What Is the Kenya eTA?
The Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is a mandatory digital entry permit for most foreign nationals visiting Kenya for short stays. Introduced in 2024, it replaced the traditional eVisa and visa-on-arrival systems. The eTA is electronically linked to your passport and must be obtained before boarding your flight. It applies to all foreign visitors, including infants and children.
Important The eTA is NOT a visa. It allows you to board your flight. Your actual 90-day stay permission is granted free of charge by immigration officers upon arrival.
🔑 Key Facts at a Glance
- Official portal: etakenya.go.ke
- Cost: ~$30 – $34 (includes bank processing fees)
- Processing time: 1–3 business days (apply at least 2 weeks ahead)
- Validity: Single entry, 90 days from issue
- Required for: Most foreign nationals (including infants & children)
- US citizens: 5-year multiple‑entry version available
Who Needs a Kenya eTA?
Almost all foreign visitors must obtain an eTA before travel. The requirement applies to tourists, business travellers, transit passengers (if leaving the airport), and even infants and children.
✅ Tourists & Leisure Travellers
Everyone visiting Kenya for holidays, safaris, or beach stays needs a Tourist eTA. You'll need proof of accommodation (hotel booking or invitation letter).
💼 Business Travellers
Attending meetings, conferences, or exploring investments? Apply for a Business eTA. You'll need an invitation letter from a Kenyan company.
✈️ Transit Passengers
If you have a layover and plan to leave the airport, you must apply for a Transit eTA (valid for up to 72 hours). Staying airside? No eTA required.
👶 Infants & Children
Children of any age must have their own eTA. There are no family exemptions. A separate application must be submitted for each traveller, regardless of age.
Who Does NOT Need an eTA?
Kenya has significantly expanded visa‑free access in 2025–2026. The following travellers are completely exempt from the eTA requirement.
🇪🇦 East African Community (EAC) – 180 days visa‑free
Citizens of these 6 countries can enter Kenya with just a passport or National ID for stays up to 6 months.
- Burundi
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Rwanda
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
🌍 All Other African Union Nationals – Up to 90 days visa‑free
Since May 2025, citizens of most African countries (excluding Libya and Somalia) can enter Kenya without an eTA.
Full list of exempt African nations: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya (citizens), Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Exceptions: Libya & Somalia still require an eTA due to security concerns.
🌴 Caribbean & Asia-Pacific Countries – 90 days visa‑free
Since May 2025, citizens of these nations enjoy visa‑free entry to Kenya for up to 90 days:
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- South Africa
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- The Gambia
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
🪪 Special Exemptions (no eTA required)
- Holders of valid Kenyan residence permits, work permits, or re‑entry passes
- Transit passengers who remain airside (never leave the airport transit lounge)
- Diplomatic, official, or service passport holders on official business
- Laissez‑passer holders from UN, African Union, COMESA, IMF, World Bank, etc.
If you do not fall into any of these categories, you must apply for an eTA before travelling to Kenya.
Countries That Require a Kenya eTA
All visitors from countries NOT listed in the visa‑free exemptions above must obtain a Kenya eTA before travel. This includes nationals of:
🌎 Europe & North America
- All Schengen countries (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, etc.)
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
🌏 Asia & Oceania
- China
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Philippines
- Indonesia
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Nepal
🌎 South America & Central America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Chile
- Peru
- Colombia
- Venezuela
- Ecuador
- Bolivia
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Nicaragua
🌍 Middle East & Other Regions
- Turkey
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Yemen
- Oman
- Kuwait
- Qatar
- Bahrain
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
- Afghanistan
- Palestine
Note: Libya and Somalia also require an eTA due to security concerns.
How to Apply for the Kenya eTA
Follow these steps carefully. Even small errors can cause rejection.
📋 Step‑by‑Step Process
- Go to the official portal: etakenya.go.ke and create an account.
- Select the correct eTA type (Tourist, Business, or Transit).
- Fill in your personal details exactly as they appear on your passport.
- Upload a recent passport‑style photo (white background, no glasses, face centered).
- Provide your travel itinerary, flight numbers, and accommodation proof.
- Pay the fee using a credit/debit card (approx. $30–$34).
- Submit and wait for approval (check your email, including spam).
📎 Required Documents
- ✅ Passport valid for at least 6 months with one blank page
- ✅ Recent digital passport‑style photo (500×500 pixels)
- ✅ Confirmed flight itinerary (arrival & departure)
- ✅ Hotel booking confirmation or invitation letter from host
- ✅ Yellow fever certificate if travelling from a risk country
For Business eTA: add invitation letter from Kenyan company. For Transit eTA: add onward ticket.
⚠️ Common Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected
- Entering incorrect or mismatched passport details — one wrong digit = rejection
- Uploading outdated or non‑compliant photos — poor lighting, busy background, or small dimensions cause automated rejections
- Failing to upload all required supporting documents (e.g., hotel booking, itinerary)
- Selecting the incorrect travel purpose (e.g., Tourist vs Business)
- Applying too close to travel date — processing delays happen
- Using a third‑party website — only the official portal issues valid eTAs
💰 Fees & Processing Times
Official government fee: ~$30 USD per person plus bank processing charges (total ~$32–$34). Children require their own eTA with the same fee.
Processing time: Most applications are approved within 1–3 business days. However, we strongly recommend applying at least 2 weeks before travel to account for any system delays. During peak safari season, processing can take up to 7–10 days.
Expedited service: Urgent processing is available via the portal for an additional fee if you are within 7 days of departure.
East African Tourist Visa (EATV): If you plan to visit Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda on a single trip, apply for the EATV ($100 USD) which allows multiple entries across all three countries.
Note: The eTA fee is non‑refundable once processing begins.
💳 Payment Issues — What You Need to Know
Many applicants experience payment failures on the official portal in 2026. This is a known issue.
The cause: A hidden 3‑digit verification code is generated during the transaction that applicants are not shown. The system expects this code, causing payments to fail even when card details are correct.
What to do:
- Try a different credit/debit card (Mastercard and Visa work best)
- Use incognito/private browsing mode or clear your browser cache
- Ensure international payments are enabled on your card
- Small temporary $1–$5 charges may appear; they will clear automatically
- If repeated attempts fail, contact your bank — but the issue is usually on the portal side, not your bank
- Alternatively, you can ask a trusted local operator (like us) to assist with the payment step
Important Rules & What Happens on Arrival
🛃 At Immigration
- Your approved eTA is electronically linked to your passport — you may still want to keep a printed copy as backup
- Immigration officers will grant you a 90‑day stay free of charge
- You may be asked to show proof of accommodation and return ticket
⏱️ Stay Duration & Extensions
- Maximum stay: 90 days from the date of entry
- No extensions available: The eTA cannot be extended. Overstaying is illegal and can result in fines or a future entry ban
- Re‑entry from EAC: The eTA remains valid for re‑entry if you travel to another EAC country (Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, South Sudan) and return within your 90‑day period
- Leaving the EAC zone? You will need a new eTA to re‑enter Kenya
Ready to Travel? Final Checklist
- ✅ eTA approved and printed
- ✅ Passport valid for 6 months + one blank page
- ✅ Yellow fever certificate (if required)
- ✅ Proof of accommodation and return flight
- ✅ Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- ✅ Printed copies of all documents (backup)
Still have questions? We're here to help.