A guide to Visa application and processing in Kenya

For all travellers who are eligible to travel to Kenya, the application process for the Kenyan visa is a straightforward matter and can easily be completed online. There are two categories of travellers, and these are the category 3 nationalities who require a referred visa, and these need to follow additional steps like submitting their applications through their embassy. The category 3 nationals must review the guidelines before applying. Contact us.

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Category 2 national applicants can easily apply for the Kenyan visa, and below are the steps that all nationals who are eligible for any of the six types of visas.

• Visit the Kenya Electronic Visa Application System, which is the official website for applying for the Kenyan visa and registering as a visitor. Click on www.ecitizen.go.ke
• Log in to the visa portal and select the Directorate of Immigration Services.
• Choose the option of the Kenyan Visa and proceed with the application.
• Choose the right visa for your trip. And make sure that you read the instructions well.
• Complete and fill in the application form and thereafter submit it to the Kenyan Visa gateway. Submit the required documents as well.
• Then you have to pay for the visa using a debit or credit card. Note that all the payments made are subject to the bank charges.
• The e-visa can be available within 48 hours, and once it has been approved, the visa will be sent to the eCitizen account and not your personally provided email.
• You have to download and print the eVisa sent and this is to be presented to the immigration office at your point of entry.

General requirements needed to apply for the Kenyan Visa

To be able to apply for the Kenya Visa, you will need the following general requirements for all the types of visas in Kenya, although each of the types has its particular requirements.

• A valid passport: The passport that you plan on using should be valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay in Kenya, and it should also have at least one blank page for the visa stamps.
• A clear and recent colored passport-sized photo with a white background. (at least 2)
• A completed Visa application form that is accurately filled.
• Proof of accommodation for the rest of your stay in Kenya.
• Travel itinerary, which includes a copy of your round-trip and a detailed itinerary.
• Proof of financial means
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate.

What you need to know when applying for the Kenya Visa

When purchasing the Kenyan Visa, note that there are a few things you need to know and these are:

• The visa processing fee is non-refundable
• All incomplete applications will be rejected
• Note that the possession of the eVisa is not the final Authority granting you access to the Republic of Kenya.
• If you engage in any form of employment or business without a requisite pass or permit is not accepted and is an offence.
• The eVisa printout has to be presented at your point of entry into the country.
• A visa is required before you travel to the Republic of Kenya.
• It will take about 2 working days to get your eVisa but note that it depends on the type of visa you are applying for.
• All adults are required to submit their eVisa application using their personal account, and note that parents can apply for their children using the parents’ account.

Contact us for more information.

The types of visas in Kenya

There are three types of visas that are offered in Kenya and these include the East African Tourist Visa, the Single entry visa and the multiple entry visa.

1. Single-entry visa

The single entry visa is one of the visas that is issued by the Government of Kenya, and it can be used for tourism, medical and business. It is provided to Indians for a single entry into Kenya. The requirements and documents needed when applying for the Single Entry visa are similar to those of the Tourist Visa.

• The East African Tourist Visa

This is a visa that allows tourists to jointly have access to Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. It can easily be used for multiple entries for tourism purposes and is valid for 90 days. Note that the East African Tourist Visa is not renewable when it expires or when you leave the designated block of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.

The issuing country should always be your point of first entry.

The East African Tourist Visa should always be your first point of entry.

The requirements needed for one to apply for the East African Tourist Visa in Kenya include the following:

• A copy of the biodata page of your passport and it must have a validity of at least six months.
• A return ticket
• A copy of a current passport-sized photograph
• Your travel itinerary.

The cost of the East African Tourist Visa in Kenya is $100 per person and it is non-refundable. All the visa payment fees are subject to bank charges.

You have to upload all the necessary documents and they should all be in English.

• Tourist Visa

The Tourist Visa in Kenya gives travellers access to Kenya and can be applied for via the official website. When you purchase the Tourist visa, you can engage in different tourist activities and explore the country. The documents and requirements that are needed for applying for the Tourist Visa and the Single-entry visa include the following.

• A fully filled and completed application visa form
• Two passport-sized photos
• A valid passport
• Round trip/ return ticket
• A detailed itinerary
• Bank statements for proof of funds
• Proof of accommodation.

The Tourist visa is only valid for 90 days or 3 months from the day of issuance, and the processing time can take at least 15 working days or longer if there are mistakes that are made.

• Business Visa

This is the best visa for all travellers who need to work in Kenya, and it has to be applied for in advance. This visa allows travellers to travel and work in any part of the country. The documents that are needed for one to apply for a business visa include the following:

• A completed visa application form (and make sure that the right information is filled in).
• Two colored recent passport-sized photos
• A valid passport
• A copy of the biodata page and the last page of your passport
• A return ticket with a detailed itinerary
• Proof of accommodation
• Travel and medical insurance
• Company registration document
• Business Invitation Letter
• Bank statements to show proof of funds
• And proof of occupation.

NB: The business Visa is valid for only three months from the day of issuance. It is also classified as a single-entry visa, and the duration is only 90 days in Kenya.

The processing time for the Business Visa, in case there are no mistakes, is one to two business days. The time, however, might extend to 2 to 6 months in case there are mistakes made.

• Courtesy Visa

The courtesy Visa is only issued to holders of Official, Diplomatic and service personnel coming to Kenya for official duties or transiting to other countries. The courtesy visa is valid for 90 days and is a single-entry visa. It takes one to two business days for the visa to be processed. The documents that are needed for applying for the Courtesy Visa include the following:

• An official letter provided by the Foreign Affairs or the organisation
• At least two recent coloured passport-sized photos.
• A Diplomatic, Service or official passport
• A detailed itinerary
• A valid passport that is valid for at least six months.
• Transit Visa

If you are travelling through Kenya on transit and your layover flight is more than 72 hours, you will be required to apply for this type of visa known as transit visa. This allows tourists or travellers to leave the airport. But if you only have a few hours before your next flight, without the need to leave the airport, then you will not be required to apply for the transit visa. The documents that are needed for the transit visa include the following:

• A filled and completed transit visa form
• Two coloured passport-sized photos
• A valid passport
• The biodata and last pages of your passport.
• A round-trip flight ticket
• A detailed itinerary.

The Kenya transit visa is valid for three months from the date of issuance.

• Multiple entry visa

This is the best visa for tourists who frequently travel to Kenya for various purposes including tourism, business, and medical purposes. The processing of the multiple-entry visa is 10 working days in Kenya and it is valid for 6 months to one year from the date it was issued. The documents needed for multiple-entry visas in Kenya include the following:

• Two passport-sized photos
• A valid passport not less than six months
• The return ticket/round-trip flight
• One blank page of your passport
• A copy of the biodata page and the last pages of the passport.

The five-year multiple-entry visa

The five-year multiple-entry visa is a type of visa that is available to only U.S. nationals. With this Visa, USA individuals can enter Kenya for different purposes, such as business and tourism. The validity of the visa is five years from the time of issuance and the processing time is about 10 days. The documents needed for the five-year multiple-entry visa include:

• A valid passport
• Two passport-sized colored photos
• A copy of your biodata page and the last page of your valid passport
• A round-trip flight reservation
• A detailed itinerary
• At least one blank page of your passport.

Challenges that are faced when applying for the Kenya Visa Applications

With the introduction of the new ETA system that has simplified the visa application process, some travellers still face challenges during the application process and these include:

• The Application confusion: Many tourists get confused following the step-by-step process, and we address this by giving clear guidance on the required documents, providing step-by-step assistance and reviewing the document before submission.
• The processing delays: Just like any other organisation, there are bound to be delays, and the best way we deal with these delays is by putting real-time application tracking, updates via SMS and email and priority processing options.
• Document requirements: This is a big and common challenge, and the best way to deal with it is by offering a per-submission document check. Digital document storage and format conversion assistance.

Countries that need a Kenyan Visa

There are so many countries across the world that need a visa before gaining entrance into Kenya include category 2 countries and these include Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Bermuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, DRC, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Herzegovina, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldavia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myammar, Nepal, Netherlands, Russia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Niger, New Zealand, Norway, Philipines, Oman, Pakistan, Palau Pacific Isles, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Salvador, Russia, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Southern Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Christopher Cape, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor East, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican city, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.

Category 2 countries are exempt from obtaining the Kenyan Visa

These include Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji Island, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, South Africa (less than 30 days stay), Solomon Islands, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Samoa, Rwanda, Papia, New Guinea, Nauru, Namibia, Mauritius, Malayasia (less than 30 days stay), Malawi, St Vincent and the Grenadines, ST Kitts and Nevis, ST Lucia, Swaziland, Tanzania, The Bahamas, Taboga and Tonga, Trinidad, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For more information about Visa applications and processing, get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris for more information.