Kenyan Short-Term Work Visa

The Short-Term Work Permit in Kenya is a Work Visa, also known as a “Special Pass”

Obtaining a short-term work permit in Kenya is possible, provided you meet specific requirements, pay the associated fees, and follow the correct applicatioin steps as shared below.

It’s important to note that many visa/permit types have different names in Kenya. For example, the short-term work permit in Kenya is called a Special Pass.

According to regulation 34 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations Act, the work permit is issued to:

• People who want to apply for a review because their application to work in Kenya has been denied (within a limited time).
• People who want to apply for a Kenyan work visa, permit or special pass.
• People who want to undergo special types of training or conduct business in Kenya for a short period.
• People who await the work permit outcome. The special pass can bridge that waiting period.

IBN Immigration Solutions will assign an immigration consultant specialising in Kenyan Visas(Permits) to oversee your application from start to finish. One of the first things your consultant will do is to go through all the forms and documents required to submit visa applications.

You can also download a copy of the Special Pass checklist to see exactly what the applications require and get an idea of the approval timeline.

Documents you need to apply for the Kenyan short-term work visa include:

Assignee (Employee/Applicant)

• Valid passport of the applicant with at least two blank pages, six-month validity
• Copy of your national passport (biographical page in the passport)
• Copy of your immigration status, if in Kenya (visa page in the passport)
• Soft copy of passport-size photographs (not older than 6 months, full face on white background)
• Copies of previous permits or passes held in Kenya
• Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English

Company (Local Employer)

• ORIGINAL Covering letter from your company’s office in Kenya and addressed to THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION SERVICES, Nyayo House, Nairobi, KENYA. The letter must confirm that the applicant has been hired for the said number of months and must bear the company’s letterhead, a signature from the employer, and a company stamp (Kenyan addressed stamp) IBN to provide the template after we have received all the required documents.
• A duly filled and signed Form 32 – Our Kenyan Immigration Experts Will provide the completed online form 32 after we have received all the required documents.
• Certified copies of Academic/Professional Certificates
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation and Tax Compliance
• Job description of the position held in Kenya (placed on Kenyan entity letterhead)
• Signed Contract

Note: Where applicable, all documents must be translated into English by a notary, the embassy, or an authorised institution.

Fees/Costs for the Kenyan Work Permit vary according to where you live.
If you live outside East Africa, the cost is 15 050 Kenyan Shillings for one month or 45 050 Kenyan Shillings for three months.
There is no cost for a short-term Kenyan work visa if you live in one of the East African member states.

Note: Payment must be received within 30 days, or approval will be revoked.

Your Kenyan immigration consultant will tell you about additional direct and indirect fees and expenses in the approval process.

1. Your Kenyan immigration consultant will help you navigate the process and meet all the requirements.
2. You must obtain the forms and supporting documentation necessary to apply for the Kenyan Short-Term Work Visa.
   Your consultant will assist you if you are struggling to get some of the forms or have difficulty completing them.
3. Your Kenyan immigration consultant will help you compile an application pack, which they will send for an in-house quality check.
4. Following the check, your consultant will submit the application to the relevant immigration authority in Kenya on your behalf.

It takes approximately two weeks to approve short-term work visa applications in Kenya.
You must pay the government fees to receive your short-term work visa(Permit/Special Pass).