VISAS

• Do all nationalities/persons require a visa?

1.  Nationals of the following countries do NOT require a visa: click here for the full list.

2. Nationals of the following countries, and also stateless persons/refugees, must apply for a REFERRED visa: click here for the full list and application procedure to be followed.

3.  The following persons receive GRATIS visas: click here for the full list.

4.  Nationals of all countries not listed in 1 and 2 above DO require a visa, and can either obtain one at a Kenyan embassy or at any Kenyan border post (including airport). Check the “Visa Regulations & Requirements” section of the website for more information.

5.  Certain categories of persons do NOT require a visa: click here for the full list.
 

• Do children need a visa?
  Children aged 16 and below do not require a visa to enter Kenya.
   
• If you are visiting Kenya for seven days or less, what kind of visa do you need?
  A single journey visa for business or tourism.
   
• When is a transit visa required?
  A transit visa is required for visitors who leave the airport or seaport for the specific purpose of travelling to a third country (i.e. to await a connecting flight, to await boarding a (cruise) ship, or to travel overland to a neighbouring country by bus/car/shuttle). Proof of the connecting flight/cruise or overland transfer is required.
  Please note: The maximum validity of a transit visa is three days (72 hours).
   
• Do you need a transit visa if you do not leave the transit zone at the airport while waiting for a connecting flight?
  No.
  
  
• Is the Kenyan Embassy the only place where you can get a visa?
  No. A visa may be issued at any port of entry to Kenya, provided the applicant meets the usual immigration formalities (i.e. except for "referred" visas). Visitors who wish to apply for a visa upon arrival must first sumbit an electronic application.  Cllick here for more information.
   
• Must an applicant apply for a visa in person?
  No, a third party may present/collect all the required documents on behalf of the applicant. 
  Applicants may also forward all the required documents through the post. In that case, it is highly recommended that this be done through registered mail or the services of Bpack/a courier. Applications received through the post/courier are processed once the visa fees have been received in the Embassy's bank account. The Embassy returns the passports through Bpack. Check the "list of required documents" in the "Visa Regulations & Requirements" section of the website for more information.

• Does each member of a group/family travelling to Kenya together have to present an individual "proof of intended visit"?
  No, they may present a joint document (containing all names & the travel dates). Check the "list of required documents" in the "Visa Regulations & Requirements" section of the website.
   
• How long beforehand should you apply for a visa at the Embassy?
  Minimum two days and maximum three months before the date of departure.
   
• How long is a visa valid for?
  Once a visa has been issued, travellers must enter Kenya within three months (i.e. before the expiry date of the visa).
   
• Does the visa endorsement in a passport allow visitors to stay in Kenya?
  No, in addition to the visa endorsement that allows entry, the visitor is issued with a visitor's pass at the port of entry. The visitor's pass indicates the period of time the visitor may stay in the country.
  
  
• If you have a valid visitor's pass and visit Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and/or Burundi, then return to Kenya within the validity of the pass, would you need another visa?
  No. Single journey/East Africa tourist visas for Kenya are still valid for another entry after travelling to Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and/or Burundi.
  Please note: the single entry visa is only valid if you do not leave the boundaries of these five countries.
  
  
• Does the embassy refund visas which have not been used, or transfer them to another date?
  No. The Embassy is not responsible for cancelled journeys.

• Can you travel to Kenya with a passport which is valid for less than six months after terminating your visit to Kenya?
  No.