Visitors given two weeks to leave country or regularise stay

Director-General of Immigration Services Alexender Muteshi.

Visitors whose visas expired during the Covid-19 lockdown have two weeks to leave the country or acquire residency, the State ordered on Monday.

The government initially extended their stay after it closed Kenya's borders and suspended in or out-bound international travel to contain the spread of the pandemic.

The Director-General of Immigration Services Alexender Muteshi now says that amnesty period has lapsed.

"In the light of eased Covid-19 related restrictions and resumption of international travel, the Immigration department has lifted an earlier amnesty on the stay in the country beyond the stipulated six months," said Muteshi in a statement.

The affected visitors have been directed to leave the country in the next 14 days starting from September 14 or apply for residency to regularise their stay in Kenya.

Muteshi told those willing to extend their stay to make an application within the two weeks, via the department’s website — www.immigration.go.ke, failure to which there will be consequences.

"Failure to take advantage of the above two options be advised that section 53(1) j of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011 will take effect," he cautioned.

The section quoted by Mr Muteshi outlines the general offences in the Immigration Act.

"A person who unlawfully enters or is unlawfully present in Kenya in contravention of this Act," section 53(1) j reads.

Grace period

The Director-General in May directed the police officers not to arrest foreigners for being in the country illegally.

They were granted a general amnesty regarding their immigration status as the country assessed the Covid-19 situation that had affected airlines across the world.

"This is, therefore, to advise that for the time being, no foreign national should be charged with the offence of being unlawfully present in the country. When this amnesty is reviewed, you shall be advised accordingly," he said.

Since August 1, airlines have since resumed international travel after over four months hiatus owing to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Kenya Airways, the national carrier, resumed its international passenger flights on August 1 following the easing of restrictions on movement as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.