Kenya digital nomad visa: the Class N permit

Class N was created by the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (Legal Notice 155), in force since 1 October 2024. It covers a person offered employment by a company based outside Kenya who works remotely from Kenya, and a freelancer working remotely from Kenya for a company based outside the country.

The applicant must hold a valid passport, show proof of remote work, have an assured annual income of USD 55,000 from sources outside Kenya, prove accommodation arrangements in Kenya and present a clean criminal record from the country of habitual residence, translated into English if needed. They must undertake not to take paid or unpaid employment, or any income-generating activity, with an employer or company domiciled in Kenya, and their presence must benefit Kenya.

The Directorate has not published a separate Class N checklist on its permit pages, so the general permit requirements apply alongside the legal conditions: Form 25, a signed cover letter to the Director General, passport bio page, colour photo and current immigration status if in Kenya. To meet the Seventh Schedule, add an employment contract or freelance contracts with companies abroad, evidence of the USD 55,000 income (such as payslips or bank statements), a lease or other accommodation proof in Kenya and a police clearance certificate. Translations into English must come from an embassy, notary or recognised institution.

The Directorate's 2025 service delivery charter lists Class N among the classes with a KES 20,000 processing fee and sets the issuance fee at USD 1,000 per year. The same charter gives 21 working days for new permits and 10 for renewals. As with other permits, the e-permit is printed from eFNS and endorsed in the passport, and holders residing more than 90 days must register for an alien card.

The permit allows remote work only for foreign employers or clients; taking on Kenyan clients or a local job breaches its conditions and would require a different class. A remote worker who stays only a few weeks may be tempted to use an eTA, but a visitor's pass bans any work, paid or unpaid, without written permission, so longer remote-working stays should be regularised with Class N. Keep proof of income and accommodation current for renewal.