A Guide to Kenya’s Visa Policy

An East African nation blessed with breathtaking landscapes dotted with serene savannahs, valleys, mountain ranges, and rich wildlife, Kenya is an ideal tourist destination. The main tourist attractions in Kenya include the Great Rift Valley, Amboseli National Park, Maasai Mara Reserve, and Kilimanjaro.

Foreigners who wish to visit the African country need to have proper permission from the Kenyan government. Citizens of over 40 foreign countries do not need a visa to visit Kenya. Tourists from other countries need a Kenya visa to enter the country. Here’s what international travelers need to know about traveling to Kenya.

What is a Kenyan Visa?

A Kenyan visa is legal permission granted to foreigners who wish to visit the beautiful African country for various purposes, including tourism, work, business, study, or to meet family members. At present, travelers from over 40 countries do not need prior travel authorization or a visa for Kenya to arrive in the country. Others need a visa. However, they do not need to apply through a Kenyan consular mission since the government of the country issues all visas online.

Only citizens of a few countries and stateless people need to approach Kenya’s Directorate of immigration services for a Kenyan visa. Note that the government of Kenya has done away with visas on arrivals since January 2021. Foreign tourists should enquire at the Kenyan consular mission in their country to know more about the visa policy applicable to them.

Who Needs a Visa to Enter Kenya?

The Kenyan government has categorized foreign countries into three groups. Nations in category 1 do not require a visa to enter Kenya, while countries in Category 2 need an electronic visa to visit it. Foreign countries in category 3 required a referred visa for Kenya. Their application must go through the Keyan Directorate of immigration services before approval.

Foreigners, except those from visa-exempt countries, need a visa to come to Kenya. Also, visa exemption is only for short-term visits related to mostly tourism. They can stay in the country for 90 days. Apart from the above-mentioned nations, all foreigners arriving in the country need a visa, even for short-term stays that do not exceed three months.

Visa Free Entry to Kenya

The government of Kenya grants visa-free entry to travelers from over 40 countries. They can enter and remain in the country for tourism-related activities for up to three months. Citizens of South Africa, South Sudan, Malaysia, Rwanda, and Uganda can stay in the country visa-free for 30 days.

Nationals of Uganda and Rwanda can enter the country with their national identity card.

As per Kenyan law, children under 16 do not require a visa regardless of the country of their origin and nationality. International passengers transiting through the country do not need a Kenyan visa if they are not leaving the international transit area of the airport or if they do not leave their ship to enter the country.

Diplomatic, service, and official passport holders of countries like Brazil, China, India, Cuba, Turkey, and Iran, too, do not require a visa to enter Kenya.

Members of the British air force and crew members of international airlines and ships, too, do not need a visa. Note that the aircraft crew members can stay visa-free for only seven days. Likewise, the ship crew can remain in the country without a visa for 14 days.

Types of Visas Issued by Kenya

The government of Kenya issues different kinds of visas based on the nationality of the applicant, nature of travel, and duration of the stay.In January 2021, Kenya started issuing all kinds of visas online. Only applicants from Category 3 countries such as Afghanistan, North Korea, and Syria should approach the country’s Directorate of immigration services to get a Kenya visa.

Single-Entry Visa

A Kenyan single-entry visa is issued for single entry to the country for tourism, business, and medical emergencies/treatments. The application procedure is completely online. The applicants have to submit their passports and return tickets (attach soft copies) while applying for this electronic travel authorization. They also need to upload their photographs and passport information page. Applicants will have to attach PDF/JPEG copies of the invitation letter from a Kenyan company and its registration details while applying for a business visa.

For a single-entry tourist visa, applicants need to submit details of their travel and accommodation itinerary. For visiting a family member, applicants are required to submit an invitation letter from the family member, apart from their passports and return tickets. The visa for Kenya is valid for three months from the date of issuance. The visa fee is 51 USD.

Transit Visa for Kenya

A Kenyan transit visa is granted to foreigners who need to transit through airports and seaports in the country. Foreigners with this visa can remain in the country for a maximum of 72 hours. If travelers do not need to leave the airport and their onward flights are expected to leave immediately, they do not need a transit visa.

The application for the transit visa should be made online, and applicants need to upload a PDF/JPEG copy of their onward ticket, photograph, and passport information page. The visa fee is 21 USD.

Multiple-Entry Visa for Kenya

A Kenyan multiple-entry visa is granted to foreigners who visit Kenya frequently for business, tourism, or other purposes. They need to upload their passports and return tickets while applying for the visa online. This visa permits them to enter and leave Kenya multiple times. The validity of a Kenyan multiple-entry visa is three to 12 months. The fee for a multiple-entry visa is 101 USD.

Five-Year Multiple-Entry Visa

A five-year Kenyan multiple-entry visa is issued exclusively to citizens of the US who need to visit the country multiple times for tourism and business.

They need to upload their passport information page, photographs, and return ticket details while applying for this visa. The visa is valid for five years from the date of issuance. The visa fee is 161 USD.

Courtesy Visa

A Kenyan Courtesy visa is granted to holders of diplomatic and other special passports for visiting the country on official duty. This visa is also granted to diplomats and other special passport holders for transiting through Kenya. This Kenyan visa application is online, and there is no visa fee.

East African Tourist Visa

This is a joint tourism visa issued by the governments of Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Foreigners with this visa can travel to and between any of these three countries. This is granted exclusively for activities related to tourism. The fee for this joint visa is 101 USD

Conclusion

Foreign travelers applying for a Kenyan visa online may have to pay for service and processing charges apart from the visa fee.A Kenya visa does not guarantee entry to the country, and it is decided by the immigration officials at the port of entry. International travelers (especially those with multiple-entry visas) arriving in Kenya are encouraged to carry a printed copy of their eVisa. They have to show this at the immigration counter.