By Ogova Ondego
Published July 4, 2015
All foreigners who require a visa to enter Kenya have to apply for the document online before arrival in the country.
The new policy by the Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons that came into force on July 1, 2015, requires foreigners to apply for their e-visas via ecitizen.go.ke.
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Once the required fee—US$50 (Single Entry: Tourist/Visitor/Business); US$100 (Multiple Entries: Tourist/Visitor/Business); US$20 (Single Transit: for those who wish to leave the airport. Valid for 24 hours)—is paid the visas will be processed and sent online to the applicant who will then be required to print out the approved visa and present it to immigration officer at the point of entry.
Travellers are required to have a visa prior to boarding a flight to Kenya as application of visas at the point of entry into the East African country has been discontinued.
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Possession of a Visa, however, is not a guarantee that one will enter Kenya as an “immigration officer at the port of entry may deny entry if the visitor is unable to fulfill the immigration requirements and if the entry and presence of such a person in Kenya would be contrary to national interests, even if such a person is in possession of a valid visa for Kenya,” Directorate of Immigration cautions.
While a Transit visa allows the holder a short stop-over in Kenya not exceeding 24 hours, no Visa is required for direct transit, i.e. not leaving the airport, through the country.
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