1. Determine Eligibility:
Ensure acceptance from a Kenyan accredited academic institution.
2. Gather Required Documents:
Create an account on the electronic Foreign National Services platform (eFNS; fns.immigration.go.ke) and fill out the required forms.
Collect all necessary documents (e.g. passport, police clearance, acceptance letter).
For all passes, ensure all documents in foreign languages are translated into English by the Embassy, Public Notary, or authorized institution.
3. Submit the Application in the eFNS platform:
Upload all required documents on eFNS. This can be done by applicants directly, even while outside of Kenya. Once the documents have been received by the Immigration Office (which may take up to five days), no changes can be made.
If an error has been made in an online form, the application may be rejected. In this case, the applicant can re-apply. In some cases, immigration officers may allow amendments to documents. Any such allowance will be communicated via a notification on the eFNS platform.
Errors in online forms may result in rejection, but applicants may re-apply or amend documents if allowed by immigration officers.
4. Await Processing:
Processing time is 2–4 weeks for Student Pass, and 1–3 months for Internship and Research Passes after receipt of documents.
All documents can be submitted online unless the Immigration Office specifically requests hard copies. Such requests are only known if the applicant visits the Immigration Office in person at Nyayo House in Nairobi. Email follow-ups are not effective, and officers will not issue notifications via the eFNS platform in case additional items are needed.
This may happen if there is a system error and documents cannot be printed on their end. In that case, the applicant will be asked to print and submit hard copies in person. This will require travelling to Kenya on an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
5. Receive Pass Outcome & Payment:
Once the application is approved on the eFNS platform, the applicant pays the required fee and receives an automatically generated student pass. This must be printed out.
The student pass must be endorsed in the applicant’s passport. To do this, the applicant must enter Kenya using an etakenya.go.ke”>eTA. If a return ticket is required during the eTA process, the issued or approved student pass can be uploaded instead.
After entering Kenya, the applicant must present the printed student pass and their passport at Nyayo House for endorsement. The passport must have at least six months’ validity from the start of the application.
Additional Resources:
Republic of Kenya electronic Foreign Nationals Services (eFNS)
Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS)
