How long must I leave Kenya in order to get another visa?

Welcome to the forum

Is it a tourist visa? I would suggest that this coming and going many times may cause a problem with immigration. They may think you are working illegally, transporting drugs etc.

Yes a tourist visa. It's so I can be with my soon to be Kenyan wife. I'd travel very lightly, and certainly wouldn't have anything illegal on me.

As someone who has been in a similar position, Kenyan Immigration don’t like ‘border hopping’ ie; foreign visitors who leave Kenya, returning shortly thereafter, with the sole intention of renewing a Single Enry Visa.  You should leave at least a week or two between visits.  Note that you must leave the East African Community, not just Kenya.

Also bear in mind that immigration have recently become much more strict.  You visa application states your intention to return to you home country, for example.

I was thinking of going to one of the lake communities in Ethiopia every three months and stay for a month, then return to Nairobi for another three months. I plan to return to America, just no time soon. Hopefully, Kenyan immigration officers will not be too harsh about it.

Why would you leave Kenya every 3 months when you can extend the Single Entry Visa for 3 months, giving a period of 6 months before you must leave the country.

Regarding immigration, what has often happened when ‘border hopping’ is suspected, is that you are granted re-entry for a very limited period.......maybe a month.

That's a good point. I just didn't know if it would bother them more that I'd stayed 6 months then lefte for one, then returned after a month.

There have historically been plenty of people who 'live' in Kenya by doing just that.  There is nothing in the law to suggest that you can't apply for visa extensions serially.  It is the border hopping that immigration officers tend to object to, but if you will be out of Kenya for a month between 6 month stays, them this will probably be OK.

I have applied for several visa extensions and never had an issue.  The issue tends to have been with immigration officers on departure and arrival;  I was once questioned about my reasons for having extended my visa on the previous visit and was told that I'd be granted entry for 1 month and that I should be satisfied with that.  On departure, having previously extended my visa, I have not infrequently been closely questioned about whether I had been working while in country.