Everyone outside Africa needs an eTA before boarding: USD 30, applied for at etakenya.go.ke, allow at least two weeks. There is no visa counter at the airport and no way to fix this on arrival.
- Kenya abolished the visa on arrival. Everyone outside Africa needs an eTA before boarding, and the airline checks it - there is no visa desk to fall back on.
- It costs USD 30 at etakenya.go.ke, the only official site. Everything else is a reseller adding a fee.
- Official processing is 3 to 5 working days, and the FCDO advises applying at least two weeks ahead. It grants a single entry of up to 90 days.
- Leaving and coming back means a second eTA, so a Tanzania or Uganda side trip needs planning - or the East Africa Tourist Visa at USD 100 for three countries.
- Passport valid 6 months with 2 blank pages, and children need their own eTA at the same price.
The eTA, which is not a visa on arrival
Kenya abolished the visa on arrival. The Electronic Travel Authorisation replaced it, and the airline checks it before you board.
- It costs USD 30, paid by card at etakenya.go.ke, which is the only official site. Everything else is a reseller adding a fee.
- Official processing is 3 to 5 working days, most come back within 72 hours, and the FCDO advises applying at least two weeks ahead.
- It grants a single entry and a stay of up to 90 days.
- You need a photo of your passport, a passport-style photo, your flight details and your first night's accommodation.
- Print it or save it offline. The airline asks for it at check-in, and immigration asks again.
- Leaving and coming back means a second eTA, so a Tanzania or Uganda side trip needs planning.
Passport and the other paperwork
- Passport valid at least 6 months beyond arrival, with at least 2 blank pages.
- A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a country with transmission risk, and it is checked. Certificates are now valid for life rather than 10 years.
- Children need their own eTA, at the same price.
- The East Africa Tourist Visa at USD 100 covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda with multiple entries for 90 days. Apply through the country you land in first; it is the better buy for a three-country trip.
Who does not need one
- All African nationals travel to Kenya visa-free since 14 July 2025, for up to 90 days, with Libya and Somalia the two exceptions.
- East African Community citizens - Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda - get up to 180 days.
- Everyone else needs the eTA, whatever their passport.
Where your nationality lands
| You hold | What you need |
|---|---|
| USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia | eTA before you fly, USD 30 |
| Any African nationality except Libya and Somalia | Nothing, 90 days visa-free |
- Overstaying carries a daily fine and can mean detention at the airport. Count the 90 days from the day you land.
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