Kenya Visa- How To Apply
A visa is required if you are visiting Kenya. There are many reasons why you need a visa except those of you from exempted countries. Travelers with plans to visit Kenya are required to have their electronic visas obtained before arrival.
There are different visa types to be applied depending on the reason or purpose of your travel. The e-visa permits you enter to Kenya once for tourist/business stay or 90 days/transit for 72 hours.
Legibility applies to all nationalities apart from 43 exempted countries. It takes you about 3 days to have your e-visa obtained. Children below 16 years are part of the exempted group from applying for Kenya visas and they will present the identity documents/papers.
Kenya visa types
- East Africa Tourist Visa
The East Africa Tourist Visa is vital for travelers on temporary visit especially tourism reasons, visiting relatives. This type of visa lets you visit not only Kenya but also Uganda and Rwanda. The 3 states are amazing destinations and they have a special agreement related to tourism. This is available for booking at US$101 and serves best like multiple entry visa.
- Journey Visa
You can also obtain a single tourism visa which permits you to visit only Kenya. It is also best known as a short term visa and it includes the East Africa Tourist Visa. This allows visitors to stay for maximum of 90 days. There are two kinds of Journey Visas- Single and multiple entry visas. Obtaining this kind of visa costs US51 for single visas and $101 for multiple entry visas.
- Transit Visa
Regardless of whether you are just transiting from Kenya territory, a visa is still required. However, foreign travelers who won’t leave the international borders don’t require it. Transit visas for Kenya can be obtained at US21.
- Courtesy visas
These category of visas are ideal for persons with diplomatic, service and official passports and they main reason to visit Kenya is on official duties or transiting via Kenya to the 3rd state for official business. Obtaining it like other visa types will require 2 weeks for it to be processed and no charge.
Criteria to be eligible for Kenya e-visas
Passports: All travelers with valid passports at least 6 (six) months after the date of entry into Kenya need visas.
Visa pending: No need for Kenya resident visa.
Situation: No need for Kenya visa if you won’t be in Kenya at the moment/with an extension to your visa.
Reason/purpose: E-visas are open to booking for business, tourist and transit stays.
Which countries are eligible for e-visas in Kenya?
All countries are eligible for e-visas in Kenya. However, countries that require referral visas include Somalia, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Libya, Tajikistan, Syria, Armenia, Palestine, Yemen and more.
How to apply for Kenya visa
- Click register via ecitizen.go.ke
- Choose register as a visitor
- After you have logged in, select department of immigration services
- Click submit application
- Choose Kenyan visa
- Select the visa type and read thoroughly the terms and conditions
- Fully fill in all details in the application form
- Pay for your visa using provided details for instance using MasterCard, Visa card or any debit cards.
- Wait for approval through email and download, then print the e-visa from the e-citizen account.
- You will present the printed copy of e-visa to the immigration officer at the port of entry to Kenya.
Requirements for business visa application for Kenya visas
Documentation required: You should be a holder of valid passport- at least should be valid for 6months on entry with one blank visa page. Have proof of sufficient fund, onward or return flights, have proof of hotel booking, hold all required documents for the next destination.
In order to complete the order form, you should provide copy of the passport information page, photograph, letter of invitation, copy of the staff ID, company registration certificate of the company in Kenya, a copy of the previously issued Kenyan visa in case of travelers applying for multiple entry visas.
Validity of visas
Transit visas:
These permit visitors to stay 72 hours only when on transit reasons. It is a single use visa and you don’t need one in case you are within international transit area or arrive at Jomo Kenyatta Airport by international flight and departing with international flight.
Requirements to obtain transit visas:
Valid passport- 6 months valid; recently taken passport-size photograph in color, your travel plan/itinerary/flight schedule prepared by travel agent/airline company. This should show date, departure place, arrival and flight number.
Courtesy visas:
Available for diplomatic, service and official visit/duties. Multiple entry visas, obtainable by regular travelers especially on business trip and they enter Kenya many times in a year. It is usually valid for 6 months or 1 year. The applications for this particular visas are referred to the director of immigration services in Nairobi for approval purposes. It takes 1-2 weeks to process it and includes approval stage at Immigration Headquarters in Nairobi.
Requirements for Multiple entry visas:
Valid passport-6months, recently taken passport size photographs in color, fee of USD101, non-refundable processing fee USD11, copy of registration/incorporation certificate for the host organization, letter from the applicant, invitation letter from the host/organization to be visited in Kenya, letter from employer/company stipulating out the purpose or reason for your several visits to Kenya, 3 recent single journey visas/multiple journey visas.
Referred visas:
Obtainable by nationalities such as North Korea, Somalia, Kosovo, Armenia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine etc.
The requirements for referred visas:
valid passports or travel document with a sufficient number of unused pages for endorsements. You also need travel document/passport valid for 6 months after return, fee of USD51, non-refundable fee for processing USD11, recently taken passport-size photographs in color, letter from the applicant stipulating your reasons for visiting Kenya, invitation letter from the host/organization you plan to visit in Kenya.
Also, you need a copy of registration/incorporation certificate of the host organization where need be, host’s residential or physical address, proof of employment and others.