Permanent Residence

Overview

Permanent residence is governed by sections 37 to 39 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011. One common category requires seven years of lawful residence on work permits plus three years of continuous residence. The Directorate of Immigration Services assesses applications through the eFNS portal. Other categories cover spouses of citizens and persons of Kenyan descent.

Eligibility

Application pathway

1. 01

   Check the route fit

   Confirm which permanent-residence category under sections 37 to 39 applies to you.

2. 02

   Build the evidence pack

   Assemble residence history, category evidence and good-character documents.

3. 03

   Submit through the official channel

   File the permanent-residence application through the eFNS portal.

4. 04

   After approval

   On approval, hold permanent residence subject to the conditions of the Act.

Also explored by

Compare Republic of Kenya with

• 🇨🇲 Republic of Cameroon
• 🇹🇬 Togolese Republic
• 🇧🇮 Republic of Burundi

Related routes

• Class D Work Permit (Employment)

  Employer-sponsored work permit for a foreign national offered specific employment by a specific Kenyan employer, where the skills are not available locally.

• Class G Work Permit (Trade, Business or Consultancy)

  Work permit for a foreign national investing in and running a specific trade, business, consultancy or profession in Kenya.

• Class K Permit (Ordinary Residents)

  Residence permit for a foreign national aged 35 or over with an assured income from sources outside Kenya, who undertakes not to take up employment.