The Visa Policy for Kenya
Kenya’s visa policy are regulations by which the Kenyan government determines who can enter the country without a visa, as well as the requirements for foreign visitors for whom a Kenyan visa is required to travel to, enter and stay within the country.
Kenya Visa regulations
Visa regulations to travel to Kenya state that citizens of approximately 45 countries can visit the country of Kenya without the need to obtain a visa, depending on the duration and purpose of the planned stay in the country.
Citizens of these countries are able to access Kenya by simply presenting a passport with 6 months of validity before the date of entry to the country, for a period of stay of up to 90 days. If these citizens want to travel to Kenya for longer periods and for purposes other than tourism, business, or transit, they must apply for a visa.
Although the country of Kenya does not offer foreign citizens the option of obtaining a visa on arrival, it allows up to 140 countries and territories around the world to obtain an electronic visa through an online application. A Kenya eVisa allows short stays for tourism, business, or medical treatment.
Citizens of an additional 60 countries are required to obtain a visa from a government office, either an embassy or a consulate, no matter the purpose of travel or the period of intended stay.. Therefore, nationals of around 200 countries must pre-register to obtain a visa before departure for Kenya.
Kenya eVisa
Nationals of around 140 countries and territories around the world are able to apply for an eVisa in order to travel to Kenya.
The eVisa for Kenya is a single entry electronic visa that permit holders to the visit the country for a period of stay up to 90 days. It allows eligible citizens to travel to Kenya for purposes including tourism, business, medical treatment, and transit.
Foreign citizens are required to apply through an online form at least 7 days in advance of travel, although an eVisa may be requested up to 80 days before a trip to Kenya. The traveler must complete a simple application with personal, passport, and travel information, to receive an approved eVisa linked to their passport.
Kenya Visa ValidityThe validity of an approved Kenya eVisa is 3 months from the date of issue or until the associated passport expires, whichever comes first.
Kenya Visa Applicants Passport ValidityA mandatory eVisa requirement is holding a passport from an eligible country with at least 6 months validity from the expected arrival date in Kenya, which must be presented at Kenyan border control to gain entry to the country.
Kenya Visa ExtensionHolders of a Kenyan online visa also have the option to extend a stay for up to 90 days, they have already gained access to Kenya with the eVisa.
Obtain an embassy visa
Kenya eVisa-eligible citizens must also obtain an embassy visa if they plan to visit Kenya for purposes other than those permitted with the eVisa, whether a student visa, work visa,or other visa type. Therefore, it is important to check the visa laws for each nationality before planning to travel to Kenya.
Tourist Visa Policy for Kenya
Foreign citizens who are not part of the list of visa-exempt countries, and who wish to visit Kenya for tourism, need to obtain a visa in advance to travel to the country. This may be either an electronic travel visa, or a visa through the nearest embassy or consulate.
A Kenyan tourist visa online is issued for a single entry and allows a stay of 90 days in the country. As mentioned in the previous section, there are up to 140 countries that can obtain an electronic visa for Kenya through an online application form, which eliminates the need to submit an embassy visa in person.
An approved Kenya tourist eVisa is electronically linked to the applicant’s passport and a PDF copy is also sent to the traveler by email.
Foreign citizens who are not visa-free
All other foreign citizens who are not visa-free for Kenya are required to obtain a visa for tourism purposes from a Kenyan government diplomatic office before departure. It is normally necessary to submit a tourist embassy visa application well in advance of the intended arrival date in Kenya, as in some cases the processing time may take up to several weeks.