As many of you will have come to appreciate over the years (and we will soon be 15...) Malindikenya.net is an information, promotion and service portal dedicated to Italians who in various ways have to do with Kenya.
Here on the site we publish articles, while on our 'social' branches (in particular the 'Italians in Kenya' group and the 'Malindikenya.net' page on Facebook) we also broadcast warnings, give advice and draw the attention of those about to arrive in Kenya or those approaching it.
Among the various pieces of advice given to holidaymakers over the past few months, as we expected, the problem of leaving Kenya after the extension of the first three months of a tourist visa is coming back into the news.
Over the past few days we have in fact received reports of compatriots who, when leaving Kenya from Mombasa airport, have been stopped for a blatant irregularity.
If they managed to leave, you can imagine how they did so. But in another country their arrest would have been sacrosanct.
Let us see why.
We reiterate what we have written many times before.
After the pandemic, the online renewal system for the 3-month tourist visa extension was introduced. The service, moreover, is free of charge, as the previous cost of Kes. 2200 referred to the issuance of an identity card for foreigners (Alien Card), which was compulsory after the first 3 months of stay in Kenya and is no longer compulsory.
So to extend it is no longer sufficient to go to the immigration office and have the renewal stamped. The renewal must be proven on the site fns.immigration.go.ke
By entering the site with your credentials already used for the initial visa, you apply for the renewal.
Once it has been done and obtained, you go to the immigration office to have your passport stamped, free of charge, so that you can show it at the airport.
WHY ISN'T THE STAMP ENOUGH?
Almost all the Italians who got into trouble on departure from Kenya had an immigration stamp but not an online renewal. So when checked by the authorities they were found to be 'illegal' in the country. Online visas and renewals were introduced to tackle corruption, as anyone paying could obtain a false stamp, as Somali nationals can do in order to enter the country illegally.
CAN ONLY RENEWAL BE DONE ONLINE?

As a rule, only the online renewal should suffice, to be shown on the way out, preferably with a printed receipt. With that, exactly as on the outward journey, the authorities should stamp the exit. But since the rule is not clear, it is better to get your passport stamped beforehand (which is also used to circulate in Kenya during the renewal period). In addition, given the slowness of the connections and the authorities' predisposition to look for the hair in the egg (to put it mildly), without the stamp you risk misunderstandings. 
In case you are unfamiliar with online services, there are agencies that can help you or you can ask the immigration office itself for assistance. The important thing is to be sure that you have the online renewal and not just the stamp, which without it, as already mentioned, is worthless.
SO: ONLINE RENEWAL AND THEN STAMP YOUR PASSPORT!!!