A Kenyan citizen qualifies for OCI if they, a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent were Indian citizens on or after 26 January 1950, or eligible to be, or if they are the spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder with a marriage registered for two years. Applications are filed online and submitted through the High Commission of India in Nairobi. Kenyan Asian families who migrated after Indian independence often qualify easily.
- Document route
- Kenyan notary, foreign ministry authentication, then Indian High Commission attestation
- Time difference
- IST is 2h30 ahead of Kenya all year (no daylight saving)
- Law
- Citizenship Act 1955, sections 7A to 7D
- Spouse route
- Marriage registered, 2 years subsisting
OCI Card Issues from Kenya: how it works
We map the family history and match it to documents. For families who left India after 1950, an Indian passport, citizenship certificate or school records of the parent or grandparent often settles eligibility. For older families, ancestors who arrived during the railway era or before 1947 raise the question of whether they were eligible to become citizens in 1950. Kenyan birth certificates for each generation, authenticated through the foreign ministry and attested by the High Commission, link the applicant to the ancestor.
The online form is completed carefully and documents submitted to the High Commission, which forwards them for processing. Spouses undergo security clearance. An OCI card lets the holder visit India any number of times for life and acquire flats, houses and commercial premises, though farmland, plantations and farmhouses can only come by inheritance. Applicants who are or were citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, or whose parents or grandparents were, are not eligible.
What clients in Kenya should know
- Kenyan Asians who hold British citizenship apply on their British passport, either through the High Commission in Nairobi if resident in Kenya or through the Indian mission in the UK.
- Former Indian citizens who took Kenyan citizenship must show a surrender certificate for the Indian passport.
- Name variations between Kenyan and Indian records are common; explain them in an affidavit attested for use in India.
Step by step from Kenya
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Kenya, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Kenya
Kenyan notary, foreign ministry authentication, then Indian High Commission attestation
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Kenya where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Kenya. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on OCI Card Issues, or see all services for clients in Kenya and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Kenya
Can I get OCI if my grandfather came to Kenya from Gujarat in the 1950s?
Very likely yes, if he was an Indian citizen. His Indian passport or citizenship records, plus Kenyan birth certificates linking the generations, support the application.
Does Kenya allow dual citizenship with India?
Kenya allows dual citizenship, but India does not. OCI is the route for Kenyan citizens who want lifelong rights in India.
How long does OCI take in Kenya?
Usually several weeks to a few months, depending on verification and whether the applicant is a spouse needing security clearance.