Do I need a visa for Kenya?

The short answer is yes. All nationalities – except 43 exempt nationalities including South Africa, Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore, Tanzania and Zimbabwe – require an electronic visa to enter Kenya for travel, business or transit purposes. The good news is that the process of getting an e-visa is fairly quick and easy. It takes just under 10 minutes to complete as long as you meet all the requirements and have the right documents. You'll need to apply for an e-visa online prior to travel as visas on arrival are not available. 

Children under 16 years of age are exempt from visa requirements and will only need to present a valid proof of identity on arrival. Nationals of the following countries will need to apply for a referral visa:

  • Afghanistan
  • Armenia
  • North Korea
  • Iraq
  • Kosovo
  • Lebanon
  • Libya
  • Palestine
  • Somalia
  • Syria
  • Tajikistan
  • Yemen

How much is a Kenya visa?

Single-entry visas (business or tourism) cost around $50 USD, and a transit visa (valid for three days) is approximately $20 USD. If you want to visit neighboring countries and reenter Kenya, you might be better off applying for the East Africa visa which allows multiple entries into Kenya – provided you have not left East Africa – and is valid for a period of 90 days. 

Kenya e-visa requirements

The four-step e-visa procedure is done through the Kenyan immigration website and requires visitors to submit an application form. To complete the online e-visa form you'll need to submit your personal information, a scanned copy of your passport and answer travel-related questions related to your itinerary. The e-visa takes around seven working days to process. You'll then need to print your visa so it's ready to show to authorities when you enter Kenya. If you're travelling on an itinerary that re-enters Kenya, you'll need to print multiple copies of your visa to present at each border crossing.

E-visa requirements vary depending on the purpose of travel but you typically need:

  • a valid identity document (e.g. passport) that is valid for at least six months and has at least two blank pages 
  • to enter at one of Kenya's 10 recognized border crossings, seaports or airports
  • provide a travel itinerary 
  • provide confirmation of your return ticket 
  • provide confirmation of an accommodation reservation for at least one night after your arrival date
  • a passport-sized photograph 
  • an active email address

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