Dear Advocate chege
I have a foreign girlfriend who is interested in visiting kenya, please advise me on what she is required to
do and if we can eventually marry and she becomes a kenyan citizen.
regards
Peter
Thank you Peter for your emailwe wish to advise as follows;
1.
THAT before traveling to Kenya
or at the airport the foreigner should
obtain a visa,however nationalities from the following countries do not require a
visa;Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Botswana, Brunei-Darussalam, Cyprus, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji
Islands, Gambia, The, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi,
Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, San Marino,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, St Lucia, St Vincent
& The Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
2.
THAT the visa can
be renewed for another 3 months at the
immigration offices in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, So that the total time a
foreigner can stay in Kenya on a tourist visa is 6 months.
3.
THAT foreigners who remain in Kenya for more than
three months (90 days) must register as an alien and get an alien registration card,
whose requirements are;
ü
be over 18 years of age
ü
the Applicant must have a valid travel documents.
ü
have valid immigration status, for example, a valid entry permit
ü
be resident in the country for more than 90 days from date of entry into
Kenya
ü
2 passport size photographs.
ü
self presentation to an immigration officer for registration
ü applicants must be
fingerprinted.
4.
THAT the validity of the alien card
is two years upon which it can be renewed.
5. THAT generally a person
will better be placed as a foreigner living in Kenya if the person is
engaged in some economic activity as such it is advisable for a foreigner to incorporate
a company and start a business while in Kenya
6.
THAT foreigner can also become a Kenyan
citizen by marriage upon satisfying the following;
ü
Must be married to a Kenya for
at least 7 years.
ü
The marriage must be a recognized
marriage in Kenya.
ü
The person must not be a prohibited immigrant.
ü
The person must not be a
convict.
ü
The person must not be
undischarged bankrupt
ü The marriage must not be for the sole purpose of acquiring
citizenship