IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING KENYA ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (eTA)
To visit the Republic of Kenya, it is mandatory to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before arriving in Kenya. Visas or visa-on-arrival services are no longer available.
What is an eTA?
Effective January 1st, 2024, travellers no longer need a visa to enter Kenya; instead, they must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). According to the official Kenyan website, the eTA is a semi-automated system that determines visitors' eligibility to travel to Kenya and is authorised by the Government of the Republic of Kenya. Applicants must fill out an online form, make a payment, and then submit the form. This form will be internally reviewed and processed. The status of the application can be viewed online. You will receive the final decision regarding your eTA on your registered email ID.
Application Process
We request that all our travellers (including infants and children) book their eTAs through the official website only and not through any other links.
The official link of the same is http://www.etakenya.go.ke. Click on "Apply Now" on this website and follow the below steps:
1. Passport Information: Upload a picture of your passport, and the system will detect the information and automatically enter your details. Review all the information to ensure everything is correct.
2. Selfie or Photo: Upload a photo, which can be a passport-sized photo or a selfie taken with a webcam.
3. Contact Information: Enter your contact details, including your contact number, email, location, occupation, and an emergency contact name and number.
4. Trip Information: Provide your trip details, including the reason for travel, arrival and departure dates, flight and airport information, the name of one of the accommodations you are staying in as your residence address in Kenya, and the check-in and check-out dates for the same.
5. Traveller Information: Provide traveller information, including whether the trip is financed by a third party or not, your nationality, marital status, any offences, and any previous visits to Kenya.
6. Customs Declaration: Complete the Customs Declaration by indicating Yes/No regarding bringing Kenyan currency or monetary instruments valued over $5000 or its foreign equivalent.
7. Required Documents: Upload documents such as the PDF of our Booking Voucher for the accommodation booking confirmation and the PDF of your airline booking confirmations.
8. Confirm and Proceed: Confirm and proceed by declaring that all the details provided are true to the best of your knowledge.
9. Payment and Application Processing Period: Make a payment of $32.50 per applicant. Please note that there will be an additional bank fee of approximately $2, bringing the total cost to around $35. The processing of your application may take up to 72 hours, though in some rare cases, it may take longer.
10. Complete Application: Complete your application by submitting it.
Once submitted, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application. After a decision has been made, an email confirming your approval or refusal will be sent. If your application is accepted, print the attached PDF document, download it to your phone, or save it in the Kenya Travel Authorization mobile app. You will need to show this document at your arrival and departure points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When to apply for an eTA?
Based on our experience, most eTA applications are processed within approximately 3 working days. To avoid any last-minute delays, we recommend applying for an eTA at least 2 weeks before your scheduled arrival in Kenya. Please note that the portal may not accept eTA applications if your travel date is less than 2 days from the application date. Therefore, be sure to adhere to this timeframe when submitting your application.
Q2. How much does an eTA cost?
The cost for an eTA is around $32.50 per applicant. Please note that there will be an additional bank fee of approximately $2, bringing the total cost to around $35 per applicant.
Q3. Can I visit other countries besides Kenya once I have been authorised an eTA?
Although the eTA is for single entry to Kenya, it remains valid for multiple entries if you visit any of the following East African Community (EAC) Partner Countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, provided that you do not visit any other country and your eTA has not expired, which is valid for 90 days from issuance.
Q4. How to track my application?
To track your application, head to the website, click on “Check on your application,” and enter your document number, date of birth, and the reference number you received in the email confirming receipt of your application.
Q5. What happens when you have applied for an eTA but it does not arrive on time before you land in Kenya?
This is extremely rare since eTA has been made mandatory from the 1st of January 2024. None among hundreds of our clients have faced this problem. Nevertheless, if you do face delays in your eTA arrival or if you need any assistance regarding your application, please email them at [email protected] or call at +254 202 222 022. For urgent queries, you may use their live chat feature on the website to quickly connect with a Customer Support Agent.
You need to have your eTA application reference number and passport number handy while contacting them.
Q6. What are the vaccination requirements to enter Kenya?
Below are the vaccination requirements to enter Kenya:
Yellow Fever Vaccination: Kenya is part of the yellow fever endemic zone (though the last outbreak was in 1992). While yellow fever vaccination is not required for entering Kenya (unless you are travelling from a yellow fever endemic country), countries in the Tropical zone that you are travelling to after Kenya might ask for yellow fever vaccination proof at the entry point. To check the list of countries that ask for Yellow Fever vaccination for travellers arriving from Kenya check here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_fever_vaccine
Note: If you are travelling to Zanzibar/Tanzania after Kenya, you will be required to show yellow fever vaccination at the entry point for Zanzibar/Tanzania. Most of the African, South/South East Asian, South American, and Central American countries also ask for YF vaccination proof for travellers arriving from Kenya.
Polio vaccination: Travelers from India are required to carry an Oral polio vaccination certificate (dose received within 1 year of arriving in Kenya).
Q7. Who is exempt from obtaining an eTA?
Not everyone is required to apply for an eTA. Citizens of some countries do not need to apply for an eTA to enter Kenya. According to the official website, passport holders from the following EAC countries are exempted from applying: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
To get more information please go through their FAQs on the official website.
For any assistance, you can contact our team at [email protected] and we shall be happy to assist you accordingly.
Disclaimer: Kindly note that the above information is as per the current details shared by the Kenyan Government and may tend to change. We shall keep updating the information and request you to contact us in case of any queries.