Working as a freelancer in Kenya

I would like to know about that. Am professional translator, Italian English Arabic. Any hope fort me?

I think that this could be quite challenging, due to the requirements of having to have a work permit to carry out any type of work.  I imagine that freelancing would amount to running your own business, so a potential freelancer would need to apply for a KRA PIN, register a company and apply for a Class G Permit.  I have pasted the requirements for this below, taken from the Kenya Immigration website:


Class G.
Work permit issued to investors in specific trade, business or consultancy.


Class G Requirements.

◦Documentary proof of capital to be invested/already invested minimum of 100,000 US dollars or equivalent in any other currency.
◦Registration certificate of the company OR certificate of incorporation.
◦Copies of personal and company PIN (Personal Identification Number) if business is running.
◦For renewals; audited accounts for previous 2 years and a certificate of tax compliance from the Kenya Revenue Authority.
◦Processing Fee Kshs.10,000 non-refundable.
◦Fee is Kshs. 100,000/= per year or part thereof.

But why should I apply for a work permit in Kenya if am not working for a Kenyan company? I work, or want to work, online for different companies from different nationalities. I pay taxes in Italy where I reside and where I deposit my incomes. I have the right to stay anywhere while am working on my computer. Right?

Besides, if am obliged to have a company to do translation online I will open it in Italy, not in Kenya! But if I decide I want to stay 6 months in Kenya why shouldn't I keep working?

"But if I decide I want to stay 6 months in Kenya why shouldn't I keep working?"

Probably because it is against the terms of your visa.  There are a many countries in which one is not permitted to work without a work permit - Kenya is not unusual in this respect.  Unfortunately you cannot necessarily just do as you please.

However, I am not an expert, but I would imagine that it would be very easy to carry on working online and no one would know, unless you started looking to local customers. 

The issue might be the constant availability of decent speed broadband though.  Yesterday, for example there was no network from my provider for half the day and despite being close to Nairobi, I can often only get 'Edge', which is too slow for anything much.  There is high speed broadband, in Nairobi, but at a relatively high monthly cost.