MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A KENYAN ALIEN CARD

Hi,  For a stay of over 90 days, you are required by law to register as an Alien.  The Alien ID Card is issued as a part of this process.  In Kenya, it is a requirement to carry ID, even for a foreigner.

You usually would register as an Alien when applying to extend your 3 month single entry visa.  This basically involves filling a form, being fingerprinted and receiving a receipt and reference number in lieu of the Alien ID Card being issued, which can take several weeks.

Failing to register as an Alien, for a stay of over 90 days is an offence, and one which is often detected when you try and leave the country.  You can be arrested and arraigned in court for this.  Due to corruption, there is usually a way to work around this - bribery will inevitably and unfortunately be involved though.

Dear Longonot62

Don't waste time here & there.

Would request you visit directly to Nyayo house located at Nairobi town also known as CBD, along with your original passport &  two passport size photographs with white background & also fist & last page passport copy & one pen.

Approach counter number 04, you will be given a form to fill. Please fill it yourself & submit a fee amount of KES 1,000.00. The alien card would be valid for 03 mths.

Rgds
Rajesh

Thanks for the information Rajesh,

However, I have already been through the process at Nyayo House.

As Longonot says, the application for an Alien Registration card is normally completed at the same time as applying for an extension to a visa. The total cost is 2,200/- , two thousand for the visa extension and the 200/- being for the alien registration. Immigration will not normally let you apply for alien registration during the course of your initial visa (I know people who have tried because you need an alien registration number in order to apply for a PIN, which is needed for various official purposes her such as buying property or buying a car). You are told the application process takes around 5 weeks, but is closer to 2 months if applying from Mombasa, so often you et the card just a few weeks before you leave the country.

The card is not valid for 3 months from when you receive it or even from the date of issue, it is only valid until the expiry of your visa extension.

If you have applied  for residence, when you receive the permit you are required to complete the alien registration process, again it is valid for the duration of your permit (unless you have applied for 3 year residency in which case it is vaalid only for two years)

Hello, I was in Kenya a year ago first for three months then got an extension but ended up overstaying the six months and although it was a sticky situation, I was allowed to leave. I have two questions: 1) I never picked up the Alien Card, although I went through the process and I have the registration card, because initially it wasnt ready for almost a month and then I was in Kisumu and not able to come to Nairobi. Is not picking up the card a big problem or illegal?  2) My current visa which I got at a Kenyan Embassy abroad expires in a month and I would like to get an extension. Do you know if my overstaying a year ago will cause a problem to get the extension as well as to apply for the Alien Card?

Thank you so much!

It is the registration as an Alien which is important and legal, not collection of the card, as many have left the country before the card is ready.  The main advantage of the card is that you don't have to carry your passport, as ID.  I understand, you can apply for renewal of the Alien Card, if you still have the receipt/reference number.

If you have left Kenya, then returned, you will have to reapply on reaching 90 days in country. It's difficult to know whether your overstaying will affect your chances of having your visa extended, you will find out when you apply, but I strongly suggest that you don't leave this application until the last moment and risk overstaying again.

It should never be assumed that just because Kenya is a 'third world country', that overstaying your visa is a small matter.   You were very very lucky. Others have been arrested and taken to court for this