- No EFT for Kenya: wire or check are the two routes
- International wire: what arrives and in which currency
- Choosing a check in Kenya: the rules Google gives
- The shilling isn't on Google's threshold table
- Verification: identity, PIN and a Kenyan postal address
- Payment day and the 20th deadline
- YouTube tax: Kenya isn't on the IRS treaty list
- Other ways Kenyans move money
- Frequently asked questions
In Kenya, Google's payment table offers AdSense wire transfer and check, with EFT and Hyperwallet marked unavailable. Wire is sent in US dollars or euros depending on your account currency, and checks usually take two to four weeks to arrive, so allow for identity and address verification before the first payment.
If you're a Kenyan blogger or YouTuber, the first thing to know is that the quick local bank deposit many countries get isn't on your menu. That doesn't stop you being paid, but it does change the route and the waiting time. I've worked through Google's own help pages so you can plan around what Kenya is offered, without guessing.
No EFT for Kenya: wire or check are the two routes
Google's payment-method table marks Kenya yes for check, no for EFT, yes for wire transfer and no for Hyperwallet. The row is the same for AdSense and for YouTube. Kenya also doesn't appear in the list of countries on Google's EFT page, which is the page that sets out local-currency bank deposits.
So the real decision for a Kenyan publisher is between an international wire and a mailed check. Google adds that if a form of payment isn't shown on your Add payment method page, it isn't available in your country, so that page in your own account settles any doubt.
International wire: what arrives and in which currency
Google's wire page says it sends earnings in US dollars or euros, depending on your account currency, by international wire to the bank you choose. Kenya is among the countries listed in the page's selector for bank details, and the information you'll need depends on your country. Google tells publishers to ask their bank for instructions on receiving a wire transfer from abroad.
- Ask your bank what it charges to receive an incoming international wire.
- Ask how it converts US dollars or euros into Kenyan shillings, and at what rate.
- Copy the bank details exactly as your bank gives them.
- Keep the account name the same as the name in your payments profile.
The YouTube payments page notes that wire transfers don't need a test deposit, which removes one waiting step compared with EFT countries.
Choosing a check in Kenya: the rules Google gives
Checks are the other yes. Google's check page says all checks are issued by Citibank and are deposit only, so you can't cash one over the counter. They go by standard delivery, and most publishers receive them two to four weeks after the mailing date, although postal differences can add time.
Two rules matter for Kenya in particular. First, the delivery address has to be in the same country as the address in your payment settings, because checks can't be delivered across countries. Second, for a US dollar check, Google says your bank needs a correspondent relationship with Citibank, and banks vary in what they'll accept, so ask yours before you choose it.
If a check hasn't arrived or been cashed after sixty days, a Reissue payment link appears on your Transactions page. A check that isn't deposited within twelve months is credited back to your account and payments are put on hold.
The shilling isn't on Google's threshold table
AdSense sets its thresholds by reporting currency, and Google's table lists many currencies, including the US dollar, euro, British pound, South African rand and Egyptian pound. The Kenyan shilling isn't one of them, so I can't give you a shilling figure, and I won't make one up. For the US dollar, the table shows a payment threshold of one hundred and a payment method selection threshold of ten.
Your own Payments page shows the figure that applies to your account, so use that over any number you read elsewhere, including here.
Verification: identity, PIN and a Kenyan postal address
Google says the identity verification threshold is now zero, so you verify before the account starts showing ads and receiving payments. Address verification is still ten US dollars or the local equivalent.
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The PIN is a six-digit number sent by international standard mail, with no tracking number, so your payments address must be one that receives ordinary post. It usually takes about three weeks. If you've been asked to verify your identity, the PIN isn't sent until that's done. Three wrong entries stop your ads, and you have four months from when it's generated, so don't leave it sitting.
Payment day and the 20th deadline
Google issues payments between the 21st and the 26th of the month, after earnings are finalised at the start of the month. Any changes to payment information, including removing a hold, must be completed on or before the 20th. After a payment is issued, allow up to seven business days for it to reach your bank, and longer if you chose a check.
YouTube tax: Kenya isn't on the IRS treaty list
YouTube says every monetising creator must give tax info, and that creators outside the US face withholding between zero and thirty on earnings from US viewers, depending on whether their country has a treaty with the US. If you give no tax info, Google says it may deduct up to twenty-four of total worldwide earnings. The deadline is the tenth of December each year.
The IRS list of United States income tax treaties has no entry for Kenya. YouTube's Partner Program availability list does include Kenya, so you can join. For what the withholding means for your income, ask a tax adviser, because I can't advise on that.
Other ways Kenyans move money
If AdSense is only one income stream, how PayPal works for people in Kenya, how Payoneer works for Kenyan freelancers and how Wise works in Kenya cover other ways to receive and move money.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive AdSense money by bank transfer in Kenya?
Yes, by wire. Google's table marks wire transfer as available for Kenya, with the money sent in US dollars or euros depending on your account currency. EFT isn't offered for Kenya.
Does Kenya get EFT from Google AdSense?
No. Google's table marks EFT as unavailable for Kenya, and Kenya doesn't appear on Google's EFT country list.
How long do AdSense checks take to reach Kenya?
Google says most publishers receive checks two to four weeks after the mailing date. If a check hasn't arrived after sixty days you can request a reissue from your Transactions page.
What is the AdSense payment threshold in Kenyan shillings?
The Kenyan shilling isn't on Google's published threshold table, so use the figure on your own Payments page rather than relying on a guess.
Is Kenya on the IRS tax treaty list?
No. The IRS list of United States income tax treaties has no entry for Kenya, so ask a tax adviser how YouTube's US withholding applies to you.
