Is Kenya really a visa free country?

Dar es Salaam. On December 12, 2023, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced that the country will adopt a visa-free regime for all international visitors starting January 1, 2024.

“It is with great pleasure, as President of this extraordinary country, to make a historic announcement of the decision of the Government of Kenya. Kenya will be a visa-free country,” Ruto said during the Jamhuri Day celebration.

The move was welcomed with great excitement by various people, not knowing that they could not just carry their belongings, board a flight and move to Kenya freely. The visa-free arrangement, it turned out, didn’t mean just ‘free entry.’

Before travelling to Kenya, one should apply for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), pay $30, and wait up to 72 hours for approval of arrival from the government. Analysts say it looks more like a “simplified, visa-free entry system.” Also, the ETA entry system is for a 90-day stay for travellers.

On Friday, Kenya welcomed the first batch of foreign tourists who arrived under the new entry system that the government hopes will encourage more visitors.

And people have been posing questions online, asking if Kenya is really a visa-free country and if the requirement to apply for an entry permit still exists.

Travel experts, on their part, are divided on the merits of the ETA system. While some see it as a convenient way to streamline border entry, others denounce it as a money-making scheme disguised as progress.

At the heart of the controversy with the fact that visitors from those countries that were allowed to enter Kenya really visa-free, without applying for any document or paying a dime, such as Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa are now required to apply and pay the $30.

East Africans will continue entering Kenya visa-free because of the special arrangement within the framework of the East Africa Community protocols.

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chinono says the new online travel authorization requirements have made it more challenging and costly for Zimbabweans, who previously enjoyed visa-free access.

“Kenya is not telling the world the truth when it says that it is now visa-free; it is not! Visitors to Kenya are now required to apply online for an electronic travel authorization in advance of travel. We didn’t need to do this before Kenya’s fake visa-free announcement,” Mr Chin’ono said in his post on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that going to Kenya is now tougher for a Zimbabwean and many other Africans because they din’t require a visa at all; they would just walk in and out, and now you need to apply for authorization online!

“That is not visa-free; African leaders play mind games for headlines!”

A former airline executive and travel columnist, Sean Mendis, commented that ETA requires a person to pay $32.50 or a premium $52.50 option for flight changes.

Mendis argues that the ETA is a “complete bait-and-switch,” forcing travellers to submit extensive paperwork, including flight itineraries, hotel bookings, and financial statements, for a single-entry visa.

He criticises the inflexibility of the system, where flight cancellations necessitate a new application and a 72-hour wait, and re-entry within 72 hours is prohibited.

“Each ETA is a single entry, and you cannot apply for the next ETA until you exit the country, meaning that you cannot travel to Kenya more often than once every 72 hours,” he said.

Murugi, a communications specialist, counters Mendis’ claims, suggesting that the $30 fee is reasonable considering travel costs and the broader reach of the eVisa system, encompassing business travellers and conference attendees. However, Murugi acknowledges the onerous paperwork and single-entry limitations.

With all that said, Kenya’s Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said that with the new system, the country expects to double tourist arrival numbers by the end of the year.

“We have made sure that travelling to Kenya is going to be an easy and pleasant experience. We have been receiving about 2 million tourists per year, but we believe that with this policy shift, the numbers will double to over 5 million per year,” he said.

According to the notice published in the Government Gazette, individuals must apply for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) through the electronic portal (on www.etakenya.go.ke) and possess the authorization before embarking on their journey.

The application, outlined in Form 22 of the First Schedule, includes biographical information, a travel itinerary, and any additional details requested by the Director.

The notice emphasises that carriers arriving in Kenya are prohibited from allowing passengers without a valid ETA to board.

Non-compliance with this regulation may result in an administrative penalty of $10,000 for carriers or agents in command, as stipulated in Regulation 16 C.

However, possession of an ETA does not guarantee entry; the government retains the right to deny entry for rule violations.

Airlines must submit passenger information to immigration officers, who will conduct fact-checks for accuracy; providing false information incurs a Ksh1.57 million penalty.

The immigration department will cross-check data against watchlists to identify criminals or suspects.

Kenya earned $1.8 billion from tourism revenue in 2023, according to the government.

Bitok said that once fully operational, Kenya aims to earn $9.5 billion from tourism revenue annually.