Kenya
Digital Nomad Work Permit (Class N): health insurance requirements
Yes: health insurance is required
Yes. Kenya's Class N Digital Nomad Work Permit (introduced 2024) requires proof of health insurance covering the full stay, described as comprehensive including emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation, though no minimum sum is published. It is for people working for non-Kenyan employers or clients, runs one or two years renewable, and given Kenya's reliance on air evacuation (the home of AMREF Flying Doctors), evacuation cover is the priority. The income threshold is in flux, launched at US$55,000/year with some 2026 reports of a reduction to ~US$24,000.
The requirements at a glance
| Minimum policy duration | Full duration of stay |
|---|---|
| Local-licensed insurer required | No: compliant international IPMI is accepted |
| Accepted proof | Proof of health insurance covering the full duration of stay; secondary guidance describes comprehensive cover including emergency care, hospitalisation and medical repatriation. No minimum sum is published. Because air evacuation is routine in Kenya, prioritise a policy with strong evacuation cover. |
For remote workers earning from non-Kenyan employers or clients (no local Kenyan employment). One or two years, renewable. Income threshold is unsettled: launched at US$55,000/year, with some 2026 sources reporting a reduction to about US$24,000, so verify on the eFNS portal. Requires a clean criminal-record certificate and proof of accommodation. Apply online via the eFNS portal (Form 25). Separately, all tourists need an approved eTA to enter.
Our take
Kenya is an evacuation-first destination, literally the base of AMREF Flying Doctors, and for serious cases air evacuation, within the country or abroad, is normal.
The permit requires insurance without a number, so let the evacuation risk set the limit, not the paperwork; note big upfront deposits at private hospitals too.
What happens if you get it wrong
A policy without strong evacuation cover misses the central Kenyan risk.
Uninsured, private hospitals demand large deposits before they treat you.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Kenya without insurance?
You pay, out of pocket
$800–$8,000
A serious private admission or common surgery.
Bars to scale. A flight home is in another league.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
FAQ
Yes, proof of health insurance covering the full stay (comprehensive, including emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation). No minimum sum is published; given routine air evacuation, insure for it well.
The threshold is unsettled: launched at US$55,000/year, with some 2026 sources reporting a reduction to about US$24,000. Verify on the eFNS portal.
Because air evacuation is routine here, Kenya is the home of AMREF Flying Doctors, and complex cases are sometimes moved abroad to South Africa or India.
One or two years, renewable on continued eligibility.
Tourists need an approved eTA to enter Kenya (required since January 2024); the Class N permit is the separate route to stay and work remotely.
Reviewed by Lukas Schönberg, Founder & researcher, Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ
Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ (Estonia) is an information and matching platform, not currently registered as a regulated insurance intermediary in any jurisdiction. See /how-it-works for the full disclosure.
Source: fns.immigration.go.keLast verified
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