Kenya · Spouse visas
Kenya PR via marriage
Permanent residence for the spouse of a Kenyan citizen (Category D)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
PR via marriage is a spouse visas route for Kenya. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- KES 50k ≈ $390 · KES 150k/yr ≈ $1,160
- Processing
- 24 months
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 24 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesKES 50k ≈ $390 · KES 150k/yr ≈ $1,160
- KES 50,000 (≈ $390)Non-refundable processing fee paid with the online application.
- KES 150,000 a year (≈ $1,160)Issuance fee payable once the application is approved, charged per year.
Permanent residenceConditions
This route grants permanent residence directly. You must have been married to a Kenyan citizen for more than three years in a genuine marriage.
CitizenshipConditions
A spouse married to a Kenyan citizen for at least seven years who has acquired residence status can be registered as a citizen, if the marriage was genuine and still continues.
Processing24 months
Service standard for permanent residence applications: 24 months.
Where to applyWhere to apply
Apply online through the eFNS portal and pay the processing fee; the form asks for copies of permits or dependant passes held in Kenya and your valid foreigner certificate.
Presence rulesStay rule
Permanent residence is lost if you live outside Kenya continuously for two years (unless you were a Kenyan citizen by birth), if the marriage is not genuine, or if you do not meet the residency obligations set for permanent residents.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Kenya
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant has been married to a Kenyan citizen for more than three years.
- The marriage is bona fide.
What you must show2
- Processing fee of KES 50,000, (≈ $390) non-refundable.
- Issuance fee of KES 150,000 (≈ $1,160) after approval.
Documents5
- Copies of all permits or dependant passes issued in Kenya.
- Valid passports of the applicant and the Kenyan spouse, and the marriage certificate.
- Joint affidavit if the marriage was solemnised outside Kenya.
- Good conduct certificate, valid tax compliance certificate and valid foreigner certificate (alien card).
- Application letter by the spouse and two current passport-size photographs.
Steps1
- The application is made online on the eFNS portal, with printed forms and the payment acknowledgement.
When you become tax resident
How Kenya decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- 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
For a foreign spouse married to a Kenyan citizen for more than three years in a bona fide marriage. It gives permanent residence status in Kenya. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of KES 50,000 (≈ $390) · Non-refundable processing fee paid with the online application. 1
- A fee of KES 150,000 a year (≈ $1,160) · Issuance fee payable once the application is approved, charged per year. 1
Requirements
- The applicant has been married to a Kenyan citizen for more than three years. 1
- The marriage is bona fide. 1
- Processing fee of KES 50,000, (≈ $390) non-refundable. 1
- Issuance fee of KES 150,000 (≈ $1,160) after approval. 1
- Copies of all permits or dependant passes issued in Kenya. 1
- Valid passports of the applicant and the Kenyan spouse, and the marriage certificate. 1
- Joint affidavit if the marriage was solemnised outside Kenya. 1
- Good conduct certificate, valid tax compliance certificate and valid foreigner certificate (alien card). 1
- Application letter by the spouse and two current passport-size photographs. 1
- The application is made online on the eFNS portal, with printed forms and the payment acknowledgement. 1
Stay
- Permanent residence status.
Official sources
- Spouse to Kenya Citizen (Category D) · Directorate of Immigration Services, Kenya · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent Residence · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011 · 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
PR via marriage and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR via marriage | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Morocco | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a citizen South Africa | – | – | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the PR via marriage?
A fee of KES 50,000 (≈ $390). Non-refundable processing fee paid with the online application. A fee of KES 150,000 a year (≈ $1,160). Issuance fee payable once the application is approved, charged per year.
How long can I stay on the PR via marriage?
Permanent residence status.
How long does the PR via marriage take to process?
Service standard for permanent residence applications: 24 months.
Does the PR via marriage lead to permanent residence in Kenya?
This route grants permanent residence directly.
More in Kenya
Spouse and partner 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 2026-10-10 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.
- Spouse to Kenya Citizen (Category D) · Directorate of Immigration Services, Kenya · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent Residence · Directorate of Immigration Services, Government of Kenya · checked 2026-10-10
- Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011 · 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.