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 PR application and your status must always be kept current throughout the application process (the PR process will take quite a few months)
Under section 38 of the Act, any person who has qualified for permanent residence status is entitled to, and subject to, the following rights and obligations:
(a) the right to be issued with a certificate of permanent residence;
(b) the right to enter and remain in Kenya, subject to the provisions of the Act;
(c) the right to be employed in Kenya; has the right to attend educational facilities;
(d) the right to own property legally and to move and settle anywhere in Kenya;
(e) the right to access and enjoy social services and facilities in Kenya;
(f) the obligation to comply with residency obligations as may be prescribed (You will be taxed the same amount as a Kenyan citizen)
(g) Gain exemption from work permits
As a permanent resident you cannot:
· Own a Kenyan Passport
· Own a Kenyan ID
· Vote
· Own agricultural land
You have the option to apply for PR as an Entry Permit Holder or via Marriage (to a Kenyan Citizen or a Permanent Residence Holder)
CONTACT US for more details of the requirements needed to apply for Permanent Residency.
Father's Hand Limited 
Dear Sandeep,
We can ensure that your application does not remain stagnant or get lost. Our service fees would depend on which stage your application has arrived at. The closer your application is to the finalization stage, the less our service fee would be to follow up on your application. If you would like to use our services, kindly send as an email.
Dear Kate,
Factors such as when the official Cabinet Secretary will be verified by the government can determine the processing time frame. Although it may raise complications/delays, It is possible to change the PR category during the application. If you would like to use our services, kindly send us an email. if you would prefer to pursue your application independently, kindly visit Nyayo House for further information or assistance.
Could you advise me on the timeframe the kenyan immigration department takes to process a permanent residency application.
Dear Sandeep,
The application could take 2 – 4 years.
A couple of further clarifications – which are factors that determine the processing time? Or is it more a matter of luck? If during the processing time you qualify for another category is it possible to change i.e. from the work permit category to the married to Kenyan citizen category.
Is there a way you can speed the process up and what are you charges for following up on my application
Hello
I am abdirizak, I have Kenyan girlfriend in Nairobi, but I am in Somalia, I want come Kenya and marry, plz tell me how I can come and apply the permanent visa.
Dear Abdirizak,
Thank you for contacting us. You are not eligible for a PR application. You would need to have been married to your girlfriend for 3 years in order to be eligible for PR.
Hello, I have lived in kenya form 1981 to 1994, my father was a kenyan citizen before he passed away and at the time I was holding an Indian Citizenship and was his dependant.
I got employed and transferred to Kenya and am on a work permit currently, what are the chances of getting a PR or a citizenship to settle here for a longer duration.
Dear Sir,
If you can prove that you have lived in Kenya for seven years, under a valid permit, without breaking the cycle, you can qualify for PR/Citizenship. If you would like to use our services for this procedure, send an email to info@fathershandltd.com. Otherwise, kindly refer to fns.immigration.go.ke to read through the requirement list for the PR and citizenship applications.
Am I entitled to a Kenya medical license if I am a permanent resident in Kenya?
Dear Sir,
You would be entitled.
Hi, after obtaining permanent residency, one can work and run consultancy or a private clinic like any other citizen Kenyan or PR holders are allowed only for employment
Dear Raj,
Under section 38 of the Act, any person who has qualified for permanent residence status is entitled to, and subject to, the following rights and obligations:
(a) the right to be issued with a certificate of permanent residence;
(b) the right to enter and remain in Kenya, subject to the provisions of the Act;
(c) the right to be employed in Kenya; has the right to attend educational facilities;
(d) the right to own property legally and to move and settle anywhere in Kenya;
(e) the right to access and enjoy social services and facilities in Kenya;
(f) the obligation to comply with residency obligations as may be prescribed (You will be taxed the same amount as a Kenyan citizen)
(g) Gain exemption from work permits
As a permanent resident you cannot:
· Own a Kenyan Passport
· Own a Kenyan ID
· Vote
· Own agricultural land
Hi, the FNS portal has limited information. Once the application is submitted. What does one need to do when certificates expires (as many only have 12 months validity)? Do I have to keep the application up to date or will I get a chance to update once they review the file? Thanks!
Dear Jenny,
Kindly clarify which certificates you are referring to and which application you are referring to.
I am referring to Tax Clearance Certificates, Certificate of Good Conduct etc. And even passport details if it expires during the processing time. The application is for PR as a work permit holder.
Jenny,
You should renew any expiring documents and submit them to the PR department, requesting the officers to place the renewed documents into your file.
Hi,
I stayed in Kenya as a refugee since 1992. I took a 2 year entry permit and again renewed for additional 3 years. I am married to a Kenyan. I worked in this country and have been paying tax. Can I apply for a permanent residence now. if not what do i need to be entitled for one and where can i go to get helped.
Abdi
Dear Sir,
If you have been married to Kenyan for at least three years, you would be in a position to apply for PR via marriage. You can visit Nyayo House, in the city center, to enquire whether your former status as a refugee qualifies you to apply for PR, if you do not qualify under the marriage regulations.
Check again Aisha.
Hi,
This is urgent. PPlease let me know the process of obtaining a permanent residency, the directorate of immigration states that only obtaining of permits and passes is currently online. Once I have obtained all the documents, what is the time frame of actually gaining the permanent residence from the moment of applying. Thank you so much.
Aisha
Dear Aisha,
Thank you for contacting us. Kindly check your email for a response.
Hello, sorry, I haven’t received a response yet on the issue. Please check the email address again.
Hi there,
My husband and me are planning to move to Kenya in 2018. I am a citizen, my husband is an Australian citizen. We will have been married 3 years by the time we move there so technically he should be okay to apply for permanent residency. I have just read that he will also need a police clearance certificate from the CID, but that he has to have been living in Kenya on a valid visa for 6 months before they he can apply for a police clearance. Is this correct? And if yes, then how difficult it is to get a work permit for a Sheetmetal fabricator in Kenya? He is certified in Australia.
Thanks
Dear Madam,
Thank you for contacting us. Kindly find a response to your query sent to your email.
Hi, my husband and me are planning to move to Kenya in 2018. I am a citizen, my husband is not. We will have been married for 3 years by then, but now I just read that he will need a police clearance certificate from the CID, but to gain that, he has to have stayed in Kenya for 6 months minimum. Is this the case? And if so, how difficult is it to get him on a work permit visa considering he is a qualified Sheetmetal fabricator from Australia?
Hi Poonam, yes in order to qualify for the Certificate of Good Conduct he will need to reside in the country on an Entry Permit for 6 months without leaving the country. A work permit (Class D) is not as easy to obtain. You have to prove that a Kenyan citizen is not able to do that job. Our service helps you fashion your application letters in a way that immigration can accept the application. Please send future queries to info@fathershandltd.com.
Hi, both my parents work abroad and i live with my uncle and aunt, who are citizens, can i get a dependent on them? My parents an i have Indian passports. Currently i have student visa, but its expiring soon, how can i renew it?
Thank you for contacting us. You can obtain a dependent pass depending on your age and your inability to work. Kindly note that you would not be in a position to hold a student visa and a dependent pass simultaneously. You can find all the information on how to renew your student visa via the immigration online portal; fns.immigration.go.ke
my fiance want to come and permanently settle with me here and get married.what is required from him.he does not want to work here.he is from swiss kindly advise on the resident.
Dear Purity,
Thank you for contacting us. Your fiancé would have to obtain one of the permits listed on the immigration website. If your fiancé would like to stay in Kenya permanently, he must choose one of the permits provided (student/research, work, investors, retirement). He can only apply for Permanent Residency after he has been married to you for at least 3 years. Before that, he must obtain a valid status. You can find all the permit options and requirements via fns.immigration.go.ke
Hi there,
What is the cost of obtaining a PR for European who want to start business and settle down with family ?
Thank you for contacting us Elmi. There is a processing fee of KES 10,050. The application fee costs KES 500,000. This is payable upon approval of your application. Note that you are only eligible for PR if you have been married to a Kenyan Citizen for at least 3 years or you have continuously held a valid Entry Permit/ Pass for at least 7 years. If you have more queries, kindly contact us directly on info@fathershandltd.com
hello there,i am in Kenya since 2005 on dependent pass on my uncle now i have a work permit which is ending in end august.should i apply for PR or citizenship?
Dear Kalpesh,
Thank you for contacting us. Citizenship and PR via a work permit requires you to have held a work permit for 7 years. Is that the case with you? You can also qualify for Citizenship if you have been married to a Kenyan for 7 years or PR if you have been married to a Kenyan for a minimum of 3 years.
Please can you let me know the cost and timeframe to gain permanent residence in Kenya. Is this possible in my circumstances. I am a British male married to a Kenyan woman for 5 and a half years. Thanks.
Gordon
Dear Gordon,
Thank you for contacting us. You have been responded to via your email address.
Hy. I have been in kenya since 2003 on a dependant pass and my father is indian passport.I got my 1st work permit which is yet going on. Is it possible for me to get a permanent residence or citizen ship. The file is same mine and my fathers.
Hi Harpreet, yes you are eligible to apply for either of the applications. Kindly note that the PR and Citizenship departments have been temporarily shut down and so has been the case since MAY 2013; therefore, applications are NOT being processed until further notice. Despite the shutdown, immigration is still accepting applications at the counters and they do recommend that people submit their applications so that they get in the process queue. Remember to keep your status valid (permit or dependent pass) during the application process of your citizenship or permanent residence application.