South Sudan Warns Citizens in Kenya to Renew Immigration Documents

South Sudan has urged its citizens living in Kenya to ensure their immigration documents remain valid and to regularise their status if they stay beyond the period permitted under their entry arrangements.

Speaking in Nairobi, South Sudan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Juach Den, said nationals who remain in the country for more than 90 days should obtain the necessary extensions in line with Kenyan immigration regulations. Den warned that failing to renew visas or obtain the required documents could expose South Sudanese citizens to enforcement action by immigration officials and other law enforcement agencies. He urged those living in Kenya to keep their travel and residency documents up to date.

The ambassador said Juba was in discussions with Kenyan authorities on ways to simplify procedures for South Sudanese citizens seeking to extend their lawful stay. The discussions include arrangements for parents and guardians accompanying students in Kenyan schools and other educational institutions, who may require longer-term permits than standard visitor arrangements allow.

The advisory comes as Kenya and South Sudan maintain close links through education, business, family ties and cross-border movement. Kenya is a major destination for South Sudanese students, entrepreneurs and families, while Nairobi remains an important regional centre for business and diplomatic activities involving South Sudan.

Figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) show that Kenya hosts more than 213,000 South Sudanese nationals. Most are refugees and asylum seekers living in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, which have hosted people displaced by conflict and instability in South Sudan.

Others live in urban centres, including Nairobi and Nakuru, where South Sudanese communities have established themselves through education, employment and business. The advisory comes amid increased attention to immigration documentation across East Africa. The Kenyan government has in recent months conducted a registration and documentation exercise targeting undocumented Burundian citizens and other East African Community nationals.

South Sudan has also introduced measures governing the participation of foreign nationals in parts of its economy. Authorities in Juba recently restricted foreigners from operating certain small-scale retail businesses, affecting nationals from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Burundi.