Foreigners who require a visa to enter Kenya can now apply for a Kenyan Visa online. The e-Visa can applied for at ecitizen.go.ke and paid using a Debit or Credit card. The e-Visa application process will take about two (2) working days and will be subject to the rules of the Kenyan Immigration Department.
Foreigners will need to register on eCitizen as Visitors and once their account is created they will need to go the Immigration department section to submit a Visa application. They will be required to fill an application form and then pay using a Debit or Credit Card. They will receive a Visa approval via email if their application is successful and then print the e-Visa from their eCitizen account. They should then present the printed e-Visa to an immigration officer when they are entering the country.
The Kenyan Visa processing fee is USD $51 for a Single entry visa (Business or Tourism) and USD $21 for a Transit visa. The Visa processing fee will not be refunded in case one’s application is unsuccessful.
The following Visas cannot be applied for online: Diplomatic Visa, East Africa Tourist Visa and Courtesy Visa.
Also, people from the following countries will not be able to apply for a Kenyan e-Visa. Their visa applications will have to be at a Kenyan embassy and will be referred to the Director of Immigration services for processing and approval.
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Cameroon
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
- Eritrea
- Iraq
- Kosovo
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Palestine
- Senegal
- Somalia
- Syria
- Tajikistan
[Read: Foreigners visiting Kenya to apply for a visa online from September 2015]
[Read: Countries that need a Kenyan visa to travel to Kenya]
[Read: Countries that do not need a Visa to travel to Kenya]
Update
1. The Government has set up a separate website for the eVisa i.e. evisa.go.ke but it still redirects to eCitizen.go.ke when one wants to either log in or to create an account.
2. Travel agents and tour operators can apply for the e-Visa on behalf of their clients.
3. For 60 days from 1st September 2015 visitors to Kenya will be able to apply for an e-Visa on arrival via e-Visa kiosks at the two International Airports in Kenya i.e Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi) and Moi International Airport (Mombasa). It’s not clear whether the booths will be available at border points.
4. The e-Visa validity period will be 90 days from the date of issue.