This document serves as a preliminary guide for your visa information. Please refer to the Kenyan embassy in your country for more specific and updated information.
Countries with visa-free travel
Citizens of the following countries may travel to Kenya visa free
B | Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi
C | Cyprus
D| Darussalam, Dominica
E | Ethiopia
F | Fiji
G | Gambia, Ghana, Grenada
J | Jamaica
K | Kiribati
L | Lesotho
M | Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius
N | Namibia, Nauru
P | Papua New Guinea
R | Rwanda
S | St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland
T | Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu
U | Uganda
V | Vanuatu
Z | Zambia, Zimbabwe
Visas Required
Citizens of the countries which are not listed above require visas. There are two types of visas, category 1 visa which can be obtained online, through applying to the embassy, or at point of entry. The other type is category 2 (referral visa) which requires your documents to be sent to the immigration services in Nairobi and usually takes a longer processing time, up to 8 weeks. Please note that the visa processing fees are non-refundable and non-transferable in all categories.
Category 1 Visa
This type of visa can be obtained by the following means:
This visa category is only available to passport holders from the following eligible countries:
A | Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
B | Bermuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso
C | Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Rep, Chad, Chile, China {P.R}, Colombia, Comoros, Congo {Brazzaville}, Congo {Democratic Rep}, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic
D | Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic
E | East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia
F | Finland, France
G | Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana
H | Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong {SAR}, Hungary
I | Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland {Republic}, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,
J | Japan, Jordan
K | Kampuchea, Kazakhstan, Kirghizistan, Korea South, Kuwait
L | Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M | Macedonia, Macau {SAR}, Madagascar, Malagasy, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar {Burma}
N | Nepal,Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway
O | Oman
P | Pacific Isles, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal
Q | Qatar
R | Reunion, Romania, Russian Federation
S | Salvador, Saint Christopher Cape, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland
T | Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan
U | Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom,United States,Uruguay,Uzbekistan
V | Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam
Y | Yugoslavia and former States of Yugoslavia
Online Visa (e-Visa) Process
The process for obtaining e-visa consists of the following steps:
Basic requirements for e-visa single entry (tourists/visitors/business) are:
Basic requirements for [on-arrival/at embassy] single entry (tourists/visitors/business) are:
Category 2 Visa (Referral Visa)
Holders of any travel documents and nationals of the below listed countries are not qualified for the category 1 visa (including e-visa and on-arrival visa) and require a special referral visa, and shall have their visa applications (paper based application) sent to the Director of Immigration Services in Nairobi for approval. This process is started by submitting the visa application to the Kenyan embassy in your country. The countries are Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Formerly North Korea), Eritrea, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, and Yemen.
Basic requirements for referred visa are:
Final Notes
Sources:
Countries with visa-free travel
Citizens of the following countries may travel to Kenya visa free
B | Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi
C | Cyprus
D| Darussalam, Dominica
E | Ethiopia
F | Fiji
G | Gambia, Ghana, Grenada
J | Jamaica
K | Kiribati
L | Lesotho
M | Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius
N | Namibia, Nauru
P | Papua New Guinea
R | Rwanda
S | St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland
T | Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu
U | Uganda
V | Vanuatu
Z | Zambia, Zimbabwe
Visas Required
Citizens of the countries which are not listed above require visas. There are two types of visas, category 1 visa which can be obtained online, through applying to the embassy, or at point of entry. The other type is category 2 (referral visa) which requires your documents to be sent to the immigration services in Nairobi and usually takes a longer processing time, up to 8 weeks. Please note that the visa processing fees are non-refundable and non-transferable in all categories.
Category 1 Visa
This type of visa can be obtained by the following means:
- Obtained as e-visa by applying through e-visa website. This e-visa has a shorter processing time - less than a week. Once it is approved, it will be made available at the applicant’s e-visa account. The applicants must print a copy of the e-vista along with the passport when they travel to Kenya. It is mandatory to show the e-visa printout at the border control when you enter Kenya. The fee of a single entry e-visa type is USD $51.
- At ports of entry on arrival in Kenya
- At the Kenyan embassy in your country by submitting your application manually.
This visa category is only available to passport holders from the following eligible countries:
A | Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
B | Bermuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso
C | Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Rep, Chad, Chile, China {P.R}, Colombia, Comoros, Congo {Brazzaville}, Congo {Democratic Rep}, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic
D | Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic
E | East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia
F | Finland, France
G | Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana
H | Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong {SAR}, Hungary
I | Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland {Republic}, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,
J | Japan, Jordan
K | Kampuchea, Kazakhstan, Kirghizistan, Korea South, Kuwait
L | Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M | Macedonia, Macau {SAR}, Madagascar, Malagasy, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar {Burma}
N | Nepal,Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway
O | Oman
P | Pacific Isles, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal
Q | Qatar
R | Reunion, Romania, Russian Federation
S | Salvador, Saint Christopher Cape, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland
T | Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan
U | Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom,United States,Uruguay,Uzbekistan
V | Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam
Y | Yugoslavia and former States of Yugoslavia
Online Visa (e-Visa) Process
The process for obtaining e-visa consists of the following steps:
- Creating an account on e-visa website and filling out the online application
- Getting confirmation and make payment
- Getting an e-visa through email
- Getting the visa stamped into your passport on arrival
Basic requirements for e-visa single entry (tourists/visitors/business) are:
- A clear passport size photograph on white background
- A clear photo of the passport bio data page
- Travel itinerary (with details about places to visit if going as tourist)
- Accommodation bookings
- Invitation letter detailed the purpose of the visit.
Basic requirements for [on-arrival/at embassy] single entry (tourists/visitors/business) are:
- Duly filled application form 22 [can be download from the website of the kenyan embassy in your country]
- A passport that is valid for at least six months and has two blank pages
- One passport standard size coloured photograph taken on white background and within the last six months
- Visa processing fees
- Flight itinerary and tickets
- Accommodation bookings
- A copy of your resident permit/work permit if you are applying from a third country
- A detailed letter from the applicant addressed to the Kenya Embassy requesting for the visa stating the purpose and the duration of the intended visit
- Invitation letter from the host in Kenya explaining relationship between host and applicant and signed by the host, invitations which are not signed are unacceptable
Category 2 Visa (Referral Visa)
Holders of any travel documents and nationals of the below listed countries are not qualified for the category 1 visa (including e-visa and on-arrival visa) and require a special referral visa, and shall have their visa applications (paper based application) sent to the Director of Immigration Services in Nairobi for approval. This process is started by submitting the visa application to the Kenyan embassy in your country. The countries are Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Formerly North Korea), Eritrea, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, and Yemen.
Basic requirements for referred visa are:
- Duly filled application form 22 [can be download from the website of the kenyan embassy in your country]
- 3 passport standard size coloured photographs taken on white background and within the last six months
- A passport/Travel document (Bio-data page) which must be valid for at least a year on proposed date of entry. The document must have at least 2 blank pages.
- A detailed letter from the applicant addressed to the Kenya Embassy requesting for the visa stating the purpose and the duration of the intended visit
- Flight itinerary and tickets
- Accommodation bookings
- Current 6 months bank statement or Social Welfare payment slips if applicant is in receipt of any social welfare payments
- A detailed letter from the applicant addressed to the Kenya Embassy requesting for the visa stating the purpose and the duration of the intended visit
- A letter from Employer, social welfare or school where applicable.
- A copy of your resident permit/work permit
- Invitation letter from the host in Kenya explaining relationship between host and applicant and signed by the host, invitations which are not signed are unacceptable.
- Host’s copy of ID or Passport if visiting an individual. If host is non-Kenyan, a copy of their resident permit will also be required. Details of the host should be clearly stated both in the invitation letter and form 22 i.e.
- Names
- Postal address including postal code
- Residential address
- Telephone/cell phone numbers
- E-mail address
- The non-refundable application fee for the referral visa is US $10 and US $50 upon approval
Final Notes
- All information in this document work as a guide. Please refer to the Kenyan embassy in your country for correct and updated information.
- For more information on visa application and visa categories based on nationalities please visit www.immigration.go.ke
- All the above quoted fees are accessed on 23th May 2019 and according to the resource website they are subject to change.
- In all visa categories, travellers are required to show return ticket at port of entry.
- The applications for the referral visa are usually forwarded to immigration Headquarters, Nairobi for processing and may take up to 8 weeks.
Sources:
- Republic of Kenya Electronic Visa System (evisa) - accessed May 2019
- State Department for Immigration, Border Control and Registration of Persons (immigration Kenya) - accessed May 2019
- Websites of Kenyan embassies