Requirements:
- An application for a research permit must be submitted in five (5) copies to reach the Permanent Secretary, Office of the President, PO Box 30510, Nairobi, Kenya (herein referred to as the Ministry) at least 6 months before the date the applicant intends to start conducting the research in the case of non-resident applicants.
- The research clearance applications forms must be accompanied by the following
1. Comprehensive curriculum vitae of all the applicants (5 copies).
2. A comprehensive project proposal, including details of objectives, hypotheses, methodology, literature review and envisaged application of the research results (5 copies).
3. A letter from the sponsor (5 copies). The sponsor is the person or body providing primary financial and/or material support towards the project.
4. Three current passport-size photographs of the applicant duly endorsed on the back by the sponsor or referee. - The following fees are payable by applicants in cash or crossed postal order or bankers’ order. (Personal cheques are not acceptable).
1. A non-refundable application fee of US$250 or equivalent in Qatari riyal should be made to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the President. - An applicant who has been permitted to conduct research in Kenya must undertake to deposit a minimum of four copies of his/her research findings including notes and methodology with the Ministry, on completion of the research. If the research is to be completed outside Kenya, the raw, unfinished material must be endorsed by the affiliating institution and the relevant Government office before such materials may be taken out of Kenya. The final research reports must be submitted within a year from the date indicated as the completion date on this application form unless an extension has been approved in writing by the Ministry. The final research reports must be bound.
- For projects which take longer than a year, two copies of yearly progress report, duly endorsed by the affiliating institution, must be submitted to the Ministry.
- Any loss or damage to materials or documents made available to a researcher must be made good by him/her.
- Materials, specimens, information or documents obtained in the course of the research work must not be used or be disposed of in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Republic of Kenya.
- Research associateship/affiliation with a relevant Kenyan public research institution, intended or finalized, must be shown on this application form (see Part II No. 4). It is the applicant’s responsibility to negotiate for the affiliation and provide the necessary documentary evidence of this affiliation. No research permit will be issued until the affiliation is confirmed. A list of institutions approved for affiliation purposes is appended.
- For short and medium-term projects, the research permit will be issued for a period not exceeding two years, subject to renewal for one further year. An application for renewal, to be made on the official research clearance renewal application forms, should be submitted to the Ministry at least three months before the expiry of the permit. A renewal fee of US$50 or equivalent in Qatari riyal will be required.
- For long-term projects taking more than three years, applicants are advised to request further information from the Ministry before submitting their application.
- The Government of Kenya will have access to data and research premises of the project.
- Persons who have not submitted satisfactory final reports on previous research work done in Kenya cannot be cleared for new projects.
- Attention is drawn to sponsoring institutions and referees on the shared responsibility of making sure that researchers sponsored by them observe the foregoing regulations as breach of the regulations could result in refusal of permits for other researchers sponsored by the same institutions or referees.
- Applicants intending to do research in Kenya should only come to Kenya after a written approval has been issued on the applications by the authorizing officer, i.e. Office of the President. Any potential researcher that comes over to Kenya on different visas i.e. visitors pass, tourist visa, business visa, etc. will automatically be disqualified from getting a research status in the country.