The Directorate of Immigration Services has launched www.evisa.go.ke which allows visitors to apply for Kenya eVisa online without having to visit a Kenyan diplomatic mission or obtain the visa on arrival.

Validity for an eVisa

• Category 2 Single Entry Visa is valid for travel within 3 months from the date of issue.
• Category 3 Single Entry Visa is valid for travel within 1 month from the date of issue.

The different visa for Kenya types are dependent on the validity period to have a Kenya eVisa and what points of entry:

• Kenya Tourist Visa
• Kenya Transit Visa
• Kenya Business Visa
• East Africa Visa

A Kenya Tourist Visa is a single entry visa issued to people from countries that require a visa to enter Kenya and whose main purpose of the visit is tourism. It is usually valid for 90 days for stays of 90 days, although it can be renewed once in the country for a maximum of 6 months stay.

Kenya Transit Visa is also a single entry visa issued online to people connecting through Kenya to other countries if they want to leave the airport. It is valid for 3 days from the planned arrival date, for a stay of 72 hours. A Transit Visa is issued to persons connecting through Kenya to other destinations for a period not exceeding 72 hours. Those connecting flights directly without leaving the airport don’t need to apply for Transit Visas.

East Africa Visa is a multiple-entry visa issued to people who wish to visit Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda for tourism. It is valid for 90 days and permits a stay of up to 90 days.

Who Needs A Kenya eVisa?

Every traveller that wants to cross the Kenyan border must have a separate visa. Check the Full List of eligible countries to see if you can apply for the electronic visa. Click the “Find Out if you need a Visa” button located at the top page and see if you’re a citizen of one of the countries listed eligible. Please note! Travellers under the age of 16 are not obliged to have a visa to travel to Kenya. However, underage visitors still must have a valid passport to cross the Kenya border. Kenya eVisa is not a working permit; it serves for tourism, transit and business usage. Check if you meet the visa requirements before you apply.

How can travellers use the Kenya eVisa?

eVisa holders can use single-entry permits for the following purposes:

The basic requirements for the single-entry Kenya Visa include:

1. Tourism: designed for tourism-related purposes, such s visiting your friends and family, going on holiday, exploring the tourist destinations – and going on a safari tour. A tourist visa for Kenya enables its holders to do all that!
2. Business: eVisa Kenya allows for business-related visits as well. Stay in Kenya to handle your business affairs, attend a meeting, conference, or negotiate a contract.
3. Transit: transiting through Kenya to get your final destination is also possible with eVisa to Kenya. This Kenya visa stays effective for 72 hours (3 days). Get your onward flight within the 3-day visa validity.

Tourism and business visas stay effective for 90 days (three months); whereas, the transit visa will be valid for 3 days.

All three types are single-entry permits. Thus, once you leave the Kenya territory, you have to obtain a new visa for Kenya.

If you are a citizen of any country that is listed as eligible, you require a visa to visit Kenya. You need to apply online, and get your eVisa online upon meeting the requirements.

Application steps

In order to apply for an eVisa, visitors should:

1. Click on Create an account.
2. Click on eVisa Application.
3. Fill out the application form.
4. Pay using Visa Card, Mastercard, and other debit or credit cards.
5. Await approval then download and print the eVisa from your eVisa account.
6. Present your printed eVisa to the immigration officer at the point of entry.

How to verify an eVisa

The visa is accessible for viewing by your airline or at point of entry through an electronic system managed by the Kenyan Government. Once the eVisa is issued, the holder can travel to an entry point where their passport will be stamped then they are allowed entry. The link for verifying your eVisa: is https://dis.ecitizen.go.ke/verify

Who requires a Visa to enter Kenya?

Plenty of countries have been listed in the visa-exempt, which means that passport holders are exempt from procuring a regular visa while visiting Kenya. They are obliged to apply for an electronic authorization that needs to be printed out and carried with them to the airport. If your homeland has not been mentioned on the list, you are expected to contact the closest Embassy and ask them for support. Minors who are 16 years old or younger do not need to carry any additional documentation to the Kenyan border. They will be authorized to enter Kenya based on a valid passport.