kenya visa on arrival & e-visa

KENYA VISA FOR INDIANS

All foreign citizens who wish to travel to Kenya require to have eVisa, except citizens from countries who are exempted. For 2024 Kenya is planning to become Visa free and only an electronic Kenya Travel Authorization will be required. Electronic Kenya Travel Authorization Thus, Department of Immigration Services launced Kenya eVisa system in 2015 and is currently available to nationals of around 140 different countries. The online platform allows eligible travelers to obtain permission to enter Kenya much quicker and easier than applying at an embassy or consulate.

So, what is an evisa ? An eVisa is an authorization document issued in PDF format which allows visitors to travel to a Kenyan entry point. The eVisa should be presented to an immigration officer at any point of entry who then grants the right to enter The Republic of Kenya by stamping the holders passport.
Note that Visa on arrival will not be available starting January, 2021. Therefore, Kenya’s electronic visa (eVisa) will become a compulsory entry requirement for all travelers who require a visa.

Types of Visas

1. Ordinary Visa: Issued for Single or Multiple entries to persons whose nationalities require visas to enter Kenya. A single entry visa is valid for 3 months before you travel. Present yourself to immigration control at the port of entry, you may be issued with a stay period not exceeding 90 days.
2. 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.
3. Diplomatic Visa: Issued for Single or Multiple entries to holders of Diplomatic passports who are on official duty. It is issued free of charge/ gratis.
4. Courtesy/ Official Visa: Issued to persons holding Official or Service passports on Official duty and to Ordinary passport holders who are not entitled to Diplomatic visa; but where it is considered by the Director to be desirable on the grounds of international courtesy. It is issued free of charge/ gratis.


Visa Application Fees

Most travelers often ask how much is a visa and what are mode of payment ? Well, the fees varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for. The online payment of visa fee is in US dollars and you can pay using Visa card, Mastercard and other debit cards.

Type of visa Fees
Single entry visa USD $51
Multiple entry visa USD $101
Transit Visa USD $21
Courtesy Visa No Charge

How to apply for E visa

The Department of Immigration Services has launched an online platform which allows visitors to apply for the Republic of Kenya eVisa online without having to visit a Kenyan diplomatic mission, or obtain the visa on arrival. The procedure of application has now been modified and simplified to a user friendly mode that takes few simple steps. Visa approval is being done real-time.

In order to apply for an e-visa, visitors should login into this website:www.evisa.go.ke and follow the procedure below:

1. Click on Create an account.
2. Select Register as a Visitor.
3. Once Logged in, Select Deparment of Immigration services.
4. Select Submit Appplication.
5. Select Kenyan Visa.
6. Select the type of Visa and read the Instructions Carefully.
7. Fill in the application form.
8. Pay Using visa card, Mastercard and other debit cards.
9. Await approval via email, then download and print the eVisa from your eCitizen account.
10. Present your printed eVisa to the immigration officer at the port of entry.


List of Countries whose Nationals do not require E Visa

Below is a list of 43 countries that can travel to Kenya without a visa. Since they are visa exempt, only a passport is necessary to enter the country, and there's no need to get a Kenyan eVisa; Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Burundi, Cyprus, Darussalam, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fuji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia (For less than 30 days stay), Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St. Kitts & Nelvis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenades, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa (For less than 30 days stay), Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbambwe.

The only exceptions to this rule involve the citizens of Rwanda and Uganda. They can travel to Kenya only with their ID cards. That is because all three countries (Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya) are a part of the East African Agreement.

List of Countries whose Nationals require e Visa

Below is a list of countries that qualifies for Kenya e Visa application;
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua & Bermuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Rep, Chad, Chile, China {P.R}, Colombia, Comoros, Congo {Brazzaville}, Congo {Democratic Rep}, Costo Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Eygpt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong {SAR}, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland {Republic}, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kampuchea, Kazakhstan, Kirghizistan, Democratic People's Republic of KoreaKorea north, Korea South, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Macau {SAR}, Madagascar, Malagasy, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar {Burma}, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pacific Isles, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Phillippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russian Federation, Salvador, Saint Christopher Cape, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovaki, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sidan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen and Yugoslavia and former States of Yugoslavia.

List of Countries whose Nationals require a referred e Visa

Nationals of the following Countries require a referral visa. Afghanistan, Cameroon, Iraq, Libya, Senegal, Tajikistan, Armenia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Formerly North Korea), Kosovo, Mali, Somalia, Azerbaijan, Eritrea, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

Below is also a category of persons who requires reffered visas:
- Applicants against whom there is some local objections or doubt in the country where the application is made.
- Stateless persons or persons not holding valid passports or other travel documents issued by their own country of nationality, including recognized refugee holders of the United Nations Refugee Travel Documents.
- Prohibited immigrants as enumerated under Section 33 (1) and (2) of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011.