The following information will help you apply for a Kenya visa and learn how to do it online. Visitors from certain countries do not need one, but all others should hold a passport valid for six months or more before entering Kenyan soil.
Visa Exempt Countries.
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cyprus, Dominica, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia (30 days), Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda ID, Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa (30 days), Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda ID, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Nationalities NOT eligible for online e-Visa
Nationals of these countries must obtain their visa in embassy: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Eritrea, Iraq, North Korea, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan and Yemen.
Kenyan e-Visa Application Requirements
1. A Digital Passport Photo of 500px x 500px max.
2. Know the type of Visa you need.
3. Scanned copy or photo of the bio-data page on your passport (the page with your photo, name and biographical data).
4. A credit card for online payment (Visa or MasterCard Credit or Debit card).
5. Additional Documents e.g. Invitation letter, Hotel Booking or travel Itinerary.
Kenya Visa Application On Arrival
If you want to obtain visas on arrival, then it will cost you $50. Make sure that the amount is exact before leaving home as there’s no foreign exchange facility and they don’t accept credit cards or traveler cheques so your best bet would be cash and US dollars.
In general most African countries Kenya included will demand crisp, clean U.S. bills even when converting currency and most money exchanges have the rule of not accepting U.S. dollars that appear to be worn, marked, folded, and dirty.
You should be given an immigration form on the plane and it is best to complete this before you land so you can go straight into the queue to purchase your visa. (Copy of the form may be downloaded here). Your passport must have at least 6 months left before expiry date and 2 blank pages left for visas. Children under the age of 16, travelling with an accompanying adult, do NOT require a visa.
Please note: A pen helps as you will need it to fill out the forms.
Types Of Visas One Can Apply For
The type of visa you must have is defined by the Kenyan and Visa Regulations, and relates to the purpose of your travel.
- Single Journey Visa: Issued for Single or Multiple entries to persons whose nationalities require visas to enter Kenya. Used for both business and tourism.
- Transit Visa: Issued for periods not exceeding three days to persons whose nationalities require visas to enter Kenya and who intend to transit through Kenya to a different destination.
- Diplomatic Visa: Issued for Single or Multiple entries to holders of Diplomatic passports who are on official duty. Coming Soon
- Courtesy / Official Visa: Issued to persons holding Official or Service passports on Official duty and to Ordinary passport holders who are not entitled to a Diplomatic visa; but where it is considered by the Director to be desirable on the grounds of international courtesy. Coming Soon
- East Africa Tourist Visa: This is a joint tourist visa that entitles holders to travel to and within the Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda and Republic of Uganda for the purpose of tourism. Validity of East Africa Tourist Visa: 90 (Ninety days) Multiple Entry. Coming Soon
How to apply for a Kenyan e-Visa online
The cost of an e-visa online is US$51, or equivalent, using Visa or Mastercard debit cards. Credit cards are also acceptable for payment but an additional 3% fee applies to make a total of $52.53.
Step 1: Visit https://evisa.go.ke/ and click on the Create an Account.
Step 2: Fill out your registration information and click on Continue.
Step 3: You will see a message to verify your email address.
Step 4: Click on the verification link on your activation email.
Step 5: Once you click on the verification link, you will see a page on the e-Visa website saying your account has been verified. Click on Next.
Step 6: You will be asked to upload your photo. Click on Choose file , locate your photo, resize it, and then click on Continue.
Step 7: Click Get Service Now under Department of Immigration Services.
Step 8: Click on Submit Application.
Step 9: Select Kenyan Visa.
Step 10: Choose the appropriate visa by clicking on the blue title. For tourists click on 1. Apply for a Single Entry Visa.
Step 11: Review the information on Types of Visa and then click on Apply Now.
Complete the application accurately, process payment, and you should receive a confirmation in your email once the Visa has been approved. You can then login to e-Visa website to print out your Visa to present at the port of entry.
You should have a printed copy for presentation at the point of entry.
Things to note when applying for a Kenya Visa Online (Kenyan e-Visa)
- Visa processing fee is non refundable.
- Incomplete applications will be rejected and reapplication means you will have to pay the processing fee again.
- The possession of an e-Visa is not the final Authority to enter The Republic of Kenya.
- Engaging in any form of business or employment without a requisite permit or pass is an offense.
- A visa is required prior to entry into The Republic of Kenya.
- The e-Visa printout must be presented at the port of entry.
- Each adult visitor to the Republic of Kenya is required to submit e-Visa applications in their personal e-Visa account. Parents can apply for their children in the parents account.
- The 90-Day Visa Validity commences from the date of e-Visa approval … not of one’s arrival into Kenya. Visitors are therefore urged not to apply too early.
- There are some web browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer) that for one reason or another are experiencing problems with the e-Visa portal. We recommend that clients use Google Chrome which has been found to be quite effective.
- The e-Visa Portal is mobile enabled and one can complete the application from a mobile phone – including taking and uploading a picture from the phone.
- The inclusion of additional languages is still pending but Google Chrome has the ability to translate the entire website into a language of your choice.
- It should take between 12 – 24hours to receive the e-Visa approval. The official timeline given is however about 48hours.
- The required photo can be uploaded from a mobile phone – no special equipment (scanners) is necessarily required.
- Tourists can upload their tour itinerary and not necessarily an “invitation letter”.
- The Single Entry Visa to Kenya allows for free re-entry to Kenya as long as one is travelling within the EAC countries.
- The EAC Tourist Visa allowing travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda is not available online. This can only be applied for and issued on arrival at the Airport.
- For a limited duration of Two months, Immigration will have e-Visa Terminals whereby visitors arriving without e-Visas can apply for them at JKIA. Clients are however encouraged to apply for the e-Visa to avoid unnecessary delays at the Airport.
- At this point in time Airlines should NOT deny boarding to a traveler on account of lack of the e-Visa – unless such persons are from nationalities required to have the Visa before coming to Kenya.
Requirements for a Kenyan transit visa
A transit visa is a temporary visa issued to a person who stays in a country for a short period of time during their journey. It’s not required for people connecting flights directly without leaving the airport. It is important to note that a Kenyan transit visa is valid for 3 days (72 hours) and is issued to those connecting through Kenya to other destinations. Kenyan transit visa is non-extendable, non-convertible and not valid for visiting protected/restricted areas.
Requirements for a Kenyan transit visa
- Two copies of valid passport/travel document with a validity of at least 6 months
- Two Visa application forms to be duly filled, signed and dated
- Two copies of onward ticket/itinerary to a third destination
- Two passport size photos of the applicant, taken within 6 months
- At least one blank page in the holder’s passport
- A transit visa in Kenya will cost you $20
Tour Operators and Travel Assisted Application
Tour operators and travel agents can apply on behalf of the applicant, as long as they provide accurate information by either attaching invitation letters or itinerary/bookings. Details of hotels and applicants telephone numbers are necessary for security and emergency purposes. The agent will use their own account (does not have to create different accounts) to apply with the details of the applicants. The Visa notification will be in the names and details of the applicant they will have applied for.
Safari Travel Plus E-Visa Service
For Safari Travel Plus clients who may experience difficulty in applying or completing the Kenya visa online E-visa application process, we can assist you by submitting the application on your behalf – please contact the Safari Consultant handling your booking for details and to receive the Visa Application Form which you should complete and return to us so that we can obtain your E-Visa and email it to you. We provide this as a service to our clients who have booked travel services with us and our total administration charge of around $12 per person on top of the total e-visa fee is much less than the online visa companies charge.
Disclaimer From Government of Kenya:
The Visa processing fee is non refundable.
Incomplete applications will be rejected.
The possession of a Kenya Visa Online (E-Visa) is not the final authority to enter The Republic of Kenya.
Engaging in any form of business or employment without a requisite permit or pass is an offence.
A visa is required prior to entry into The Republic of Kenya.
The E-Visa printout must be presented at the port of entry