Kenya’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system has been launched following President William Ruto’s directive that the nation will grant visa-free access to travellers from all countries from January.
On January 4, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said all travellers to the country (apart from citizens of East Africa Community partner states) must now have an eTA before being allowed to enter.
The eTA falls under proposed amendments to the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act.
On the website www.etakenya.go.ke, the listed application requirements for all travellers are:
- Passport valid for at least six months after the planned date of arrival in Kenya with at least one blank page
- Selfie or passport-type photo
- Contact information, email address and phone number
- Details of arrival and departure itinerary
- Accommodation booking confirmation
- Credit card, debit card, Apple pay or other means of payment.
All travellers also need to pay a US$30 (R563) processing fee.
Additional requirements based on residence, citizenship, travel history and purpose of visit may be required for some travellers. These include an overview of financial assets, flight tickets or medical information.
Business travellers will require an invitation letter and copy of company registration; family visits require an invitation letter, and ID, passport or entry permit of the family member being visited.
The standard processing time is three working days, although this will vary depending on the type of eTA and country of citizenship. “Applicants wishing a faster turnaround should apply for premium service,” according to the website.
