Before you start

An employment contract or offer from a Kenyan-registered organisation
Skills or qualifications demonstrably not readily available locally
A valid Tax Compliance Certificate from KRA — the organisation's for a new application, and both the organisation's and yours on renewal
Passport with adequate validity

Step-by-step

1
Employer prepares the application
The Kenyan employer justifies the hire, showing the role could not be filled domestically, and assembles company registration and tax-compliance documents.
Via employerWho: Your employer
2
Submit through the eFNS portal
Kenya's Foreign Nationals Services portal handles the application. It can be initiated from outside Kenya, which is useful for planning your arrival.
OnlineWho: You and your employer
3
Post the security bond
A mandatory bond covering one or two years is required for all Class D applicants, typically in the region of KES 7,500 to 10,000. It is a standard condition, not a deposit against conduct.
Via employerWho: Your employer≈KES 7,500–10,000
4
Enter Kenya and have the permit endorsed
Approval from abroad is not the end — the permit must be endorsed in your passport inside Kenya.
In personWho: You
5
Register for the alien card after three continuous months
A foreign national registration certificate can only be issued once you have been in Kenya for three continuous months without leaving. This is the constraint that shapes your first months.
In personWho: YouAfter 3 unbroken months in Kenya
6
Obtain your KRA PIN
Requires either the alien card, or a work permit endorsed in your passport naming the employer, plus a signed employer letter confirming your employment.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Employment contract or offer letter from a Kenyan-registered entity
Employer's Tax Compliance Certificate
Academic and professional certificates
Curriculum vitae
Passport photographs
Security bond documentation

Things most newcomers don’t know

Three continuous months means exactly that — one trip resets it.

The alien card, and therefore the smoothest route to a KRA PIN and banking, requires an unbroken stay. A weekend home or a regional work trip in your first quarter can silently push your whole administrative setup back by months. Nobody warns new arrivals about this.

Source: Kenyan alien registration requirements

The passport-endorsed permit is the alternative route to a KRA PIN.

If waiting three months is impractical, a work permit endorsed in your passport naming your employer, plus an employer letter, can satisfy KRA instead. Knowing both routes exist means you aren't stuck if travel is unavoidable.

Source: KRA PIN registration requirements for foreigners

Your own tax compliance certificate becomes a renewal requirement.

A first application needs the organisation's certificate; renewal needs yours as well. If you haven't filed Kenyan returns properly, the problem surfaces at permit renewal — when it is urgent — rather than at tax time.

Source: Immigration Class D renewal requirements

You can start the application before you arrive.

The eFNS portal accepts applications initiated from abroad, so the paperwork can run in parallel with your notice period. Only the endorsement and registration must happen in Kenya.

Source: eFNS portal procedure

Common mistakes to avoid

Leaving Kenya during the first three months and resetting the alien card clock.
Assuming approval from abroad is complete — the passport endorsement must happen in-country.
Neglecting personal tax filings and being blocked at permit renewal.
Accepting a role without written confirmation of who pays permit costs and the bond.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.