Kenya · Work
Kenya Internship / research pass
First stay: 1 yr
Internship/Research Pass
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Internship / research pass is a work route for Kenya. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- KES 10k/yr ≈ $77
- Processing
- 15 working days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee KES 10k/yr ≈ $77; decision: 15 working days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesKES 10k/yr ≈ $77
- KES 10,000 a year (≈ $77)Fee for the internship and research pass per year.
Processing15 working days
Service standard: 15 working days.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
You can apply to enter or to remain in Kenya; the institution that accepted you applies for the pass and the form asks for your current immigration status if you are already in Kenya.
Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of KenyaKenya Law
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Kenya
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The applicant is accepted as an intern or researcher by an institution in Kenya.
What you must show1
- The fee for the internship and research pass is KES 10,000 (≈ $77) a year.
Documents6
- Form 30 stamped by the institution is required.
- An institution letter states the internship or research topic and duration, addressed to the Director of Immigration Services.
- A copy of the passport bio-data page is required.
- Certified copies of academic certificates and a CV are required.
- A police clearance certificate from the country of origin, or from the Kenya Police Service for residents, is required.
- Researchers also submit the research permit from the National Council for Science and Technology.
Steps1
- Applications are made online in the eFNS system with a Government of Kenya single sign-on account; an invoice is issued after approval.
When you become tax resident
How Kenya decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a year of incomeIndividual with no permanent home in Kenya is resident if present 183 days or more in the year of income.
- More than 122 days in a year of income and each of the two preceding years (average)Alternative test for an individual with no permanent home in Kenya: present in the year and averaging more than 122 days per year over the three years.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
Kenya charges income tax on all income, of residents and non-residents, that accrued in or was derived from Kenya, at progressive rates from 10% to 35%; income arising wholly outside Kenya is outside that charge, except employment or service pay to a resident, which is deemed Kenyan-source wherever the work is done.
All tax rules for Kenya Tax records checked
Full official text
Pass for a person accepted as an intern or academic researcher by an institution in Kenya. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of KES 10,000 a year (≈ $77) · Fee for the internship and research pass per year. 4
Requirements
- The applicant is accepted as an intern or researcher by an institution in Kenya. 1
- The fee for the internship and research pass is KES 10,000 (≈ $77) a year. 4
- Form 30 stamped by the institution is required. 1
- An institution letter states the internship or research topic and duration, addressed to the Director of Immigration Services. 1
- A copy of the passport bio-data page is required. 1
- Certified copies of academic certificates and a CV are required. 1
- A police clearance certificate from the country of origin, or from the Kenya Police Service for residents, is required. 1
- Researchers also submit the research permit from the National Council for Science and Technology. 1
- Applications are made online in the eFNS system with a Government of Kenya single sign-on account; an invoice is issued after approval. 1
Stay
- The pass is issued for an internship or research stay of up to twelve months.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
Work
Internship or research placement.
Fine print
The fee follows the Immigration Directorate service charter (KES 10,000 (≈ $77) a year); the published Regulations schedule still shows KES 15,000 (≈ $120).
Official sources
- Student, Internship/Research, Special and Dependant passes · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- Work Permits and Passes · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- The Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012 (Legal Notice 64 of 2012), consolidated · Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting) · checked 2026-10-11
- Directorate of Immigration Services Delivery Charter 2025 · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-12
Internship / research pass and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internship / research pass | – | 1 yr | – |
| Class D · Employment | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Class I · Religious work | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Class P · International staff | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Class Q · Faith/charity staff | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Internship / research pass?
A fee of KES 10,000 a year (≈ $77). Fee for the internship and research pass per year.
How long can I stay on the Internship / research pass?
The pass is issued for an internship or research stay of up to twelve months.
How long does the Internship / research pass take to process?
Service standard: 15 working days.
Can I work on the Internship / research pass?
Internship or research placement.
How are Internship / research pass holders taxed in Kenya?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Internship / research pass. The standard rules apply: Employment income is taxed in five bands from 10 percent to 35 percent; PAYE applies to residents and non-residents, and the personal relief of KES 28,800 (≈ $220) a year is granted to resident individuals only.
More in Kenya
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Student, Internship/Research, Special and Dependant passes · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- Work Permits and Passes · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- The Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012 (Legal Notice 64 of 2012), consolidated · Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting) · checked 2026-10-11
- Directorate of Immigration Services Delivery Charter 2025 · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.