PayPal in Kenya is still a mystery to many. In fact, the information in this post could not be found on any other Kenyan website at the time of writing this. It is based on successful use of PayPal for years and tons of additional research.
There are people who simply assume that PayPal does not work in Kenya. Others think they know how it works but they ignore a couple of rules and bam! Their accounts get limited and they can’t access their PayPal cash for 6 months.
One thing’s for sure, if you’re working online, then PayPal should be one of your best friends, not your worst enemies.
So, how do you keep your PayPal account safe? How do you link and verify your Kenyan PayPal account? How can you ensure your account is not suspended? Below is all you need to know about PayPal in Kenya.
What is PayPal
PayPal is one of the biggest online transaction processors in the world. It allows people to make payments and buy goods and services online.
One of the main reasons why people prefer using it is the fact that it is accepted on multiple platforms and once you’re registered and verified, you can buy items and make payments without having to enter your credit card details every time.
It is fully functional and legal in Kenya. To see where else it operates, check out the PayPal list of countries.
PayPal in Kenya can be accessed through its official Kenyan url https://www.paypal.com/ke.
How do you register and verify your PayPal account
You can simply go to PayPal.com/ke (if you’re in Kenya make sure the link has a “ke”) and register your account by clicking on “sign up” then entering your details. You can then ignore the part of entering your credit card and proceed to use PayPal services.
If you do this, your account will have a send/withdrawal limit. You will not be able to send more than $500 if you don’t link a Kenyan credit or debit (ATM) card.
To make your registration and verification smooth and without send/withdrawal limits, you need to have a working credit or debit card (ATM) card that has online access. This way, you can register and verify your account on the same day.
Here is what you should do.
- Open a Kenyan bank account if you don’t have. Make sure you choose a bank that uses Visa or MasterCard e.g. Co-operative, Equity Bank and Barclays among others.
- Once you get your ATM card (or if you already have it), call the number at the back of the card and ask whether it’s enabled for online transactions. You can also ask your bank to ensure that the ATM card has online access when opening a new account.
- Make sure the account has around an equivalent of 3 USD on the current dollar rates.
- Go to PayPal.com and click on Sign Up then write down your ATM card number where prompted to do so. These are the 16 digits on the front side of your ATM card.
- Enter the CSV where prompted. These are the last three digits at the back of your ATM card.
- If you are already registered to PayPal and just want to link and verify your account, go to PayPal and click on “Wallet” then “Link a Card”.
- Follow the prompts
- You’ll get a notification stating that you will get a certain code on your bank statement in 3 days. Usually, it comes immediately so you can just walk to your nearest branch and take the latest statement and you’ll see the code. Note that ATM mini-statements may not have the whole code. If your bank supports M-Banking, you should receive the code immediately on SMS. The code is in this format PP*1234CODE. The number appearing where I’ve written “1234” is the four digit code that you’ll enter on your PayPal account.
- When you have the code, go to PayPal and click on “Wallet” then “Confirm Card”. Enter the code where prompted.
- Your $500 withdrawal limit will be lifted and you’ll be free to enjoy PayPal transactions to the maximum.
Examples of Kenyan Banks that you can link with PayPal
As stated above, you can use any Kenyan bank that has MasterCard or Visa cards.
Below are some banks that you can use:
Equity Bank
Advantages of Equity Bank’s ATM cards are:
- It is the only bank in Kenya that assists Kenyans to withdraw money from PayPal.
- Equity’s new Visa cards come already enabled for online transactions.
- Since you can withdraw from PayPal using Equity, it may be easier for you to access loans as a freelancer
- Equity has an excellent app, online platform, and mobile banking feature. All this can help you to quickly track transactions.
Note that Equity only allows 2 online transactions per day at the time of updating this. If you want to be using your card for multiple transactions daily, visit any Equity branch and they’ll make the adjustment.
Co-operative Bank
Co-operative is good because:
- It has superb M-Banking features. If you’re registered with this, you’ll get an immediate text after linking your account. Therefore, you will register and link your account within minutes, without having to step out of your house. Nowadays most banks have such services. Back when I first wrote this post only a few had that.
- Unlike Equity, you can make more than 2 online transactions in a day without having to sign extra consent forms.
To link with Co-operative bank, you’ll need to visit a branch and fill a form to grant your card online access.
Prepaid Cards
You can buy prepaid cards from KCB, I&M, etc. These cards will be “independent” cards that you can load and use without having an account in these banks.
These cards and bank accounts are just examples. You can link your PayPal account with cards from multiple other banks and providers.
How to buy with your PayPal account
Buying using your PayPal account is really simple. Here’s the simple procedure:
- Click on the buy button from the site you’re buying from
- On “Pay with my PayPal account”, enter your login details
- If you don’t have a balance on your PayPal account but have some money in the bank you linked to above, PayPal will highlight the credit card number so that it can fund from there
- Click on “Pay Now” and the money will be taken by PayPal from your account balance or from your linked account and paid to the merchant
Read also: How to Deposit Money to PayPal in Kenya.
How to withdraw PayPal money in Kenya
You can withdraw your PayPal cash through:
- Equity Bank
- Payoneer: This method was stopped by PayPal. Those who were using this method in 2014 and before can still continue using it. It’s no longer possible for new members.
- The PayPal to M-PESA service
For more details read this: How to Withdraw Money from PayPal in Kenya
How to get PayPal “Buy Now” Buttons
If you’re selling goods or services on your site, you may want to get PayPal buttons. To get them, simply upgrade your account to Business or Premium and then you’ll be able to access these features. After that, check for more details here.
Is it safe to use a PayPal account in Kenya?
The answer to this is a resounding yes.
It is totally safe to use your PayPal account. The guys at PayPal take your security seriously. Just make sure you follow the PayPal terms of use and keep your password safe.
On limited PayPal accounts…
A limited PayPal account is more of a suspended account. Here, you are not able to receive or withdraw PayPal cash for 6 months.
Imagine having $1000 in PayPal and being told you can’t access it for 6 months. Immediately you start thinking about your rent, your normal expenses, and may be instantly thrown into debt.
This is everybody’s nightmare and in the international realm it is feared more than the plague.
When you don’t follow the PayPal terms of use, your account may be flagged and limited. The problem is that you can also be limited without necessarily doing anything wrong.
So how can you keep your PayPal account safe from limitation? Read on for general information on the safety of your account.
How to safeguard your PayPal account
Your PayPal account may be at risk of two things – hackers and limitation. It is rare to hear of a hacked account but limitation is quite common. If you think I’m lying, Google “PayPal account limited” and you’ll be shocked by the results.
Here’s how to keep your account safe:
Keep your password safe
This is quite obvious and doesn’t need explanation. Either way, below are some quick pointers:
- Choose a good password with letters and numbers.
- You can also include caps and other symbols to make sure it is at its highest strength.
- Though not necessary, you can feel free to change it every couple of months
Follow PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy
Most people HATE going through policy pages. When you get time, go through this user agreement and check out what you should and shouldn’t do. Some common violations that Kenyans make include:
- Selling PayPal money: You are not allowed to do this. This is why many PayPal to M-Pesa “companies” fail. You can withdraw money from PayPal using the official method.
- Faking your identity: Most Kenyan limitations that I’ve heard of are due to the use of fake identities.
- Buying and selling anything illegal: PayPal doesn’t allow this for obvious reasons.
Use your real identity
As mentioned above, many people whose accounts are limited or terminated use fake identities.
This is where you are Simon Wanjala from Kenya but you register as Michael Monroe from the US.
This exposes you to some risks such as PayPal limitation and US taxation. A friend’s US PayPal account was once flagged and he was called by IRS to pay taxes. Little did he know this would happen when he stacked his account with lots of “saved” dollars.
The US Taxes Factor
Processing $200,000 (cumulative) in your PayPal account or 200 transactions (whichever comes first) will get your account flagged by PayPal. Not for bad reasons though.
You will be asked to submit your US tax ID. If you registered with your real Kenyan identity, you will just click on a little radio button that states that you are not from the United States and your account will resume full functionality.
If you registered with a fake US identity, you are in deep problems and you will be required to pay taxes to the IRS.
And you wonder why they say “be yourself”!
Verifying your identity once you hit a specific threshold
Once your account balance gets to the a specific threshold (e.g. once you hit $5,000), you may get an email requesting you to confirm your identity. It’s alright, you can just submit what they require and continue operating your PayPal account as usual.
Inform PayPal when you’re flying out
To protect you, PayPal may limit your account if you log in from another country. It may then be difficult to get it back without sending them all sorts of things. Therefore, either inform them when you’re flying out and want to access it from another country or don’t log in from the other country.
Read this part carefully.
If you’re going to the UK next week, inform them when still in Kenya through their contact form or through a phone call. Don’t inform them when already in the UK since you may be unable to log in from there.
Inform them of huge payments
It may still not be clear how PayPal will flag one account and not another. In my personal experience, I’ve heard from people who got a sudden, huge payment at once and their account was limited.
Some, even as innocent as they’d been, had to wait for the entire six month period regardless of their numerous back and forth communications with PayPal.
Receiving $1000 or so may not cause any problems. But if you are to get $10,000 at once while you’ve been getting below $500, you may be sure that your account will be limited.
Withdraw or spend your cash as soon as it comes in
This is not necessarily a way of keeping your account safe, but a way of keeping your money safe. In light of the above, you’ll notice that accounts sometimes get limited for reasons that may not seem valid.
In case the axe was to fall on you for such reasons, isn’t it better if it happens on an empty account?
I thought so too.
Therefore, once you receive a payment, you can withdraw it via Payoneer, Equity or M-Pesa. You can also spend it by buying online products such as hosting, eBay products, Facebook ads or whatever you buy online regularly.
Instead of withdrawing, some people simply buy stuff on eBay at low prices then they sell them in Kenya at a huge profit. Another business idea, huh?
Anyway, spending or withdrawing immediately will ensure your account is mostly at zero, and therefore your money will mostly be safe.
Use a business account
If you have a registered business, upgrade your PayPal account to a business account for free.
This can easily be done through your PayPal profile. Generally, business accounts receive more cash and make more transactions without being flagged. However, it needs to be a real business since you may later be asked for copies of your business documents.
Ignore spam mail stating your PayPal account is limited
Once you get established online, you’ll receive tons of mails stating that your PayPal account is limited. How do you tell if the email is from PayPal or a spammer who wants to steal from you?
Simple.
PayPal addresses you by your first and last name. Additionally, they’ll never ask for your personal information such as your account password or credit card number via email.
Better yet, PayPal nowadays has what they call a Message Center. In case they send you a message there, you’ll get an email prompting you to login to PayPal and check out your Message Center.
So what do you do with fake PayPal emails? Immediately send them to spam. Don’t delete them since they will come again. Sending to spam will help email service providers such as Gmail and Yahoo to spam such emails and prevent them from being sent to others.
What to do when PayPal limits your account
There’s no guarantee that your limitation will be lifted. But it never hurts to try, right?
The best way to go about it is to communicate with PayPal and ask them why the account is limited. They will give you the reasons and then tell you what to do to correct the issue. You may be asked to submit your ID card or business documents among other things.
Give them what they want and they may lift the limit. In fact, once you’ve submitted those documents, consider calling them at +1-402-935-2050 and explaining your case.
Note that lifting limitations is purely under the discretion of PayPal staff. There is no blanket method of lifting the limitation. They will have to assess then they’ll advice whether your limitation will be lifted or not.
If all else fails, just wait for the six months, get whatever cash you had out of PayPal and then follow their rules in future.
Once the 180 days are over, how do you withdraw the cash?
When a PayPal account is permanently limited, your cash will be held by PayPal for 180 days. Once this period is over, you’ll get an email stating that you’re now able to withdraw your cash. To get the cash, do this:
- If you hadn’t done so, sign up to the Equity or M-Pesa withdrawal platforms
- Call PayPal and request them to allow you to link with either of the two
- Exit the cash
PayPal alternatives
Right now there are many other services coming up that are offering way better value than PayPal. To avoid all the hectic mumbo jumbos that come with PayPal, you may want to be using the alternatives more.
My favorite PayPal alternatives include:
Final Thoughts
There are lots of stories about why PayPal does not allow withdrawals via most bank accounts apart from Equity Bank. Some call it discrimination, others say it is our laws but there is no clear reason why this is so. The good thing is that you can withdraw cash using the methods above.
Apart from withdrawals and limitations, everything else about PayPal is easy and straightforward.
I don’t recommend over-dependence on PayPal though. In case your freelancing website can pay via Payoneer, opt for it instead. For example, Upwork and Freelancer allow direct Payoneer withdrawals. Upwork can send cash to your M-Pesa or local bank account.
If you have private clients, you can ask them to pay you via M-Pesa, bank transfer, Wise (formerly TransferWise), Payoneer, or Paxful.
When used properly, PayPal is a great payment platform that makes online payments easy and convenient. As said above, there is no other post like this in Kenya with all this info.
Please share this post with all your friends via the social sharing buttons above. You may save someone from PayPal limitation or useless trips to the bank for no reason.
When starting out online, I wished someone would have shared such stuff with me!
Do you have any more exciting info you’d want to share about PayPal? Let’s continue this conversation on the comments.
Good commentary, Walter.
I love the informative nature of the piece, not to mention the depth there is into it.
Thanks, Fredrick!
Hello, Walter. That’s a good article there. But after the 6 months limitation, will the linked emails be unlinked or what happens next?
Hi Victor,
No, they don’t get unlinked. In PayPal’s eyes, you’ll be able to exit your cash but you’re no longer allowed to use it’s services.
Classic information there. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Stephen!
Hi Walter Akolo do Stanbic Bank Kenya offer Paypal services…..I mean can I verify my paypal account using Kenyan Stanbic Bank ATM Card??????????
Hi Simon,
If it has Visa or MasterCard ATMs then you should be able to.
Incredible information, thanks a lot Walter for the eye opener
Thanks Jacqueline for taking the time to read and comment. Always happy to help 🙂
Hey Walter,
Thanks for the enlightening info.
I had opened an account blindly. I guess, to be on the safe side, I have to close it and open a new one.
Grazie!
Hi Selina,
I’m glad you found it useful.
I received money and tried to withdraw from PayPal to mpesa ,but I keep getting a ‘opps, we couldn’t complete withdrawal’ error message what could be the problem??
Hi Erick,
That’s a common problem. Keep trying. It should eventually go through. Contact PayPal if the issue persists.
I am gratefull af man thank you
Most welcome.
This is quite informative Walter. Just started my course with Nelly and she has offered a lot of information for both beginners and experienced transcribers. I am confident I will give it my best and afford some food from this industry. Well done and once again, thank you.
Thanks, Chemtai! Nelly is a legendary trainer 🙂
Hello Walter,
I have tried to link my Paypal account to the Equity Bank account with no success. What could be the problem?
Hi Francisca,
Sometimes it gives errors. Keep trying though. Reach out to Equity in case the issue persists.
Fantastic and exhaustive article on Paypal, It worked like charm! Kudos
That’s awesome, Peter. Thanks.
Hey Walter,
Great post and informative.
I have a question, i reached the $5000 limit and my account has been limited. I need to provide proof of residence. I have sent my KRA Pin document in PDF format without success. Any suggestions on what documents they accept?
Hi Jack,
Use the KRA Tax Compliance Certificate and make sure it has your location in the document matches your location in PayPal.
If this doesn’t work, you can ask on Facebook groups to see what other options people use. Here’s a great Facebook group to ask such questions https://web.facebook.com/groups/kenyantranscribers
Thanks!
Hi Walter,
I tried the Tax Compliance Certificate but was rejected too. I approached my bank (Equity) who were able to assist me. They placed my address such that it could appear on the printed statement. I uploaded the certified statement and the limitation was finally removed. This is to help anyone out there facing the same problem.
Thanks.
Hi Jack,
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Simon WANJALA Hahahaa. Nice piece of writing, keep up!
Thanks Dom! You’re so keen 🙂
Hello Walter? Thanks alot for the useful info, just one more question, my 180days limitation are almost up mostly I was withdrawing funds into my MPESA I wanted after the limitation is done can I still withdraw into my mpesa or I’llneed to link a bank account ‘EQUITY’?
Hi Clinton,
Thanks for your kind words.
Contact PayPal once the 180 days are up. Ask them to temporarily lift the limitation so that you can withdraw to Equity, M-PESA or send to a friend to withdraw for you.
Let us know how it goes.
Hi Walter
thanks for the informative piece
I have received cash on paypal for the first time
i have linked it to my mpesa line
but i keep trying to withdraw and the message
‘Transaction was not successful keeps displaying’
how can i resolve that?
Hi Faith,
Thanks for your kind words.
You’ll need to contact both PayPal and Safaricom for assistance on that.
Let us know how it goes.
Hi
Thanks for the advice
I did as suggested. It was a tech glitch on Pay Pal’s side
It was fixed
Hi Faith,
That’s great.
Thanks for letting us know! ?
Hello Walter! My PayPal account is charging 4.99$ for any amount….why?
Hi Kenny,
Sorry no idea. Contact PayPal support immediately.
Hi Walter
I opened a PayPal account only to find out that it is a US account after money has been sent there. Now PayPal asks me to withdraw it to a US bank account or enter my social security number which I don’t have. What can I do on this situation? I have contacted them and they keep telling me that that is the only way. Can I use someone else’s bank account? If not, what happens when I do not withdraw the cash eventually because I cannot travel to us to open an account
Hi Ngeshi,
Seems like the big mistake was opening a US PayPal.
Try contact them and ask if they can send it to your friend then close it.
All the best.
Honestly,this has been so informative and helpful. Thank you so much
Most welcome, Eve!
Hi walter, I have activated my paypal account for mpesa…i did not link any card during the registration process, Im told you dont need to since you can withdraw to mpesa direct, but the person sending me money is not given the mpesa option for sending the money,…is linking your account amust if you have mpesa or what does paypal mpesa direct mean?
Hi Stephen,
To verify your account you’ll need a card. Follow the steps in this post to link and verify using your card.
If you’ve linked PayPal with M-PESA, the sender will not send to your M-PESA. They’ll send to your PayPal then you withdraw via M-PESA.
cooperative bank do not support paypal. At least from what they told me yesterday
Hi Reuben,
You can use it for verification as stated in the post above.
You can’t use it for withdrawal, though. You can only withdraw to Equity or straight to M-PESA.
Walter could you please help me on how to create a paypal.me link…I’d really appreciate
Hi Carol,
That feature is not available in Kenya at the moment.
When they add it, they’ll include Kenya in the list of countries here https://www.paypal.me/pages/countries
Many thanks!
Hello, tnx for the information it rely help
Like to know this is it must to have bank account? Can i have verified PayPal account with kcb prepaid cards?
Hi Tade,
Thanks for your kind response. Yes, it should work fine with KCB Prepaid Cards.
All the best!
Long when not interested yet too short for a focused person.
Well scripted…kudos on that!
I just have one more question. Can one receive money on a PayPal Uganda registered account?
Thanks Menya.
Not sure how it works for Ugandan accounts. You can contact PayPal for more on that.
Hi Walter,
First, thanks for the detailed article.
As a South Sudanese, (now living in Kenya) my PayPal account is limited.
I registered when in South Sudan, back in 2012. Because South Sudan is not listed in country lists by most websites, (except Google), I used the nearest South in Africa—South Africa.
Then, when things got worse in SS, I came to Kenya to continue my self-publishing work. I had no idea PayPal will detect where I was logging in from. Bam! My account was limited in 2016.
I then tried to call PayPal and explain my case, all in vain. By the way, the account is permanently limited and I can’t withdraw my money even to my Kenya’s Equity Bank account, (linked to PayPal), with a new “ke” Kenyan PayPal account.
Sometimes, I feel like we have to create our own Kenyan plugins/PayPal, to allow payments into Kenyan banks and forget about these Western systems? I even thought maybe I was talking to robots, not humans. They can’t seem to understand me, whatsoever.
Anyway, what do you suggest we should do?
PayPal asks for my documents, and when I send them, they don’t accept them.
It is really painful.
I have seen so many people having limitation issues with PayPal.
John
Hi John,
That’s a big problem for many. For those who can, good to stay in their good books. If limited, there’s no option but to try use other options.
Paypal have reached me at throat I can’t and I repeat I can’t use paypal anymore five accounts limited with money in them I was receiving like 20$ to 100$ daily but once they limit one account even if you register new account within a month will be limited because of linked ID and mobile linked to them. I have gone trading cryptocurrency there is good money to be made there if you know to read indicators.
So sorry Amufani.
Hey i received a refund from Paypal to my KCB debit card but the bank says the cant see any monies credited to my a/c?? Its been over a month and the guys at paypal are saying my card issuer received the amount.
How do i get the funds to reflect on my KCB a/c
Hi Josh,
I believe it showed up in a few days.
Hello Walter,
I created a Paypal account but I don’t think it had ke. It has nnow taken a couple of days to recieve my code. What can I do?
Thanks in advance.
Denzil Otieno
Hi Denzil,
The code should come up instantly.
Check your bank statement.
Hi Walter.
I have been trying to link my Co-op bank Visa ATM Card without any success thus far and yet my account has been enabled for online transactions.
What should I do? Kindly advise.
Hi Michael,
Try ensure you have at least Sh. 400 in the card and it should go through.
Having the same problem right now
Use the tip above as well.
hello Walter, what if you created pay pal a/c and it is not kenyan that is not ke how do you change it to ke or is it ok to use it as it is just .com
Hi Jane,
If you log in, the country should be Kenya. If not, change to Kenya. Always best to give accurate info so that you’re not penalized later when asked for proof of residence.
Hey Walter, am sure this great piece of work is a couple of years old, today. But it feels new to me like you would imagine. I have to appreciate your level of input to it. I am in Kenya and do have a project that am supposed to do for a friend. it is going to cost a lot of money and i am currently scouting for the cheapest means of receiving that money from overseas (US) considering the associated repatriation costs. Are you in a position to advise. Thanks in advance
Hi Emmanuel,
Compare a few to see which is the cheapest. Options include MPESA, WorldRemit, Western Union, Xoom, Payoneer, Transferwise etc.
I had verified my pay pal account,but then my card still cannot be charged,given that I have not filled the on-line access form from my bank,now am trying to fill it but the travel advisory section is just messed up,can you please tell me how to fill that section?
Hi Steven,
If it’s the form from your bank, then ask the bank staff to guide you on how to properly fill it.
Hey Walter,
Well written down.
Now I can’t seem to get past the page for PayPal for enter credit details. I can’t go to any other option.
What to do now?
Hi Havana,
Thanks a lot.
Enter your card details there and proceed as indicated in the article. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Walter, was trying to sign up for paypal but went the wrong way and clicked on business account. but wanted the personal account. so every time i try to sign up again to create a personal account,a message comes up that am already signed up for paypal, what can i do? thanks.
Hi Abuor,
Email PayPal support and tell them to downgrade it to Personal.
Hi walter
I have teceived some payment on my paypal account that is linked to my kcb debit card but the money has not reflected in my icb account.its been a week.
Hi Samina,
That’s not how it works. Right now the only bank you can withdraw to is Equity. See how to do that here https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Hi again walter,
I donot want to withdraw money from paypal but to transfer it in my bank account.paypal says i hv received d money but i dnt knw how to get it.pliz advice
Hi again Samina,
Same thing. The only bank you can transfer to is Equity. And the only procedure to do that is contained in the article I’ve just indicated. Click here, read and follow that procedure to transfer from PayPal to Equity.
I find blog through google and wanted to know if Kenya paypal has lots restrictions? I want to make sure I can accept payments with no issues.
If you follow the tips above you should be fine.
Hellow walter,my name is phylis and am about to start my on this journey as an affiliate marketer,,i just opened an equity bank account and took my visa card(debit card) today. When i link the card with my paypal account it says card declined by issuer.what could be wrong.Thank you
Hi Phylis,
Make sure the card has Sh. 500 and it should go through.
Incisive and very informative.
Walter, are these notes available even after the training?
Is there a need to copy the notes and save them elsewhere?
Thanks and regards,
Hi George,
Yes, they’re available even after training.
You can write short notes if you want or paste them somewhere for reference if you so wish.
Hi, my account was limited for 180 days. The 180 days elapsed long time. I got a message from paypal that I can now withdraw my funds. I tried withdrawing with Equity Bank, but with vain. From the equity portal it still says my account was still limited. Kindly advise on how i can withdraw my funds.
Hi Chelal,
Sorry for the limitation.
Call PayPal and request them to allow you to link to the Equity Bank PayPal withdrawal portal. Once you link you can withdraw.
can you send me paypal contacts.
Can I use my national Bank ATM card to buy good using PayPal
Hi Abass. Yes you can.
Can i create my paypal account and later link my bank account, and for how long can i wait to link my bank account..thanks
Hi Alvin. Sure you can do that. I’d advise you to link your card immediately. The bank account function doesn’t work for Kenyans yet, so you’ll link a card. You can then register for the Equity withdrawal service. Details here https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Thanks so much..
But do i have to do the register for the Equity withdrawal service online or go to the bank to register there.
Online. Just follow the step by step process here https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Then can you Barclays work besides equity bank?
No. Withdrawal is only possible via Equity at the moment.
How do you go about a seller account on ebay and paypal and taxes here in Kenya? Thanks
Hi Diana. Sorry I’ve not created a seller account on eBay. I’ve discussed PayPal on the post above. As for matters of tax, I’d recommend you talk to a tax expert since we all have different tax obligations and excemptions. I wouldn’t want to go into that.
hi,since i have linked my paypal to coop bank and you say only equity bank can withdraw mney from paypal,how can i withdraw money then??
Hi Davies. Withdraw to Equity. See here https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Hi Akolo,
Paypal limited my account with 850$ till 180 days to end, they are ending on 5/March /2017. How will I withdraw that money?
Hi Amufani. Sorry about the limitation. They’ll ask you to withdraw to a US Bank. If you have a US friend who can help that will be awesome. If not you can email me I share a few more ideas.
Till now I have not withdrew the money, how can I email you?
Sorry for that. You can email me via my contact page. However, the best party to contact for this is PayPal.
Hi Walter. I recently did a purchase but had to later change address so seller refunded my a/C. How do I access my funds? I can see the completed refund transaction but PayPal balance remains unchanged. My bank (SCB) said to wait for 24hrs. How would you advise I go about this? I need the money to show up on my PayPal balance so that I
can redo the payment. Please help. Thanks.
Hi Emily. If they refunded to PayPal, it should show on your PayPal balance instantly. If you’d paid via card, it may take a day or two to show up on your bank balance (but won’t show on your PayPal balance).
Hi Walter, thanks for updating the post. I can say that you are the most helpful Writer helping other Writers in East Africa and beyond up the ladder. I am in Uganda where we have no way of withdrawing from paypal. Infact I have some money stuck in my Upwork account, Can I still use epay if I buy an Mpesa line even though my paypal indicates Uganda as location?
Thanks Esther for your kind words. I believe you can use ePay-Kenya, but contact them first to confirm. From Upwork you can still use Skrill (though it will be removed in April, 2017), Payoneer, or even direct bank transfer. All the best.
Hi Walter,
It is now January, 2017, I usually have a Paypal account but I have never transacted with it and I am wondering what are the current changes, if I need to withdraw from the paypal account which account do I use, I have Ecobank account and I want to use it to verify my account once I link the card to paypal, is that all that I can do with it, if need to get funds from paypal do I have to open another account with Equity? Please advise. Thank you
Hi Alice,
The post is updated with all the current happenings in PayPal. The tips still work in Jan 2017. For withdrawal, use this method https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Hey, this is one of the best posts ive read on paypal. Too bad i found it after much trial and error. Ive have done a transaction on paypal to buy hosting, but now i want to buy a framework for my website, however my checkouts keep being declined. paypal says its the card issuer(equity), but the bank told me everything is ok. I dont know what to do now. Do you have any ideas on the probable cause. I have enough funds .
Thanks Assumpta for your kind words. About the declines, it’s a common error. PayPal does that for new accounts. Just keep trying or use an alternate form of payment e.g. your card.
Hi welter,
thank you for ur time and published this important information.
i want to know if i can be able to open paypal kenya account while i am ugandan, because paypal uganda can’t receive payment it can only sent,
if yes, how can i get the money to uganda from my kenyan paypal account?
thanks
Hi Ussy. Thanks for your comment. I honestly don’t know how guys do it in Uganda. You may have to do more research for possible options.
Hi Walter,
Your article is actually fairly typical of the information expected when discussing paypal. I have been a user in a few countries for over 14 years – almost from the beginning.
But, your service to your readers is simply fantastic. Really nice to know that bloggers still care and respond to questions and issues. Pleased to know you.
THanks.
Hi Trevor. Thanks a lot for your kind words. I agree that information is power and love sharing freely to help others when I can. Good to know about your long history with PayPal.
I was following up on having my limited account verified in the past week and I talked to one of the officials in Ppal’s limitations back office. He informed me about their concern in the manner that Kenyans are buying and selling Ppal accounts. Most of these Ppal accounts are being used for fraud and terrorism funding, with some transactions being traced to our neighbouring war-torn country, Somalia. Apparently, our case has been an issue of serious concern in the past 4 months, hence the increased number of account limitations. I was informed that permanent limitations and blacklisting of Kenyan users may happen in the next 6 months or less. It is therefore imperative for us to stay vigilant and people to desist from buying and selling Ppal accounts lest we follow the Ghanian and Nigerian way
Hi Anne. Thanks a lot for your message. I’ve gotten similar information from credible sources too so I’ve been campaigning against such vices. Thanks for also pointing them out. I hope more and more Kenyans heed the warnings to avoid a possible ban.
Hi Walter.My Paypal was permanently limited a year ago with around $1000. I was informed to withdraw the money after 6 months. After the six months, they sent me an email saying money was available for withdrawal. But everytime I try to withdraw, It says Payment cannot be sent. What Can I do?
Hi Martin. It can only be withdrawn to a US bank account. If you have a friend in the US they can help you with that.
Hi Walter. Does this mean that going forward withdrawal can only be done via a US based bank or only the first withdrawal after the limit has been lifted?
Hi Alen. You can withdraw to Equity as stated. Here’s the step by step process https://freelancerkenya.com/going-about-paypal/paypal-to-equity-fast/
Most companies setting up shop in Africa typically start with South Africa, the continent’s most advanced economy, so PayPal’s partnership with the First National Bank is sort of par for the course. It also probably helps that Elon Musk, PayPal’s founder, is South African.
Thanks for the info Samuel.
Walter, how does one withdrawal from PayPal using Co-op bank visa card once it’s activated for the online use?
Hi Joy. Sorry currently Kenyans can only withdraw from PayPal to Payoneer or Equity. It’s no longer possible to add the Payoneer option so only old users can. New users can only do PayPal to Equity.
Hi, Walter.
I’m talking of Co-operative visa as you’ve stated above.
Hi Joy. You can use that to verify your account. However, it’s not possible to withdraw to it.
Thanks for the wonderful piece
My account was limited early March with some cash.
Does it mean that after 6 months I will be capable of continuing to use the same PayPal or it will be closed?
Hi William. Thanks for your comment. After 6 months you will just be allowed to withdraw then the account will be closed.
Hello Walter,
First, thanks a lot for the good work. keep it up!!!
My concern is about linking a card to paypal. I have been trying to link my card but in vain. Every time I try to link, this message pops up”,this card is not accepted. please use a different card. what might be the problem? please help. am using equity atm card.
Hi Douglas. Make sure your card has Sh. 400 then try again.
Hello buddy, my account was limited and i had to wait till 180 days were over. After that, paypal sent me message that my funds are ready for withdrawal and that i use uquity bank to withdraw as i use to withdraw with Mpesa before it was limited. I went ahead and opened a Kenyan Equity account, linked it and was told link it with the visa card. The problem comes when i try to link the card, there’s always an error message saying “we’re sorry we are not able to complete your process now, please try again later”…i tried and tried but i recieve the same error message.
i contacted Equity and they confirmed that there is no problem on their side and that I cont.act paypal again. Paypal responded that i proceed withrawing with Equity…gosh, what might be the paiblem? its now almost 210 days since it was limited, paypal insist that am now able to withdraw since its past 180 days….
where am i going wrong??? is it that am currently in Tanzania or what? kindly advise
Hi Hassan,
Only PayPal can help with this. Keep reaching out to them.
They should allow you to withdraw or send to a friend. Call them. Tweet them. Inbox them on Facebook. Do whatever you can to follow up.
Hello Walter.
i am thinking about creating a paypal account but i study abroad. In North cyprus. i have an I&M mastercard. i would appreciate any information as to how i can proceed with the paypal account. Thank you
Hi Zainab. You can go ahead with the tips above. You can check to see which banks PayPal works with in Cyprus. According to PayPal, you should put your country of residence as the one you operate from so in your case Cyprus.
can my pay pal account still receive cash even though it has not been verified…i have no bank account so i have not verified it.can i go ahead and open the pay pal account and have money sent to it?
Hi Allan
Yeah, you can receive up to a cumulative total of $500 then you’ll be forced to verify.
Thanks.
Hi..thanks for this useful article…i have a question…i just encountered a message sayin “wrong address” when trying to sign up for paypal..am in kenya…i also have to fill a dialogue box about the STATE am in…couldnt even sign up..am still new to this…pliz help…
Hi Paul
Use this link to sign up http://www.paypal.com/ke
It won’t bring you errors.
Hello Walter, I’m James, and I like the info on this site. Just wanted to know if is it normal when I send documents so as to verify my PayPal account, and instead of indicating sent, I’m returned to the homepage? (given that my card was disabled for requesting a verification code more than three times)…
Hi James. With verification, you go to link and verify and put your card details. After that, you click on “Confirm Card” and put the code sent to you. You then get a confirmation that your account has been verified. That’s how it should work.
This world needs more people like you. The information you give is accurate and easy to follow.
Thank you!
Thanks a lot Allan. I appreciate your kind feedback.
Hi, someone my email address and asked my to send money to his paypal address using my hacked email. my boss paid the money into her paypal account now he is requesting me trace the person, he is a kenyan, he sent me screenshot of conversation, paypal name and address, how can i track the person, he is a Kenyan
Hi Len
You need to dispute the transaction so that the money is returned to you. You’ll get it all back.
All the best.
Hi Walter,
Nice article. I have been trying to get my paypal account verified without success. I have a co-op visa card which is enabled for online banking but I still cant get my paypal verified. I noticed from my bank account that a fee of Ksh 94.91 was paid to paypal twice in two weeks but it does not reflect in my paypal account and I have not received any notification from either paypal or co-op. What could be the problem?
Lucy hi
Sorry about this. Try emailing PayPal and tell them about your card being charged twice. They will give you the next step.
Nice one Walter. Looking forward to more of such.
Most welcome Gladys. They’ll keep coming.
Hi Walter – This is a really well researched article. Thank your for the information and we’ll be looking to see how to incorporate this into our Client’s Career site at http://www.wdsafrica.wordpress.com. Asante!
Thanks a lot for your kind words Mgeni.
Does NBK provide PayPal services?
Hi Lucas. You can only use NBK when verifying a PayPal account. On withdrawals, only Equity works in Kenyan banks. Thanks.
Hi Walter….You’ve mentioned on your reply above that ONLY Equity allows withdrawals from PayPal?? I’m planning to use my Co-operative visa card so does this mean I won’t be able to withdraw my money? Excuse my blonde-ness please as this is all very new to me…
Hi Abigael. Thanks for asking. As of now, you can only withdraw to Equity through the link http://epal.equitybankgroup.com. That’s the only way you can withdraw from PayPal in Kenya as of now. You can use your Coop card for verification but open an Equity Bank account to receive the cash.
Hello Walter, I have a small problem with Paypal. a friend has been sending his paypal dollars to my account that I withdraw through Payoneer… am i courting problems with Paypal administrators for doing this?
Hi Victor. Yes, they have a policy against currency exchange. It’s not very strict but help your friend to get their own card in future. All the best.
This is a well researched article. My question is what if I want to send money out of the country? Which bank allows you to send money through paypal regardless of whether you have an account with them?
Thanks Tracy. No bank allows that unfortunately.
Hi Walter. I think the bit about informing PayPal about one’s travels abroad has come to me as a surprise and yet, here I was, thinking I know all I need to know about PayPal. Well researched and packaged article. Kudos as usual
Most welcome John. I am glad you now know that. Otherwise it can be inconveniencing if they limit you when you really need their service.
Thank God I came across this site. I’ve been a stay at home mum for over a year now and even though I love my ‘job’ I would like to try and squeeze in time to work online. I have a laptop,access to the net and i’ve been doing some research here and there on the whole issue. It is not by chance that I stumbled onto your site, I must have really wanted some good advice. I’ve read some of your posts and will continue to read more. Will definitely need your help because this is what I want to do. Now the whole paypal mystery makes sense.
Hi Brenda
I am also glad that you stumbled across this. Feel at home here for lessons on working online.
Kindly also join my mailing list so that you can be receiving immediate updates whenever I post something.
I will be happy to help wherever you are stuck.
Blessings.
Akolo thanks for your informative article. Thanks alot for saving us a great deal of inconvinience.
Most welcome Clevers
Hi Walter, thanks for the invaluable information you have given us for free. God bless you a lot. Had a question concerning “linking a co-op debit card to my pay pal account.” Apart from verifying my account, will there be any deductions on my account due to the linking?
Hi Wesley. Sorry for the late reply. I appreciate your compliments. God bless you too. There will be absolutely no other deductions. I personally linked my Coop card so can assure you of that.
What a great resource on operating Paypal in Kenya. I belt it you article is so detailed that it can easily be adopted to operate Paypal securely from other country.
I’m glad that Nigeria shoppers can now register and use Paypal account without VPN or proxy though with service limitation for now.
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for your feedback. I am happy to hear the good news about Nigeria.
Hi Walter,you’re truly a man of the people,never mean with giving useful info. Very informative article,i wish to learn more about article writing,i tried once to work for someone who got jobs directly from clients but paid us peanuts,hence i got bored,so getting the right skills to get jobs direct without a middleman is my main goal. Also,i recently applied transcription with Rev.com and awaiting their feedback,are there demerits with mixing online jobs? Or focusing on one is better…Asante
Thanks a million for your generous and highly informative article. I recently opened a co-op bank a/c with purpose to verify my PayPal a/c. I managed to successfully verify the same this morning, but then a new dilemma surfaced; how do I now actually withdraw my PayPal money? Needless to say, bumping into this article was the highlight of my day, I am so relieved. Keep the good heart and work up 🙂
One last thing please, I am a newbie at academic writing with one reputable site (Academia-research)… I would highly appreciate any pointers you’ve got.on these sites. Thank you.
God bless
You are most welcome George. Thanks for your lovely comment. I am glad you were able to verify your account.
About academic writing, maybe you can diversify by joining other sites such as ResearchWritingCenter, EssayShark, Uvocorp, 4Writers, AllWriters, EssayWriters e.t.c.
Stay blessed
Hey Boss, when the time of need came, you came in handy. I never read long details, but wah, I have gone through this to the letter and will do it over and over. These are details that we over look until we are hit. Looking forward to further learning and use of online payments. Thanks BIG.
Thanks a lot for your comment. I do my best to give thorough advise that is useful to readers. Thanks again.
NB: Please be commenting using your name.
quite an iunformative piece Walter,soon will be using your services.Still got a problem with my payonner card and gonna talk to you for some help
Hi Dennis,
Thanks a lot.
Sorry for the challenges.
No problem. Let me know how I can help.
Thanks a lot Walter.May the good Lord bless.You don’t know how much stress you have saved me.
You are welcome Lillian. Always happy to help 🙂
Hi Walter, you are a great fellow. All this infor for free. You are truly a blessed one. I am sure you leaping big time out of your generosity and magnanimity. Thanks a lot. I have the same problem with Sam of trying to link my card with paypal only to be told that my billing address is different from paypal street address. I hope we will get a solution soon.
Hi Peter. Thanks for your compliments. I am still not sure about how to sort that out. You can try different billing addresses on PayPal…or try linking another card. Please let me know how that goes so that others can learn from it too.
hi walter thnx for ua posts they are rly helpful. now my case is abit different i had a paypal account med a mistake dnt knw which n it was closed dwn now my big problem is i can only be paid thru paypal n have got no idea wat to do cz they closed my account please advise
Hi Shiru,
You can open a new PayPal account with the tips above then send them an email stating that your previous account was closed down so you have a new one. In case they have any questions they will let you know. After they clear you, you can go ahead and receive your payments via PayPal.
Make sure you verify your new account as stated above. It is hard for them to bring issues with a verified account.
Best,
Walter
M
walter thnx for ua response my big problem is when i called them i was told that they cannot allow me to have another paypal account so i should look for another option to receive my payments n i can only be paid thru paypal, cz of my address i fear they wud notice i opened anatha
Hi Shiru,
Sorry for that then. You may have violated something or they may have thought so.
Here is an option that you can try at your own risk. Open a PayPal account with a different email address and follow all the rules above. That way you will never be flagged for any inconsistencies. The first thing you should do is verify your account. Verified accounts almost always never go through problems.
Once again, make sure you follow all their policies as written on this blog post.
All the best 🙂
Hi Shiru, to avoid future issues, always ask your clients to write a reason for the payment. For instance, write “Freelance Writing”. This way, PayPal knows its a genuine payment. Not money laundering or selling PayPal money. Better yet, send your clients a PayPal invoice then they send payment against the invoice. They are easy to set up and are free of charge. What PayPal are doing is safeguarding themselves against claims of ilegal activity such as those that went on with Liberty Reserves. For your old account, just contact them with details. It will be a long wait but they will eventually reactivate it.
Thanks writerfelixa for your addition,
Yes, contacting them via the old account could be the safest method, but may take ages…and if there was a “grand” mistake like receiving laundered funds or using a fake name and address e.t.c. they will never reactivate it. It is good to try it out though.
I agree totally with your other suggestions writerfelixa
Best,
Walter
Huy Walter, I like your articles, now I used your link to apply for Payoneer card and have got it. PLEASE: Which bank in Kenya offer the best rates for payoneer withdrawals?
Hi Erick,
Thanks for your comment.
I hear it’s MasterCard that sets the dollar rate and that they should be the same across platforms although some people say Barclays gives the best rates. In my experience, they all seem the same.
Thanks
Hi Walter. I always find your articles very helpful. Now I have question. A few days ago I tried verifying my Paypal account using my Cooperative Bank debit card that has VISA ELECTRON label. This is part of the feedback I got from Paypal after entering the details requested
“Your card billing address needs to match your PayPal street address”.
What addresses are ‘card billing address’ and ‘Paypal street Address’? I will be very grateful if you help me out. Thanks in advance.
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your comment and sorry for what you’re going through.
I am not sure why you’re getting that error. You may want to contact PayPal support then let me know how it goes so that I can update others.
Thanks
Hi walter,i enjoy reading every article in your blog.So as a freelancer,which account is best 4mi?business or personal?Thanx 4 sharing..
Thanks Mercy.
I’m glad to know you love all the articles in here.
As a freelancer the “Personal” is fine.
Thanks
Thanks on that,i do appreciate your kindness.Baraka!
You are most welcome Mercie. Thanks you too.
Well sorted and straight forward article.Thumbs up Walter
Thanks Edwin.
another great and informative article..thank Walter
You are most welcome Muthonie.
Hi Walter,
Thanks a lot for this useful information. I really appreciate your kind assistance Keep it up! God’s blessings too!
Hi Agnes,
Thanks for your humbling comment. The feedback is much appreciated.
All the best and may God’s abundant blessings be upon you.
Hi Walter, you are definitely God sent!!! the part of transacting using Paypal when in another country is very enlightening…i had no idea… Keep it up Walter and God bless you so so so much!!!!
Thanks a lot Njeri. I am glad to have enlightened you on that.
You can count on me for more great stuff coming up.
hey walter, thanks a billion for your timely and credible advice. you are just God sent to us freelancers. especially on the paypal equiy withdrawal, maze umetusave sana. now am least worried about incurring huge charges at other intermediary companies to get my cash from paypal..just one touch through my equity bank account. God bless you Walter.
Hi Jarred,
I really appreciate your kind words. Thank you so much.
Such words keep me going even when the going gets tough.
God bless you too Jarred.
very enlightening,and cautious too;thank you!
Hey Moses,
Thanks a lot for your compliment.
You are most welcome.
Thanks for the great info. God bless.
You are most welcome Ephantus.
This is a great piece.
Thanks a lot Benjamin.
Thanks very much for the info Walter, am always getting new stuff i didn’t know from your site
You are most welcome Peter. I appreciate your feedback.
Hi Walter. A client offered to pay me using a check and I refused. So I am yet to be paid because we have still not settled on what will work for both of us. Do you have any experience with international check payments? It’s for a sizeable amount hence his reluctance to use other means such as PayPal
Hi Felix,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can accept the check if he is totally reluctant on other methods. It is totally safe since it will be a check for you and nobody else.
I have always used PayPal, Payoneer, Skrill and Western Union but I’ll be getting my first international check next month. I have read from many other Kenyans who have used this method and they say it works well.
Thanks,
Walter
Is it sent through the mail? The wait is killing me, hehehe. I’ve accepted and will share with you how that goes and how long it takes to clear the check here. Thanks for your continued high-value advice. We all appreciate you
Hey,
Yes, it is sent through the mail. I think it takes around 3 weeks to clear. I’ll also know when I receive my first check next month.
You are most welcome and as usual, you can always count on me.
great piece walter
thanks
Thanks for the feedback Kevin.
Of course, you do research as usual and give me what I need at the right time. Yes I have to say your information has helped me a great deal. I NEVER NEW I WILL BE IN DEEP PROBLEM ACCESSING PAYPAL FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY. Most of us are ignorant reading terms and condition of the products we use. If you call this a weakness or just ignorance, I am of them. Otherwise, you’ve helped me free of charge because I couldn’t have known that I can’t do with PayPal in another country without a little ritual. Thanks.
Hi Dennis,
I appreciate your fantastic feedback. This one took so much research I wanted to sell it. I eventually just decided to let it out to ease the intense suffering in this field.
Cheers 🙂
Groeat piece with lots of useful info! Thanks Walter.
Thanks a lot Joy. Much appreciated.