The Work Permit

So the last hurdle that I am aware of at this time, is actually getting a work permit so I can stay in country and work for free, and of course send a copy to the KRA to verify my identity (see Obtaining a PIN above).  Again the process is online, or at least it starts there.  There are several classes of work permits, but the Class I permit for “Approved religious or charitable activities” was billed as the easiest to get and the cheapest, assuming you have a church or an approved nonprofit organization for which you are working...,and I do! It is also cheaper to get the medical license if you are working under a Class I permit. 

The process goes something like this.  You fill out the online application, along with all of the supporting information and documents, which are scanned into the document, along with your photograph.  Then you make a physical printout of the entire application.  Then you pay the fee for the application, over your phone, using the M’pesa payment system, and make sure you have the receipt printed out also.  You then go to the Foreign Nationals Immigration Office at Nyayo House in Nairobi and stand in the line until you can turn all of the materials in to the clerk, who reviews them, points out any deficiencies and has you go get the extra needed materials.  This can be a long ordeal, as in our case where it took from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and 6 different visits to the window.  Fortunately, they let me cut into the line each time I came back, which was a real blessing, because the line only grows as the day goes on.  I actually became somewhat of a fan favorite, as the people in line were cheering for me each time I came back, and giving me encouragement.  The deficiencies included: 

~I not only needed the receipt from the M’pesa payment, but I also needed to have a photocopy of the SMS the phone company sent me saying what was paid and to what company.  This necessitated going to the Safaricom office in Nairobi, and having them track down the SMS message in their system (not an easy thing, apparently) and give me a copy.  Note to self- don’t delete seemingly redundant the and useless SMS messages from your phone!

~2 passport photos, exactly matching the one submitted and printed out online?!

~A tax compliance certificate from The KRA stating that you are compliant with all taxes, even though the company just registered with the KRA 2 weeks before and no taxes are due.

~etcetera, etcetera.

The last thing they wanted was a copy of my passport page with my current tourist visa on it.  As I left the window for the 5th time, and told Judi I was on my way back to the cyberCafe, (which was 2 blocks away, and whose security people knew us so well that we no longer had to have our backpacks examined when we went in), she said she would wait this one out.  She must have looked discouraged, because a man next to her asked what was going on, and she told him it was our 5th time to the window.  He said it would be nice if they would just tell you all the deficiencies at once, and Judi agreed. He then asked what I needed, and she told him it was a photocopy of my passport. He told her to call me back in.  He then took me down the hall to an office, where he got a photocopy for me! What a blessing! The office was going to close at 5:00, and I was not looking forward to another 4 block round-trip!

Back at the window, the people in line groaned when the clerk told me I had everything, except I was required to have a printed copy of the checklist off of the website!  That would be the checklist that did not list all of the extras I had spent the day getting!  They called out the clerk, and told him to have mercy on me, so he relented and I got the coveted stamp of acceptance on the large pile of paperwork.  My inline friends said that was a good thing, and when I asked the clerk how long it would take to process, he told me to “ask them” as he went on to the next client.  They told me it would take about 10-14 days, and that I could look for online updates on the Foreign National Service website.

That seemed to be a perfect timeline, since Judi and I were leaving the next morning to go back to the US for our oldest granddaughter Sydney’s baptism, and I was going to stay for 2 weeks!

It was kind of funny when the clerk reviewed my application. One of the important things that has to be answered by the group you are going to work for is, “What proof do you have that you have tried and failed to find Kenyans who can fill your position” and “What are you doing to train Kenyans to fill your position”.  I had answered honestly, and when she read the answer she said rhetorically, “You mean you couldn’t find any Kenyan physicians who wanted to work for free, and don’t think you can train anyone to work for free?”.  I assured her I thought it was unlikely, and she agreed.

After my return to Kenya, I went to Nigeria for a church men’s retreat, and so it was about 4 weeks, and I had not heard or seen anything on my email, so I went back to the FNS office to inquire about the application.  I really just wanted some reassurance that there was not a glaring omission in my paperwork.  The ladies there laughed when I told them the date of the application, and said it was “just 2 weeks ago, and it was too soon.”.  I pointed out that it was actually 4 weeks, but they said it was still too soon, that for a new application, it would take 2 months, and that my confusion was from the fact that reapplications usually took about 2 weeks.  They also were unable to actually check my application because the computer system was down, which goes along way toward explaining why you do everything online, and then print it all out physically!

Two weeks later, I found myself in Nairobi, so I dropped by again,and they were able to check my application, and assured me it was making its way through all of the required departments on schedule.  I told them I was flying out on the 24th of December, and they said I should check back at that time, and it might be ready.

That would certainly be a great Christmas present!