 18, they cannot apply until the parents have received their Kenyan Citizenship.
Regaining Citizenship
A citizen by birth who acquired citizenship of another country before 2010 must apply to regain their Kenyan citizenship.
Note that a citizen by registration who acquired citizenship of another country before 2010, will NO LONGER be able to regain their Kenyan citizenship. This is according to the current constitution.
Once the Kenyan citizenship is regained, one must now declare for dual citizenship within 3 months of receiving the Kenyan passport/ other Citizenship passport. Failure to declare will result in De-registration of your Kenyan Citizenship.
Dual Citizenship
Once you obtain Kenyan Citizenship/ other Citizenship if you are a Kenyan Citizen, you must declare for dual citizenship. One must now declare for dual citizenship within 3 months of receiving the Kenyan passport/ other Citizenship passport. Failure to declare will result in De-registration of your Kenyan Citizenship.
CONTACT US for more details of the requirements needed to apply for Citizenship or Dual Citizenship.
Father's Hand Limited 
Hi,
I have a kenyan passport all my life and got a British passport in 2016. My Kenyan passport is expiring in 2019 and need to renew it. I recently discovered that I was supposed to declare my dual citizenship within 3 months of getting my British passport but I did’nt as I was not aware of this law. So I have 2 questions:
1. Can I still declare 2 years after?
2. Are there any repurcussions of this?
3. What would be the best way to go about this issue?
Would appreciate you help.
Thanks
Regards,
Dear Mohamed,
Unfortunately, failure to declare within three months results in de-registration of your Kenyan Citizenship.
We charge a consultation fee if you would like us to find if there is a solution to your case. Otherwise, please feel free to call this immigration number to find out what other options are available in regards to citizenship: 020 2222022
Hello i am a Kenyan and been married to my American husband for 9 years. I am planning to move back to the Kenya and apply for Kenyen citizenship for him. I will not be employed at th being but I have been saving up money, to transfer to my Kenyen account. Do I have to have a job or just have enough money to support my family in order to get a dependent pass for my husband?
Dear Lydia,
I would not advice you to undergo the dependent pass application for your husband, unless he has proof that he is not in a position to work (medical conditions). Immigration has not been approving male dependent passes easily, especially if the individual is of age to work.
Hi,
My husband is a born Kenyan and got the Netherlands nationality last year ( 2017 ). We didnt know that we had to declare a dual citizenship so untill now he didnt declare this. In october we are going to Kenya. Can he get a fine of prison for this ? What can we do ?
Dear Francis,
Kindly check your email for a response.
hi there ,
pleasw could you let me kmow how i can follow up my application to regain my kenyan citizenship. I live in the uk and submitted my application mid december 2017 , i have had no feedback from Nyayo house and have not beem succesful in finding a contact email or telephone number to query my application . Any suggestion will be highly appreciated .
Thanking you in advance .
Best Regards
magdi
Dear Madam,
The regaining citizenship application can take more than a year to be finalized. If you would like to use our services to assist you with following up on your application, kindly send an email to info@fathershandltd.com
Hi there,
Is it possible for a British citizen to keep their British citizenship after gaining Kenyan citizenship by way of 7 years’ uninterrupted residence in Kenya?
Many thanks
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting us.
An individual who has obtained Kenyan Citizenship can obtain their British Citizenship, then claim their Dual Citizenship in Kenya, only if they obtained their British Citizenship after August 2010.
Hi there,
Is it possible for British citizens to keep their British citizenship after they gain Kenyan citizenship by way of 7 years’ unbroken residence in Kenya?
Many thanks
Dear Storm,
Thank you for contacting us.
An individual who has obtained Kenyan Citizenship can obtain their British Citizenship, then claim their Dual Citizenship in Kenya, only if they have obtained their British Citizenship after August 2010.
Hi, I am a US citizen by naturalization since 2011, when I also changed my FIRST name. I Was born in Kenya but my Kenyan Passport expired about 10 years ago.
Do I still qualify for Dual Citizenship?
I recently got married to a Kenyan in the US but out marriage is not registered in Kenya yet. I will need to change my LAST name to the married name. How do I register my new FIRST and LAST names in Kenya with my current situation? I only have a valid US passport, Kenyan Birth certificate and ID
Dear Jane,
Thank you for contacting us. Are you saying that you were a Kenyan citizen by birth until you received your US citizenship in 2011? If so, you would most likely be eligible for Dual Citizenship. If you would like to use our services to obtain your Dual Citizenship, kindly send us an email. If you would prefer to pursue the application independently, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke for any further queries.
Dear Jane,
Regarding registering your new name, you would have to provide, your old passport, an affidavit requesting for the name change, and a marriage certificate, to the relevant authorities, when you decide to apply for your new passport, new ID, and so forth.
I am Tanzanian married to kenyan for 19 years. I applied for kenyan citizenship 4 months ago but till date have not heard from immigration. Can you help expedite?
Dear Alibhai,
Thank you for contacting us. A response has been sent to your email address.
Hello. I am a Kenyan citizen by birth & now I have got my British citizenship last month. What forms do I have to fill in to get my British Passport endorsed with the dual citizenship stamp? Form 3 or 4? Which passport details am I filling on these forms British or Kenyan? Also how & where do I obtain a police clearance certificate if it is a requirement. How long does it take to get this done? What is the procedure if I wanted to use your services? Best regards.
Dear Sarit,
Thank you for contacting us. You will find the appropriate forms for Dual Citizenship via fns.immigration.go.ke (click the Citizenship category, then click the Dual Citizenship button). The forms will indicate which passport details will be required, and the required documents will be listed accordingly. You would obtain your Police Clearance Certificate via the CID office in Kiambu; the procedure should take about two weeks. Depending on whether you have all the required documents ready, and depending on whether your file is accessible, we would be in a position to obtain your Dual Citizenship within two weeks. For further information on our services, kindly send us an email. If you would prefer to pursue this application independently, kindly contact Nyayo House for any further queries.
HI
I’m a UK citizen by birth and got married to my wife in 2008 in Nairobi, I have never lived in Kenya before I got married or since, My wife has dual citizenship as is my 6 year old son, both kenyan/british.
Would I be entitled to Kenyan citizenship due to my being married to a Kenyan citizen for 7 years? Would I need to live in Kenya to obtain this or can I remain in the UK and still achieve this?
Andrew
Dear Andrew,
In order to qualify for Citizenship, you would have to be married for 7 years. For the entire list of requirements/specifications, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke or immigration.go.ke.
You can live in the UK while the application is ongoing.
hi im a tanzania leaved in kenya for 14 years know marriege a kenyan lady for 6years know blessed 1kid already we been able to get birth certificate 4our kid then how can aply to be kenyan citizen?
Dear Sir,
Thank you for contacting us. In order to be eligible for Citizenship, you must have been married to your wife for seven years. However, you are eligible for Permanent Residency, as the application only requires marriage to a Kenyan citizen for three years. If you would like to employ our services for the application, kindly send an email to info@fathershandltd.com. If you would prefer to pursue the application independently, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke for the application’s requirements and instructions.
If the child was born in 2010, and the father is a Kenyan citizen/USA Permanent Resident while the mother is only a USA citizen, could the child have received dual citizenship even though the mother is a USA citizen only? The parents were married at the time.
Dear Karlie,
Thank you for contacting us. A response has been forwarded to your email address.
Hi I applied for regaining my Kenyan citizen through the embassy and 2 years have passed and no answer. Is there any way you can help me.
Thanks in advance
Dear Leila,
Thank you for contacting us. A response has been sent to your email address.
Good day Sir/Madam,
I am a Kenayn citizen and have a 2 year old daughter who was born in South Africa. I would like to register her as a Kenyan Citizenship and get a passport too. How would I go about doing this, how long would the process take and what would be the cost involved for the process.
Regards,
Tony.
Dear Tony,
Thank you for contacting us. Your daughter would be eligible for Dual Citizenship. Via our services, we can obtain her Dual Citizenship within two weeks. If you would like to use our services, kindly send an email to info@fathershandltd.com to receive our service fees. If you would like to obtain her Dual Citizenship independently, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke for the list of requirements. Independently, the process will take much longer than two weeks.
Hello,
I submitted a Kenyan Citizenship renunciation application via the Kenyan high commission in London. I was advised that it could take upto 3 months to process. I still haven’t heard anything from the High Commission been three months already. Could you please assist in having this expedited?
Many thanks
V Patel
Dear Patel,
Thank you for contacting us. We have responded to you via your email address.
Hi
I acquired British Citizenship in 2012 but never declared it. I now want to apply to renew my Kenyan passport which expired in 2012 as well. I have read up on the website and it says that a declaration needed to be made within 3 months or there is a a fine or a prison sentence. How do I go about this. I want to get dual citizenship but not sure now with the ruling what to do.
Dear Ray,
Thank you for contacting us. You can rest assured that there will be no fine or a prison sentence. If you would like to employ our services to assist you through the entire procedure, kindly send a confirmation email to info@fathershandltd.com. If you would prefer to pursue the application without the employment of our services, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke or visit Nyayo House for assistance.
Hi.
I have dual passports Australian & Kenyan. I became an Australian citizen in 2008.
I’ve never declared my dual citizenship to Kenyan government, didn’t realise it was necessary to do so, and now my Kenyan passport needs renewal after 10 years.
How should I go about this? Declare then renew or renew then declare?
Please advise.
Dear Ziana,
Thank you for contacting us. If you received your other citizenship during and after 2010, you are eligible for Dual Citizenship. Since you received your Australian citizenship before 2010, according to Kenyan law, you have lost your Kenyan citizenship. This means you must undergo the process of regaining your citizenship.
Kindly visit the immigration website or Nyayo House for further information. If you would like to employ our services for the application, kindly send an email to info@fathershandltd.com.
I have dual citizenship, British & Kenyan. I became a british citizen in, via naturalisation, in 2007.
I’ve never declared my dual citizenship to Kenyan government, didn’t realise it was necessary to do so, and now am planning to visit.
How should I gomabout it?
Please advise.
Dear John,
Since you became a British Citizen in 2007, under the Kenyan immigration regulations, you have lost your Kenyan Citizenship to the British Citizenship. All those who obtain another citizenship before 2010, lose their Kenyan citizenship and therefore must regain it. If you would like to use our services for regaining your citizenship, kindly send an email to info@fathershandltd.com. Otherwise, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke to read through the requirements for regaining your Kenyan citizenship.
Hello
I am an american citizen i like to obtain kenyan permanent residency. I never been in kenya and i really want to live and work in kenya. what kind of document do i need to submit??
Thank you in advance.
Hi Amele, in order to be eligible for PR you need to have held a work permit for at least 7 years without a break in between each renewal and you need to have lived in Kenya for a minimum of 3 years preceding your PR application to immigration. Alternatively, you need to have been married to a Kenyan citizen for at least 3 years. Another pre-requisite to the PR application is the requirement to apply for a Certificate of Good Conduct – in order to be applicable for this, you need to have lived continuously in Kenya for 6 months without leaving the country.
Good day,
I am a Kenyan citizen by birth and still hold my Kenyan citizenship. I have two children ages 15 and 11 years. They currently have Canadian citizenship as my husband is Canadian. I would like to obtain Kenyan passports for them as we will be moving to Nairobi in the near future. Am I allowed to do this? What documents do I need to submit in the application?
Dear Insiya,
Your queries were responded to via your email.
Dear Sirs/Madam,
I am a Kenyan by birth but acquired a British citizenship in 2012. Could I endorse my British passport as I prefer to have one passport. Which law clarifies if it is possible or not possible? Many thanks. Marigu
Dear Marigu,
Sincere apologies for the late response. You are eligible for Dual Citizenship. We would be happy to assist you through the application procedure. Otherwise, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke to find out how to have your British passport endorsed with the Dual Citizenship stamp.
I’m a Kenyan by birth. In 2014 I became an Australian citizen. What is the procedure for applying for dual citizenship
Dear Madam,
Thank you for contacting us. Go the immigration website on the provided link, create an account, select the Dual Citizenship option and you will find all the requirements and instructions; fns.immigration.go.ke
If you would like to use our services for this procedure, kindly send us an email.
Hi there I have an issue I need help with.
I have filled all forms in order to regain Kenyan Citizenship as I was Kenyan citizenship by birth and now have UK passport.
It’s been over 2 years and I still haven’t heard anything and keep getting told it’s in progress.
That’s an awful long-time and having issues with doing business and stuff in Kenya
Any help.in how to overcome this? All documents were sent via Kenya High Commision London.
Dear Hardeep,
Thank you for contacting us. Have you visited Nyayo House to follow up on your application? If not, I would advise you to go or send someone to follow up on the application on a regular basis, to ensure that there is progress. If you would like to use our services to assist you with the progress of your application, kindly send us an email.
Hello. I was born in Kenya and became a naturalized US citizen in 2003. Which form(s) do I have to fill out first to regain my citizenship? Also, I have a 21 year old that was born in the US and I would like him to become a Kenyan citizen. What are the steps in making this happen?
Good afternoon,
Thank you for contacting us. Fill form 5 via the immigration online portal for regaining your citizenship.
Regarding your son’s citizenship, kindly CLICK HERE to read about the requirements and the forms that your son would need to fill out. Once you have compiled all the necessary documents and filled out the online application, you would need to print out the forms and submit them to Nyayo House, along with the list of required documents. You would need to follow up on the progress of the application on a regular basis to ensure that the application is not stagnant. There are quite a few steps involved before the approval of the application. This process can take up to 3+ years so it requires patience. Identify one helpful officer who can assist you with determining the stages of progress that the application will pass through. If you don’t, the application may remain dormant.
If you have any further queries, kindly send us an email.
I have dual citizenship, British & Kenyan. I became a british citizen in, via naturalisation, in 2007.
I’ve never declared my dual citizenship to Kenyan government, didn’t realise it was necessary to do so, until recently.
When I was traveling back from Kenya, in 2015, an immigration officer, at J Kenyatta Airport, explained that I can also register my son, 14 years, for a Kenyan passport.
Am I now liable for not declaring dual citizenship? I’ve seen the forms for registering dual citizenship and registration for my son’s birth, on Kenya embassy UK website. I haven’t completed them yet, please advise.
Dear Jane,
Thank you for contacting us. A law was recently implemented stating that Kenyan citizens who received another citizenship before 2010, lost their Kenyan citizenship and therefore cannot apply for dual citizenship. You will be required to regain your citizenship first, to enable you to apply for dual citizenship. Kindly visit the following link and scroll down to read about regaining citizenship; https://fathershandltd.com/about-us-2/citizenship-dual-citizenship/
Kindly note that all immigration applications have been digitized. You will be required to start the application process via this link; https://fns.immigration.go.ke/
Regarding your son’s passport application, kindly refer to the following link for specific instructions; https://immigration.ecitizen.go.ke/index.php?id=4
If you have any further queries, kindly send an email to esther.kwanga@fathershandltd.com
hi am a kenyan 27 years,last year i got married in Tz.now am back home in kenya and in the process of getting her a kenyan citizen..now how do i go abt it?which is the right form to fill?how do i fill it is it me or my wife…….pliiz help
Thank you for contacting us. Kindly read through the list of requirements under the Spouses, Widows and Widowers of Kenyan Citizens Citizenship title. The list will help you understand which forms you would need to fill out and what other documents you will need to provide; https://fathershandltd.com/about-us-2/citizenship-dual-citizenship/
Kindly note that all immigration applications have been digitized. You (not your wife) will be required to fill out the necessary forms
via the following link, print it out, and finally submit the entire application at Nyayo House; https://fns.immigration.go.ke/
Feel free to send an email to info@fathershandltd.com for any further queries.
I’m an American citizen but I was born in Kenya.I want to apply for dual citizenship since my family is back in Nairobi.I can’t find my Kenyan passport or ID. I might have misplaced or lost them but I’m not sure when or how.I still have my Kenyan birth certificate .I wanna know if I can use that to reapply for a new Kenyan ID and Kenyan passport.thanks.
Dear Sam,
Thank you for contacting us. A response has been sent directly to your email.
I’m a Kenyan citizen by registration having got in 1996. Was born in Kenya in 1970 but both parents were British subjects at that time though resident in Kenya. I had renounced my British citizenship to get Kenyan citizenship as dual nationality was not allowed then. Have recently confirmed that am eligible to regain British citizenship. If I pursue it would I have to renounce Kenyan citizenship?. Qm aware that Kenya constitution allows dual nationality for those who would be citizens by birth which i’m not as I registered. Since I already hold Kenyan citizenship and am not applying for it now if I get British citizenship do I have to renounce Kenyan or would I be eligible to retain dual nationality since I already have Kenyan citizenship and am not applying afresh to regain it.
Hi P Shah, thank you for writing to us. A response was sent directly to your email at the time and date you wrote. Many thanks.
To whom it may concern,
I am a teacher and a British Citizen, whose father was born and raised in Kenya and was a citizen of Kenya. My father now holds a British Passport, as I do. I have a large amount of family in Kenya, including a brother and many aunts and uncles. I visit Kenya and will be doing so again in December 2015. I am hoping to look into obtaining land and building a home in future as I feel like both British and Kenyan. I want to retain my British Citizenship but want to be a Kenyan Citizen too and have the right to work and own property in Kenya. Eventually I would like to build schools in Kenya too. How should I apply for Dual Citizenship? Am I entitled? What are the procedures? How much does it cost?
Yours faithfully,
Thomas Paul Levi Karisa
Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your query. An agent will be in touch with you within 24-48 hours.
Have a good day,
Thank you for the info, I’m 20 years old, I was born in and lived in Kenya all my life, however I’ve been here because my Dad has a work permit, and we all have residence permits since we are his dependents, would I still be able to apply, seeing as it is still a valid permit, so to speak?
Hi David, I am assuming that because your Dad still has a Work Permit, he has not yet obtained Kenyan Citizenship so even though you were born here, you are not eligible for automatic Kenyan Citizenship as neither of your parents were Kenyan citizens at the time of your birth.
So yes, you can apply for Citizenship as a Lawful Resident; as long as you have held a valid Dependent Pass continuously for at least 7 years, you can apply. You can reach me directly at rebecca.kwanga@fathershandltd.com if you have any further queries.
hi, thanks for the info. after you submit dual citizenship form, what do you get in return? i just got an “acknowledgement” receipt. is it enough.regards
Hi Laura, first off I want to ensure that you are not confusing the citizenship application itself with the dual citizenship application. From your comment above, I am assuming that you have already received your Kenyan Citizenship (you can only declare for dual after you have received your citizenship)? Kindly confirm. If you have already received your Kenyan Citizenship and now have declared for dual, you are supposed to receive an approval document and they are also supposed to endorse your Non-Kenyan passport with the Kenyan citizenship. If you can, scan the acknowledgement you have received to rebecca.kwanga@fathershandltd.com and I will double-check this for you. Regards – Rebecca
For the dual citizenship, If I don’t get my non Kenyan passport endorsed. How will this effect my travelling to other countries where I already have visa on my Kenyan passport. Will it effect my exit and entry from my home country?
Hi Hussein, endorsing your non-kenyan passport should never affect your exit and entry from your home country negatively as your home country should also be aware that you have applied for dual citizenship with Kenya. All you have to do is show them your home country passport then when you travel into Kenya, you show them the Kenyan citizenship endorsement. The reason why many opt to endorse their non-Kenyan passport is because it makes things easier when they travel around, especially if one holds a non-kenyan passport that holds weight in EU countries, USA and Canada. Most use the Kenyan passport for travel around Africa (for cheaper entry rates and so forth). You really will not be affected if you do not endorse your non-Kenyan passport but if using your non-kenyan passport will save you from having to obtain visas, you might as well endorse it. If the Kenyan passport holds more favor around the places you frequently travel then keep things as they are.
I am Kenyan and am expecting a child next month and would like to get him citizenship and passport soonest. What points from 1 -8 apply to me?
Hi Seamus, I have sent an answer to your email address 🙂