From First Enquiry to Move-In; A Family Relocation to Nairobi

Most of what we publish on this page looks at one piece of a relocation at a time — a permit route, a property market, a school comparison. This one follows a family the whole way through, because the real value of coordinating a move shows up less in any single decision and more in how the pieces land together.

The Starting Point

A family of four — one parent, three children — relocating to Nairobi for a long-term fresh start. Self-funded, no employer sponsorship, a preference for buying a family home over renting, and an arrival date roughly ten weeks out. On the surface: a property search and a couple of school applications. In practice, five workstreams running in parallel, each shaping what was possible in the others.

How We Delivered

Immigration & residence

We confirmed the right permit route early — in this case, an ordinary resident permit for financially independent applicants — and set expectations plainly: visa-free entry would get the family into the country and the children into school almost immediately, but the formal permit would take two to three months to clear, with dependant status for the children following behind that.

The family entered on that basis, avoiding any pressure to rush documentation that wasn't ready. The permit was approved within the expected window, and dependant passes followed a few weeks later. Outcome: Residence permit secured.

Buying a family home

The client intended to purchase a home in Nairobi, making the property search a significant part of the relocation rather than simply a settling-in consideration.

We helped structure the property search around the family's requirements, coordinated the relevant professional support and supported the transaction through the purchase process.

An independent property lawyer handled the legal due diligence and conveyancing, including title verification before the transaction proceeded. Outcome: The property purchase was successfully completed.

Schooling

School admissions ran in parallel with the immigration and property work.

We assessed the relevant school options, worked through the admissions requirements and coordinated the process for the children rather than leaving applications until after the move.

The focus was not simply on identifying suitable schools, but on getting the admissions process moving at the right time and avoiding conflicts between school deadlines and the wider relocation timeline. The original school assessment specifically considered admissions availability, application process, fees, grade placement and suitability.

Outcome: The children were successfully enrolled.

Domestic support

We ran a full sourcing and vetting process — identity checks, police clearance, reference calls, in-person interviews — and placed a house help within the family's first month, with the employment contract and statutory registrations (pension, health levy, injury cover) handled as part of the placement rather than left for the family to work out afterwards.

Settling in

Alongside the major workstreams, we supported the practical transition into Nairobi — helping establish the family's local arrangements as the move progressed.

This included coordinating practical requirements around healthcare, banking, transport and the other services needed to make the transition from arrival to everyday life smoother. These were part of the original settling-in scope.

The Result

Ten weeks after the first call, the family was in temporary accommodation with both children enrolled and settled. Within five months, they'd closed on a home in their target neighbourhood, secured formal residency, and had domestic support and healthcare providers in place — each piece landing in an order that worked with the others, rather than a family discovering conflicts between them mid-move.

If This Sounds Like Where You're Headed

If you're planning a move to Nairobi with a family — buying rather than renting, children to enrol, staff to hire — this is the kind of coordination that turns a stressful few months into a manageable one. Reach out and we'll map your specific situation.