A Step-by-Step Guide for Chinese Nationals Registering a Company in Kenya
FROM SHENZHEN TO NAIROBI
A Business Guide by Mukamba & Company Advocates, Nairobi
Registering a Kenyan company from Shenzhen is the easy part. It takes a government filing fee of KES 10,650 and, on current benchmarks, three to fourteen business days.
What most Chinese entrepreneurs underestimate is the second step: the Class G Investor Permit that actually authorises them to live in Kenya and personally manage the business they’ve just registered.
Skip that step, or treat it as an afterthought, and the company sits registered, but its founder has no legal basis to run it from inside the country.
This is the complete sequence, incorporation through to the investor permit, in the order it actually needs to happen.
Step One: Incorporate the Kenyan Company
Kenyan company registration is governed by the Companies Act, No. 17 of 2015, administered by the Business Registration Service through the eCitizen platform.
A Chinese national or Chinese-incorporated company may hold 100% of the shareholding of a Kenyan private limited company, which requires only one director and one shareholder, with no minimum paid-up capital before incorporation.
| The Incorporation Steps
• Reserve a company name on eCitizen, typically approved within one to two business days. • Prepare constitutional documents, either the BRS Model Articles or bespoke Articles of Association. • Notarise the founder’s passport and, where a Chinese company is the shareholder, its certificate of incorporation. • File the incorporation application, Statement of Nominal Capital, and beneficial ownership declaration under section 93A of the Companies Act, 2015. • Receive the Certificate of Incorporation and CR12, then register for a KRA PIN. |
Step Two: The Class G Investor Permit
Registering the company does not, by itself, authorise a Chinese national to live in Kenya and actively manage it.
That requires a Class G Investor Permit, issued under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act and administered by the Directorate of Immigration Services through the eFNS portal.
The core threshold is verifiable proof of capital investment of at least USD 100,000, alongside company registration documents, CR12, PIN certificates, tax compliance evidence, and a viable business plan.
Official costs currently include a non-refundable KES 20,000 processing fee at application, followed by KES 250,000 per year in issuance fees once approved, plus a KES 10,000 fee for the mandatory Alien ID Card and a security bond from a Kenyan insurer or bank.
Processing typically takes one to three months when documentation is complete, and the permit is initially issued for one to two years, renewable subject to continued compliance.
Getting the Sequence Right
| The Correct Order of Operations
• Incorporate the Kenyan company first, since the Class G application requires the company’s own registration documents, CR12, and PIN certificate as supporting evidence. • Assemble proof of the USD 100,000 capital investment, including bank verification and, where relevant, offshore transaction records, before filing the permit application. • Submit the Class G application through eFNS with Forms 25 and 27, a signed cover letter, and current immigration status documentation if already in Kenya. • Arrange the security bond and Alien ID Card fee once the permit is approved, not before. • Plan for the one-to-three-month processing window when scheduling relocation or active management responsibilities. |
What the Permit Actually Enables
A Class G Permit holder gains visa-free entry and exit from Kenya during the permit’s validity, the ability to lease or purchase property on leasehold terms, since foreign nationals cannot hold freehold land under Article 65 of the Constitution, and access to open and operate both business and personal Kenyan bank accounts.
Investors who maintain the permit for seven years, including three continuous years of residence, may become eligible to apply for permanent residency based on investment.
Common Mistakes
| Where Chinese Founders Trip Up
• Incorporating the company and moving to Kenya before securing the Class G Permit, creating an immigration compliance gap. • Underestimating the documentation burden, particularly proof of the USD 100,000 capital threshold and offshore transaction verification. • Treating the KES 250,000 annual issuance fee as a one-time cost rather than a recurring compliance obligation tied to the business’s continued operation. • Assuming the permit is automatic once capital is committed, when the application still requires a genuine, demonstrable business plan and active management role. |
A Practical Example
A Shenzhen-based electronics trader decides to relocate to Nairobi to personally manage a new Kenyan import and distribution subsidiary.
He incorporates the Kenyan company first, obtaining the Certificate of Incorporation, CR12, and KRA PIN, then assembles evidence of his USD 100,000 capital commitment, bank verification, and a business plan, before filing the Class G application through eFNS.
With processing taking just under two months, he times his relocation to arrive once the permit is approved, avoiding any period of managing the business in Kenya without proper immigration authorisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I own and manage a Kenyan company remotely without a Class G Permit?
Yes, if you are not physically residing in and actively managing the business from within Kenya. The Class G Permit is specifically for foreign nationals who intend to live in Kenya and personally run the business.
Does the USD 100,000 have to be cash, or can it include equipment and other assets?
This depends on how the investment is structured and documented; the requirement is for verifiable proof of capital investment, which can take different forms, and should be discussed with your adviser before filing.
What happens if my Class G Permit application is delayed past my planned relocation date?
Entering Kenya to actively manage the business before the permit is approved creates a compliance risk, so relocation plans should build in the one-to-three-month processing window as a hard constraint, not a rough estimate.
Why Work With Mukamba & Company Advocates
We guide Chinese entrepreneurs through both halves of this process, incorporating the Kenyan company correctly and then assembling and filing a complete, well-documented Class G Investor Permit application, so the sequence runs in the right order and the founder can legally live in and run the business without gaps.
Final Thoughts
Incorporation gets the company on the register. The Class G Permit is what gets its founder legally in the room.
From Shenzhen to Nairobi is a two-step journey, and the businesses that get it right are the ones that treat both steps as equally essential, in the right order, from day one.
| Talk to Us
• Free 20-minute consultation on structuring your Kenyan entry. • Call +254 706 223 157 or +254 797 450 653. • Email info@mukambalaw.com. • Visit us at West Park Towers, Mpesi Lane, Westlands, Nairobi. |
The information in this article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice for any individual case. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice specific to your situation, contact Mukamba & Company Advocates directly.