The South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi has urged South Sudanese citizens living in Kenya for extended periods to ensure their immigration documents are valid to avoid problems with Kenyan authorities.
South Sudan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Juach Den, said on Wednesday, October 7, that citizens staying in Kenya for more than 90 days should apply for an extension of their stay.
He warned that those who fail to renew or extend their visas could find themselves in violation of Kenya’s immigration laws.
“If you stay more than 90 days, you are required to extend your stay. Because if you don’t extend your visa stay, you will be staying illegally in Kenya and you would have issues with the police and the other law enforcement agencies like the immigration,” Den said.
The Ambassador said the South Sudanese government is engaging Kenyan authorities on ways to make the process easier, particularly for mothers and guardians who come to Kenya to stay with students.
“We are working closely with the Kenyan authorities to find ways for people to easily extend their stay, especially their mothers or guardians, I would say, who are here with the students,” he said.
Den said the efforts are part of broader cooperation between the two countries, while also ensuring South Sudanese citizens living in Kenya comply with the country’s immigration requirements.
According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Kenya hosts more than 213,000 South Sudanese nationals.
Most are refugees and asylum seekers living in Kakuma and Kalobeyei settlements, accounting for more than 94 per cent of the South Sudanese population covered by the data.
A smaller share, about 4.1 per cent, lives within Kenyan communities, including in urban areas such as Nairobi and Nakuru.
Immigration compliance
The embassy’s call comes at a time when the status of foreign nationals living and working in East Africa has received increased attention.
In Kenya, Burundian nationals and other East African Community (EAC) citizens recently faced increased scrutiny after President William Ruto announced a 90-day window for undocumented foreigners to register and regularise their status.
The announcement sparked concerns among some foreign nationals living in Kenya.
South Sudan has also recently introduced restrictions affecting foreigners operating small businesses in the country.
The directive barred nationals from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Burundi from operating certain small-scale retail businesses, including selling chapati and running boda boda businesses.
The latest call by the South Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi therefore places emphasis on South Sudanese citizens ensuring their stay in Kenya remains properly documented as the two countries continue to strengthen their bilateral relations.
