Moving to the USA from Kenya: Visas, Green Cards and Where to Apply

Kenya is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998, in force since January 1, 2026. It was also not on the list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused in January 2026.

The one 2026 change that affects Kenyan immigrants is worldwide: Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.

Student, work, and visitor visas are still being processed in Nairobi.

Kenya has no E-1 or E-2 treaty with the US, so investors usually consider the EB-5 green card instead.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Kenya is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist visa or B-1 business visa. You complete the DS-160 online, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Nairobi.

Officers look for proof that your visit is temporary: a stable job or business, family, property, and a clear travel plan. Visa validity and number of entries for Kenyans follow the reciprocity table on the State Department's Kenya page. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

Study. Kenya is one of the leading African sources of students in the US. You need an I-20 from a certified school, proof of funding, and an F-1 interview. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

Nurses. Kenyan-trained nurses often move through EB-3 after passing the NCLEX-RN and getting a credentials review and a US employer. Because this is an immigrant visa, the worldwide interview freeze applies to nurses processing through Nairobi.

H-1B and other work visas. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee. Researchers and university staff can use the J-1 or cap-exempt H-1B positions at universities.

Family. US citizens can sponsor spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents without an annual cap. Other relatives wait in the F1 to F4 lines of the Visa Bulletin. Kenyans use rest-of-world dates.

Employment. EB-2 and EB-3 follow rest-of-world dates too; most need a PERM labor certification first. See PERM labor certification.

Diversity Visa. Kenya has long been a strong DV lottery country, and Kenyans were eligible for DV-2026. Winners need at least a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused. Never pay an agent to "guarantee" a DV win.

The US Embassy in Nairobi handles all visa categories for Kenya. It is also a regional immigrant visa post: it processes immigrant visas for applicants from Uganda, Burundi, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia. That regional role can make appointment waits longer.

Book appointments on the embassy's website. See our visa interview guide and consular processing guide for how the steps work.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Kenya page lists:

• Police certificate: a Police Clearance Certificate (often called a Certificate of Good Conduct) from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). You apply through the eCitizen portal and give fingerprints.
• Birth certificate: from the Department of Civil Registration. Late-registered certificates may need extra evidence.
• Marriage and divorce records: marriage certificates from the Registrar of Marriages; divorce decrees from the court.

You also need police certificates from other countries where you lived for the required period.

Kenyan communities are largest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota, the Atlanta area of Georgia, Houston, the Boston and Worcester area of Massachusetts, Seattle, and the Washington, DC area. Kenyan churches, alumni groups, and diaspora associations are common first contacts for newcomers.