Getting a UK or Canada visa from Kenya
You can apply for a UK or Canadian visa from Kenya, but almost everything funnels through Nairobi. There is one Canadian visa centre, one police records office and, for UK applicants, exactly one approved tuberculosis clinic in the entire country. If you live in Mombasa, Kisumu or anywhere else, plan for the travel.
Which route fits you
Canada: Express Entry. No job offer required. You are scored on age, education, language and work history. Until 2 November 2026 a job offer adds no points. From 3 November 2026 an offer in a high-wage occupation adds 50 to 100 points, with no LMIA needed (what changes), so do not pay anyone who claims to sell you one: officers check that every offer is genuine.
Canada: Provincial Nominee Programs. A provincial nomination adds 600 points and effectively guarantees an invitation.
UK: Skilled Worker. You need a licensed sponsor first. Then the salary test: whichever is higher, the general threshold or the going rate for your occupation. Care worker recruitment from overseas has closed since July 2025; offers from Kenya for new overseas care visas are not valid.
UK: Health and Care Worker. Lower fees, no health surcharge.
→ Check your Canadian points: free, two minutes.
What it costs from Kenya
Shilling figures use the HMRC customs rate for September 2026 and are approximate.
| Official | Approx. KES | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada PR, single adult | $1,590 (IRCC, effective April 30, 2026) | ≈ KES 148,000 |
| Canada biometrics | $85 (IRCC, effective July 2, 2026) | ≈ KES 8,000 |
| UK Skilled Worker, up to 3 years | £819 (UK Home Office, effective April 8, 2026) | ≈ KES 144,000 |
| UK health surcharge | £1,035 (UK Home Office, effective February 6, 2024) per year | ≈ KES 182,000 per year |
| UK Skilled Worker, 3 years all in | £3,924 (UK Home Office, effective April 8, 2026) | ≈ KES 689,000 |
| UK TB test | USD 107 adult / USD 62 under 11 | priced in dollars, not shillings |
What is different for Kenya
One TB clinic. For the whole country. If you are applying for a UK visa for six months or more, your test must be done at the IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre, 78 UN Crescent, Gigiri, Nairobi. That is the only approved clinic in Kenya, and the fee is quoted in US dollars: $107 for anyone 11 and over, $62 under 11 (gov.uk clinic list). No other clinic's certificate is accepted, anywhere in Kenya.
Your police certificate must be done in person, in Nairobi. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations Criminal Records Office at Mazingira House, Kiambu Road issues it, and IRCC's instruction is to apply in person with your completed application (IRCC Kenya). No postal or proxy route is published.
You are not exempt from proving English. Kenya is not on the UK's list of 18 majority-English-speaking countries, despite English being an official language and the medium of instruction (Appendix English Language). You will need an approved test, or a degree taught in English confirmed by an approved provider. Canada has no exemptions for anyone.
Biometrics: one place for Canada, two for the UK. Canada's only visa application centre is in Nairobi. The UK has Nairobi and Mombasa, so a coastal applicant can do UK biometrics locally but still has to travel to Nairobi for Canadian ones.
Your degree needs assessing for Canada. Your university sends transcripts directly to the assessing body; you cannot send them yourself. Build in several weeks for this.
UK Ancestry needs a UK-born grandparent. Kenya's Commonwealth membership satisfies the nationality condition, but the grandparent must have been born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Birth in colonial Kenya does not qualify.
Related routes and guides
Also see
What to do next
Common questions
- Do I need a job offer to move to Canada from Kenya?
No. Express Entry does not require one. Until 2 November 2026 a job offer adds no points; from 3 November 2026 an offer in one of Canada's high-wage occupations adds 50 to 100 points, and 12 months of Canadian work in one can add up to 70.
- Where do I take the TB test for a UK visa?
IOM Gigiri in Nairobi. It is the only approved clinic in Kenya, and it charges in US dollars.
- Can someone else collect my police certificate?
IRCC's Kenya guidance says to apply in person at DCI headquarters and publishes no proxy route, unlike some other countries.
- Do I need IELTS if I was taught in English?
For Canada, yes. For the UK, a degree taught in English can substitute, but it must be confirmed by an approved assessment provider.
- How much money do I need to show for Canada?
A set amount by family size, in an account you control. Borrowed funds do not count. Check the current figure.
- I live in Mombasa. Can I do everything there?
UK biometrics, yes. Canadian biometrics, the TB test and the police certificate all require Nairobi.
Rules last checked on September 14, 2026.