Your permit is nearly in hand, and the next question comes from home: can your spouse and children come with you? For most families relocating to Kenya, the answer is a dependent pass , a straightforward document, provided it is handled on the right cycle.
How do I get a dependent pass in Kenya?
A dependent pass allows the spouse and children of the holder of a valid Kenyan permit or pass to reside in Kenya as family. Applications are made to the Department of Immigration Services, generally alongside or shortly after the principal’s permit, through the official government portal at https://ecitizen.go.ke/. The Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals (Registration) Regulations prescribe the supporting documents, and the dependent’s status follows the principal’s permit rather than existing independently of it.
What documents are needed for a dependent pass?
- the principal permit holder’s passport and valid permit or pass;
- a marriage certificate for a spouse, or birth certificates for children;
- passport bio-data pages and passport photographs for each dependent;
- any additional documents the Department reasonably requires for the file.
Can a dependent pass holder work in Kenya?
A dependent pass is not a work authorisation. A spouse who wishes to take up employment or run a business in their own name will generally need their own permit or pass in the appropriate class. Adult children and other relatives beyond the immediate family do not automatically qualify either, so the position of each family member is worth checking before plans are made rather than after arrival.
How long does a dependent pass last?
Dependent passes are ordinarily issued to match the validity of the principal’s permit and must be renewed on the same cycle. Letting a dependent’s pass lapse while the principal permit remains valid creates avoidable complications, particularly at the border and when dealing with schools, landlords and banks that ask for current status documents.
What happens when family circumstances change?
If the principal’s permit lapses, is varied, or the marriage ends, the dependent’s pass should be reviewed and, where necessary, a fresh application made in another category. Children approaching adulthood should be advised early, since the dependent route narrows with age and a student or young worker may need a different basis of stay.
Family relocation is a planning exercise as much as a filing exercise. CS Advocates LLP assists with dependent pass applications as part of broader relocation advice; see our practice areas or read more about the firm before getting in touch.
For guidance on your specific situation, contact CS Advocates LLP , call, WhatsApp, or book a confidential consultation at our Westlands, Nairobi office.