South Sudan Urges Citizens in Kenya to Legalise Their Residency Status
Nairobi, 8 October 2026
South Sudan’s embassy has warned its 213,000 citizens residing in Kenya to regularise their immigration status immediately or face arrest and legal action for overstaying.
The 90-Day Residency Rule and Enforcement Risks
On Wednesday, 7 October 2026, South Sudan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Juach Den, issued a formal advisory urging South Sudanese nationals residing in Kenya to ensure their residency documents are valid [1][2][3]. Under current Kenyan immigration regulations, foreign nationals who intend to stay in the country for more than 90 days must apply for a visa extension [1][2][3]. Ambassador Den warned that those who overstay without extending their visas face immediate legal repercussions, including potential issues with local police and immigration enforcement authorities [1][2].
The Impact on Refugee Settlements in Turkana
The advisory is particularly significant for the vast majority of the South Sudanese diaspora in Kenya. According to data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Kenya hosts more than 213,000 South Sudanese nationals, with approximately 94 per cent—or 200220 individuals—residing in asylum settlements such as Kakuma and Kalobeyei [1][2]. Only a minor fraction, representing about 4.1 per cent or 8733 people, are integrated into urban communities in metropolitan hubs like Nairobi and Nakuru [1][2]. For the vulnerable refugee populations in Turkana County, maintaining legal status is critical to ensuring continued access to basic services and maintaining stable relations with local host communities [GPT].
Collaborative Diplomatic Negotiations
Recognising the administrative hurdles faced by families, the South Sudanese government is actively negotiating with Kenyan authorities to establish streamlined procedures [1][2]. Ambassador Den highlighted that Juba is working closely with Nairobi to simplify the stay-extension process, with a specific focus on mothers and guardians who reside in Kenya to accompany students enrolled in local schools [1][2][3]. This cooperative effort aims to prevent administrative backlogs from disrupting the education and security of South Sudanese youth residing in the country [GPT].
Broader Regional Immigration Context
This diplomatic push occurs against a backdrop of tightening immigration and economic policies across the East African Community (EAC) [GPT]. Recently, Kenyan President William Ruto issued a strict 90-day registration and documentation window for undocumented Burundian citizens and other EAC nationals, a decision that sparked widespread concern and caused hundreds of Burundians to crowd their embassy in Nairobi to secure travel documents [1][4]. Concurrently, South Sudan has implemented its own restrictive measures, recently banning foreign nationals from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Burundi from operating small-scale retail businesses, such as running boda-bodas or selling chapatis [1][5].
Strategic Implications for Host and Refugee Communities
The synchronised enforcement of immigration laws by both Nairobi and Juba underscores the delicate balance of regional politics and economic protectionism in East Africa [GPT]. For the host communities in Turkana and the refugees residing within them, these policy shifts necessitate clear communication to avoid friction and ensure that humanitarian protections are not undermined by sudden regulatory crackdowns [GPT]. As both nations navigate these administrative adjustments, the immediate focus remains on regularising status to protect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals [1][2].