Kenya eases travel requirements for African visitors
The Kenyan government has approved recommendations to enhance its electronic travel authorisation (eTA) system for African visitors.
The approval was granted during the federal government’s first cabinet meeting of the year chaired by President William Ruto.
A statement issued by the State House said the meeting was held to discuss ways of driving transformative change in Kenya.
Improving traveller experience and tourism were some of the priorities.
“As part of efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant eTA exemptions to all African countries — except Somalia and Libya — due to security concerns,” the statement reads.
“This initiative aims to promote regional integration and ease travel across the continent.”
The statement said most African visitors will be allowed a two-month stay while East African Community (EAC) nationals will continue to enjoy a six-month stay under the bloc’s free movement protocols.
“To improve efficiency, an expedited eTA processing option will be introduced, allowing travelers to receive approval instantly, with processing time capped at 72 hours based on operational capacity,” the State House added.
“Additionally, the introduction of an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system will enhance pre-screening, strengthen security, and streamline passenger processing at entry points.”
The statement said the cabinet mandated the secretaries of national treasury, transport, interior, and tourism to review, report, and propose guidelines to improve travellers’ experience at all Kenyan airports within a week.
Last year, Kenya introduced a “visa-free” policy that required most visitors to apply online for authorisation before leaving their countries.
However, the introduction of the eTA, which replaced the visa requirement for all visitors, was criticised as a “visa by another name”.
The eTA fee is $30 and valid for 90 days.
Kenya
