The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has published its first list of reportable jurisdictions under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), marking a significant step in Kenya’s adoption of automatic exchange of financial account information for tax purposes.

In layman’s language, KRA’s publication of the list of CRS jurisdictions means that banking secrecy for Kenyans with money abroad is over.

If you are a Kenyan tax resident with a bank account or other financial assets in any of the listed countries, your financial information will be automatically sent to the KRA every year.

The KRA will now know exactly how much money you have in those foreign accounts, the balance at the end of the year, and any interest or dividends you earned.

The goal of this global agreement is to stop people from hiding their income and assets in offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes in Kenya.

For those with legitimate foreign investments, this means ensuring your tax affairs and declarations to the KRA are fully accurate and up-to-date to avoid penalties.

Essentially, it is a global ‘neighbourhood watch’ program for tax authorities, making sure everyone pays their fair share of taxes regardless of where they keep their money.

The announcement, which was made on December 19, 2025, through KRA’s official X account, noted that the list of Jurisdictions will apply for the CRS.

According to the notice, “The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) informs Reporting Financial Institutions that… the list of Jurisdictions that will apply for the purposes of the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) has been published.”

The publication follows Regulation 2 of the Tax Procedures (Common Reporting Standards) Regulations, 2023, and the powers vested in KRA under the Tax Procedures Act, Cap 469B.

The list comprises 62 jurisdictions, including major economies and regional partners such as Australia, China, Germany, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Uganda, among others.

“The list includes 62 jurisdictions: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, the Cook Islands, Costa Rica, among others.”

Implementation and compliance requirements

The CRS framework, developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), enables participating countries to automatically exchange financial account details annually to improve tax compliance. KRA indicated that the list will apply to information returns related to periods beginning January 1, 2025.

Reporting Financial Institutions, including banks and other entities holding financial accounts in Kenya, are required to conduct due diligence to identify accounts linked to tax residents of the listed jurisdictions and report the relevant information to KRA.

“This list is applicable for information returns related to periods beginning 1st January 2025,” the notice confirmed.

Financial institutions must update their compliance systems and internal procedures to meet the reporting obligations under the CRS framework, ensuring that Kenya aligns with international tax transparency standards.

KRA provided contact information for inquiries, including telephone numbers 0709017997 or 0709017935, email [email protected], and the Commissioner for Large and Medium Taxpayers.

Additional services and guidance are available via *222# or on the official website, www.kra.go.ke. The notice also contained standard disclaimers regarding payment responsibilities and hotline information for taxpayers.