A Class D permit lets a foreign national work for a specific employer in Kenya. It is the permit most employees on expatriate contracts need. Your employer applies, but you supply most of the documents, and delays usually come from missing papers.

Who qualifies

The permit is for someone offered a specific job by a specific employer, who has skills or qualifications that are not readily available in Kenya. The employer has to show that it tried and failed to fill the job locally.

Citizens of East African Community partner states are covered by different, simpler rules, and do not pay the permit fee.

Fees

  • Processing fee: KES 20,000, non-refundable, paid when applying.
  • Permit fee: KES 500,000 per year of the permit, paid after approval - within 30 days, or the approval can lapse.

Employers usually pay both, but check your contract. Some also ask for a security bond from an insurer.

Documents

The application goes through the eFNS (Foreign Nationals Services) portal on eCitizen. It normally includes:

  • Application forms - Form 25, and Form 27 for the employer.
  • A cover letter from the employer to the Director General of Immigration, explaining the role.
  • Your passport and current immigration status, and a passport photo.
  • Certified academic and professional certificates, and your CV.
  • The employer’s registration certificate and its tax compliance certificate.
  • Details of a Kenyan understudy - a Kenyan employee who will be trained to take over the role - with their qualifications.
  • Evidence the job was advertised locally and could not be filled.
  • Clearances from professional bodies, where the job is regulated.

Documents in other languages need certified English translations.

How long it takes

Plan for one to three months from a complete application. Missing documents, queries and busy periods make it longer. Do not start work until the permit is approved - working on a visitor’s entry is illegal.

After approval

  1. Pay the permit fee within the deadline.
  2. Have the permit endorsed in your passport.
  3. Register as a foreign national and get your foreigner certificate, which you need for a KRA PIN, a bank account and a lease. See eCitizen, KRA PIN and IDs.
  4. Apply for dependant passes for your spouse and children.

Renewals and changing jobs

  • Renew well before expiry - start at least three months ahead.
  • A new employer means a new permit. The permit is tied to the employer named on it.
  • If the job ends, the permit ends too. Ask Immigration about your status before your last day.

Other permits

  • Class G - investors and people running their own business.
  • Class N - digital nomads working for employers or clients abroad. See Working remotely from Nairobi.
  • Class K - people of independent means, including retirees.

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