Retire to Kenya on the Class K ordinary resident permit
Kenya has no visa labeled for retirees. If you live on Social Security, a pension or investment income from home, Class K is the permit people use.
What it costs in shillings and dollars, what you give up while you hold it, and how your spouse comes along. Checked against Kenya's immigration department.
Who it fits
For income that keeps arriving from home
Class K suits Americans 35 and up who live on a pension, an annuity or money from outside Kenya and don't plan to work there.
Still drawing a paycheck from a U.S. employer? Kenya's Class N nomad permit is built for you instead.
The requirements
Class K Permit (Ordinary Resident / Retiree)
Kenya has no dedicated retirement visa; retirees and other people of independent means use the Class K permit. It lets you live in Kenya on foreign income but does not allow any employment or business in Kenya. It is issued per year and renewable, and long-term holders can later apply for permanent residence.
- Government cost
- $2,082
- Timeline
- Issued per year of validity (fee charged annually), renewable; permanent residence can be sought after long continuous residence (7 years per secondary sources)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Key requirements
- At least 35 years old
- Assured annual income of at least USD 24,000 from a pension, annuity or other source outside Kenya, remitted to Kenya
- Completed and signed Form 25 filed on the eFNS (fns.immigration.go.ke) portal
- Cover letter addressed to the Director General of Immigration Services
- Passport bio-data page copy and recent colour passport photo
- No employment or business activity in Kenya while on the permit
The government fees, in shillings and dollars
KES 20,000
Processing fee
about $155, not refundable
KES 250,000
Issuance fee, per year
about $1,930, paid after approval
KES 10,000
Dependant pass, each
about $77
KES 1,000
Alien card, per year
about $8
How it works
From eTA to alien card
1. Get an eTA and look around
Americans need an eTA to enter, and the official site says to apply at least two weeks ahead. The Class K checklist asks applicants already in Kenya for their current status, so you can file after you land.
2. Build the income file
Pension and Social Security letters plus bank statements showing the deposits. A bank balance alone may not prove assured income. Anything not in English needs a translation.
3. File on eFNS
Form 25, a cover letter to the Director General of Immigration Services, a photo and your passport page, plus the KES 20,000 fee.
4. Pay, then register
The issuance fee is due after approval. Anyone in Kenya more than 90 days registers for an alien card.
Dollar figures use KES 129.43 per dollar, the September 2026 rate.
Here's the catch
You sign an undertaking not to take any job, paid or unpaid, or run anything that earns money in Kenya. And the KES 250,000 issuance fee comes due every year you hold the permit, so seven years of Class K adds up to KES 1,750,000, about $13,500, before permanent residence is on the table.
Life on the permit
Spouses, health coverage, taxes and the long game
Bringing your spouse
A spouse or child gets a dependant pass for KES 10,000. It doesn't allow work, and it's valid only while your permit is.
Health coverage
Non-Kenyans who live in Kenya more than 12 months must register with the national health fund. For people without a salary, the proposed rate is 2.75% of household income, at least KES 300. Hunter Schultz and ExpatInsure, below, can help you price private coverage.
Taxes
Kenya taxes income that's earned in or derived from Kenya. Its tax authority doesn't spell out how it treats a U.S. pension, so get advice. You'll keep filing U.S. returns.
Permanent residence
Kenya's immigration law lets people who've held permits for at least seven years, with the last three in Kenya continuously, apply for permanent residence. Permanent residents can work.
People who can help with the money and health side
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you work out what level of care you need abroad and how to get it.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Expatsi's international health insurance partner, matching you with a global plan.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
U.S. tax filing software and support for Americans living abroad.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Currency exchange and international transfers, for sending dollars abroad on a schedule.
Questions
Kenya Class K: what Americans ask
Can I work or run a business on a Class K permit?
No. Applicants undertake not to accept employment, paid or unpaid, or run any income-generating activity in Kenya, and law firms warn that working can cost you the permit. If you work remotely for a U.S. employer or foreign clients, Kenya's Class N digital nomad permit is the one to look at. It costs a $200 processing fee and $1,000 a year.
How much income do I need for Kenya's Class K permit?
At least $24,000 a year, or the equivalent in shillings. Kenya sets the floor in U.S. dollars. The income has to be yours, from a pension, an annuity or sources outside Kenya brought into the country. A bank balance alone may not be enough, so show where the money comes from, such as pension letters and deposit records.
How long does a Kenya Class K application take?
Kenya doesn't publish a processing time. Kenyan law firms estimate anywhere from several weeks to about three months for a complete file, longer if immigration sends queries. One firm says that once you're approved, you need to enter Kenya within 90 days.
Does the Class K permit lead to permanent residence in Kenya?
It can. Kenya's immigration law lets people who've held permits for at least seven years, with the last three spent continuously in Kenya, apply for permanent residence. Permanent residents can live and work in Kenya without a separate permit. Ask a Kenyan lawyer to confirm how your Class K years count before you plan around it.
Can my spouse move to Kenya with me on Class K?
Yes. A spouse or child of a Class K holder can get a dependant pass, with an issuance fee of KES 10,000 (about $77, September 2026). A dependant pass doesn't allow work or business, and it stays valid only while the main permit does.
Do I have to live in Kenya full time on a Class K permit?
A Kenyan law firm says there's no minimum number of days you must spend in Kenya on a Class K permit. If you want permanent residence later, though, the law asks for the three years right before you apply to be continuous residence in Kenya.
How much does the Kenya Class K permit cost?
Kenya charges a KES 20,000 processing fee that isn't refunded, then KES 250,000 for each year of the permit once it's approved. That's about $155 and $1,930 at the September 2026 rate of KES 129.43 per dollar. Kenyan law firms also mention a KES 100,000 security bond, and lawyer and translation costs are extra.
Does Kenya have a retirement visa?
Not one with that name. Retirees use the Class K ordinary resident permit, which is for people 35 or older with an assured income of at least $24,000 a year from a pension, an annuity or sources outside Kenya. It doesn't allow any work in Kenya.
Other ways to live in Kenya
Kenya's Class D work permit: how a Kenyan employer hires an American
Your employer files it, names a Kenyan to train as your successor, and pays KSh 500,000 a year to keep you. Here's how it works, and what it means for your family, your taxes and your next job.
Kenya's Class G permit: invest $100,000 and run your own business there
The fees in shillings and dollars, the paperwork in the order you'll need it, and what Kenyan immigration checks when you renew.
Kenya's Class N permit: live in Nairobi, keep your U.S. paycheck
A one- or two-year permit for remote employees, freelancers and owners of foreign businesses. It costs $200 to apply and $1,000 a year once approved, and it rules out work for Kenyan clients.
Map out your Class K move
Talk through your income, timing and paperwork with an Expatsi advisor before you file.
Why not you?