Digital Nomad & Residency · Kenya
Kenya digital nomad visa: requirements (2026)
Kenya shaded by its digital nomad & residency status
Digital nomad visa in Kenya: dedicated visa.
FrameworkClass N Digital Nomad Permit under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (effective 1 October 2024), administered by the Department of Immigration Services via the eFNS portal; subsequently amended by Legal Notice 93 of 2025.
Kenya operates a dedicated digital-nomad pathway: the Class N Permit, created by the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 and in force since 1 October 2024, with applications being accepted since April 2025. It is open to non-Kenyans working remotely for foreign employers or freelancing for foreign clients, and in 2025 the minimum assured income was lowered from USD 55,000 to USD 24,000 per year to broaden uptake. Separately, Class G (Investor) and other long-stay permit classes offer additional residency routes, including a path to permanent residency after seven years.
Key points
The Class N-Digital Nomad Permit was created by the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2024, signed by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior on 1 October 2024, and announced by President Ruto at the Magical Kenya Travel Expo on 2 October 2024. It is issued to non-Kenyans employed by, or freelancing for, companies domiciled outside Kenya.
Legal Notice 93 of 2025 lowered the assured annual foreign-source income requirement from USD 55,000 to USD 24,000 (about USD 2,000/month), evidenced by three months of bank statements or payslips. The reduction is intended to make the permit more accessible to a wider pool of remote workers.
Applications are filed online via the Department of Immigration Services eFNS portal (Form 25), with required documents including passport, proof of foreign employment/contracts, proof of Kenyan accommodation and a police clearance certificate. Government fees are USD 200 non-refundable processing plus USD 1,000 per year of issuance (so USD 2,000 for a two-year permit).
The permit is granted for one or two years and is renewable while eligibility is maintained. Holders may not take up any paid or unpaid employment with Kenyan employers; it is strictly for remote work linked to foreign entities or clients.
For relocators seeking a business-based residency, the Class G (Investor) Permit requires verifiable capital investment of at least USD 100,000 in a Kenyan-registered company, initially granted for one to two years and renewable. There is no formal citizenship-by-investment programme.
Holders of qualifying permits (including Class G investors) may apply for permanent residency after seven consecutive years, including a minimum of three continuous years of residence in Kenya, subject to compliance with immigration and tax rules.
Timeline - major decisions & events
The Directorate of Immigration Services confirmed that Class N (Digital Nomad) permit applications became available for online submission via the Electronic Foreign Nationals Services (eFNS) portal, completing the operational rollout of the October 2024 framework. Permits are issued for one or two years, renewable, with a USD 200 processing fee and USD 1,000 annual issuance fee.
Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services – Class N Permit Information Pack ↗Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 255 (16 December 2024) amended the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012, lowering the Class N Digital Nomad annual-income threshold from USD 55,000 to USD 24,000, significantly widening eligibility. The same gazette introduced Class P (UN/diplomatic-mission staff), Class Q (religious/charitable workers), and Class R (East African Community nationals).
Kenya Law – Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations (consolidated to 30 May 2025) ↗The Directorate of Immigration Services replaced the longstanding evisa.go.ke platform with a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) portal effective 5 January 2024, implementing the presidential visa-free directive. All nationalities could enter Kenya without a traditional visa by obtaining a pre-travel eTA; long-stay and work-related entry continued to require the relevant residence or work permit.
Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services – Electronic Travel Authorisation ↗Effective 2 March 2016, the Directorate of Immigration Services required all foreign nationals to use the eFNS digital portal (fns.immigration.go.ke) for passes, work permits, alien cards, and permanent-residence applications, replacing paper-based counter submissions. This was the foundational digital-infrastructure change that eventually enabled online Class N permit applications in 2025.
Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services – eFNS ↗The Directorate of Immigration Services launched the evisa.go.ke platform in September 2015, allowing visitors to apply for short-stay visas fully online without attending a Kenyan embassy or consulate. This was Kenya's first major step toward fully digital immigration processing, preceding the 2021 mandatory-online mandate and the 2024 ETA system.
Republic of Kenya – Electronic Visa System (archived) ↗Assented to on 27 August 2011 and commenced 30 August 2011, this Act repealed the Immigration Act Cap. 172 (1967) and established the comprehensive modern framework governing citizenship, immigration, work permits (Sections 36, 40-42), and permanent residence (Section 37). All subsequent permit classes and digital-nomad provisions derive their legal authority from this statute.
Kenya Law – Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, No. 12 of 2011 ↗Kenya - other topics
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