Is there a digital nomad visa for Kenya?
Yes. Kenya's Directorate of Immigration Services issues a dedicated residence permit for remote workers called Permit Class N (Digital Nomads). The authority describes the target group on its official eFNS info page: "This permit is issued to a person who works remotely within Kenya for a company registered outside the country." According to the official source, eligible applicants either "work under an employment contract for a company registered outside Kenya," are a shareholder of a foreign company, or are self-employed providing services to clients located outside Kenya.
The permit is issued for one or two years, renewable. Kenya is the first African destination in this article series – and the first case with no bilateral social security agreement with Germany at all.
Requirements and fees for Permit Class N
The immigration authority's official checklist requires, among other things:
- A completed Form 25 submitted via the eFNS online portal
- Two recent passport photos and a copy of a valid passport
- "Bank Statement/Payslips for last three (3) months proving monthly income"
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or lease agreement)
- A "Letter of no objection from local embassy of home country"
- Details of the foreign employer (address, contact person)
On fees, the authority lists two items: a non-refundable processing fee of US\$200 and an annual issuance fee of US\$1,000 ("Issuance fees (US\$ 1,000/=) per year"). The application runs entirely online through the eFNS portal, accessed via Kenya's government single sign-on system.
No fixed income threshold on the official page
Various travel and nomad blogs claim Kenya requires a minimum annual income of around US\$55,000. That figure does not appear on the immigration authority's official info page. It only requires general proof of income for the preceding three months, without stating a specific minimum. For HR teams, the takeaway is: check the eFNS page directly before a Kenya workation rather than relying on secondary sources, since figures in circulation can differ from the official requirement.
Social security: why Kenya differs from EU countries
In earlier country articles in this series – Latvia or Iceland, for example – the key question was usually the A1 certificate under Regulation (EC) 883/2004, or a bilateral agreement as with Montenegro or Morocco. For Kenya, neither applies. Deutsche Rentenversicherung publishes the full list of countries with a German social security agreement; Kenya is not on it. The list currently includes, among others, Albania, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, India, Israel, Japan, Canada, Kosovo, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Philippines, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, and the USA – Kenya is absent.
§ 4 SGB IV: the "Ausstrahlung" rule for non-agreement countries
Without EU coordination and without a bilateral agreement, a third legal basis remains: purely domestic German law. The DVKA (Germany's liaison body for health insurance abroad) explains on its official page on "non-agreement countries": "Wird die Beschäftigung in einem Staat ausgeführt, mit dem die Bundesrepublik Deutschland kein bilaterales Sozialversicherungsabkommen geschlossen hat [...], kommt es hinsichtlich der Versicherungspflicht in der gesetzlichen Kranken-, Pflege-, Renten-, Arbeitslosen- und Unfallversicherung ausschließlich auf die innerstaatlich deutsche Vorschrift über die Ausstrahlung an (§ 4 SGB IV)." (If the employment is carried out in a state with which Germany has not concluded a bilateral social security agreement [...], compulsory insurance under statutory health, long-term care, pension, unemployment, and accident insurance is determined exclusively by German domestic law on "Ausstrahlung," § 4 SGB IV.)
In practice: there is no A1 form and no certificate of coverage for Kenya. The DVKA clarifies: "Wird eine Person ins vertragslose Ausland entsandt, benötigt Sie keine Bescheinigung über die weitere Anwendung der deutschen Rechtsvorschriften über soziale Sicherheit. Ob eine Entsendung vorliegt, hat ihr Arbeitgeber zu entscheiden [...]." (A person posted to a non-agreement country needs no certificate confirming continued application of German social security law. Whether a posting exists is for the employer to determine.) What matters is whether a genuine, from-the-outset time-limited posting exists and the German employment relationship continues.
Double-coverage risk: what employers must check
The Ausstrahlung rule secures continued application of German law, but it does not rule out an additional insurance obligation under Kenyan law. The DVKA explicitly notes: "Sind die Vorschriften für die Weitergeltung deutschen Rechts [...] erfüllt, schließt dies jedoch nicht aus, dass daneben auch im Beschäftigungsland bestehende gesetzliche Vorschriften in Bezug auf die soziale Sicherheit zu berücksichtigen sind. Hierdurch kann es [...] zur Doppelversicherung kommen." (Even if the conditions for continued German law are met, this does not exclude the employment country's own social security rules from also applying – which can result in double coverage.) For employers, this means: before posting someone to Kenya, both the responsible German health insurer (for health, long-term care, pension, and unemployment insurance) and the relevant accident insurance provider should be asked to confirm Ausstrahlung informally – alongside a separate check of Kenyan obligations (e.g. NSSF contributions).
Kenya compared: agreement state vs. non-agreement country
| Feature | EU country (e.g. Latvia) | Agreement state (e.g. Morocco) | Kenya (non-agreement country) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EC) 883/2004 | Bilateral social security agreement | § 4 SGB IV (Ausstrahlung) |
| Proof document | A1 certificate | Certificate of coverage / agreement form | None – case-by-case assessment by the health insurer |
| Double-coverage risk | Practically excluded | Governed by the agreement | Exists, since Kenyan law can apply in parallel |
| Responsible body (DE) | Health insurer / DVKA | DVKA | Relevant health insurer or accident insurance provider |
What this means for employers
For HR and global mobility teams, a clear order of checks emerges: first, clarify the visa question – employees who want to work remotely from Kenya for their German employer need Permit Class N, including fees of US\$200 (processing) plus US\$1,000 per year (issuance). Second, check social security: since neither EU law nor an agreement applies, Ausstrahlung under § 4 SGB IV must be clarified case by case with the responsible health insurer – there is no standard form. Third, factor in the double-coverage risk and have Kenyan law checked in parallel. Tools like premote help capture such special cases outside the standard A1 process systematically and distinguish them from EU workations.
FAQ
Do German nationals need a visa for a workation in Kenya?
Yes. Since Kenya is not an EU or EEA state, no freedom of movement applies. For remote work for a foreign employer, Kenya's immigration authority requires Permit Class N (Digital Nomads).
Is there a fixed income threshold for Kenya's digital nomad permit?
No. The official eFNS info page only requires proof of income for the preceding three months, without stating a specific minimum. Figures circulating online, such as US\$55,000 per year, do not appear on the official page.
Does the A1 certificate apply to a posting to Kenya?
No. Kenya is not an EU/EEA state, so Regulation (EC) 883/2004 does not apply. There is also no bilateral social security agreement with Germany – Kenya is absent from Deutsche Rentenversicherung's agreement list.
What applies instead for social security?
The domestic Ausstrahlung rule under § 4 SGB IV. If a genuine, from-the-outset time-limited posting exists and the German employment relationship continues, German compulsory insurance continues – there is no dedicated form like the A1 certificate for this.
Can double coverage occur?
Yes. The DVKA explicitly notes that continued application of German law does not exclude an additional insurance obligation under Kenyan law. Employers should have both legal situations checked separately.
The information provided on this website does not constitute legal advice and is not intended to address any legal issues or problems that may arise in individual cases. The information on this website is of a general nature and is provided for informational purposes only. If you need legal advice for your individual situation, you should seek the advice of a qualified attorney.