Are you an American or British tourist looking to know about Kenya’s entry requirements? If yes, this guide will sort you out. We will discuss tourist entry requirements, government travel restrictions, and whether it is safe to travel to Kenya.
Before traveling to Kenya, luxury tourists must be vaccinated against the Coronavirus. This is a mandatory requirement regardless of whether your country has visa-free access. According to the World Health Organization, as of December 11th, 2022, Kenya had 342,000 covid infections and 5,684 deaths.
Below are the countries allowed to travel to Kenya:
The United States of America
American tourists who want to go on a Kenya Safari must have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival. In addition, the passport must have two blank pages, and the tourist must be vaccinated against yellow fever and covid-19.
To go on a Kenya Safari, you must have a tourist visa. Tourists can obtain additional information about the application process through Kenya’s consulate in Los Angeles or New York.
There is no currency restriction when entering the country. However, Luxury travelers cannot exit the country with more than 100,000 Kenyan shillings in cash.
Work permit
To work in Kenya, American citizens must apply for a work permit at least six weeks before departure. If the work permit expires while in the country, the tourist should renew the permit atleast 90 days before the expiration date.
Illegal Products to Avoid
Kenyan laws do not allow the importation of firearms, whether for sport or Leisure. To possess a firearm, you must have a firearms certificate.
Luxury travelers should not carry illegal substances such as ivory products, illegal drugs, antiquities, and rhino horn. American tourists should declare medications and currency at customs.
Canada
Canadian tourists can visit Kenya as long as they apply for a Visa. In addition, Canadian luxury travelers are required to be vaccinated and follow the laws of the land. While in Kenya,
tourists are advised to avoid risky areas such as the Kenya-Somalia border and the South Sudan-Ethiopia border.
Before traveling to Kenya, Canadian travelers must have a passport valid for at least six months from the entry date. For example, if you plan to travel in January, your passport must be valid until August.
Before leaving the country, you must have a valid tourist visa. Other types of visas that can be applied for include the following:
- A student visa {If you are coming to study in Kenya}.
- A work permit {if you are going for business}.
- A transit visa {If you plan to transit through the country}.
If you have a transit visa, you must not stay more than 72 hours in the country. However, if you do not plan to leave the airport, you do not require a transit visa.
Canadians without a valid visa face the risk of arrest and being charged for being in the country illegally. If your visa expires while in the country, the government will extend your stay at $10.
East African Tourist Visa
If your Kenya safari involves more than one country, you are advised to apply for an East African tourist visa. This visa allows you to travel to six countries: Rwanda, Kenya, Congo, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The East African tourist visa is valid for three months and cannot be extended. Apart from Covid-19, Canadian luxury travelers must be vaccinated against yellow fever and carry proof of vaccination throughout their stay. Other vaccinations required:
- Influenza,
- Malaria
- Polio
- Measle
- rabies
Note: Tourists are not allowed to volunteer unless they have a work visa
Britain
British tourists who want to travel to Kenya from uk need to have a valid passport to be issued a visa. Travellers over 12 must show proof of covid-19 vaccination or undertake a covid-19 PCR test upon arrival. Tourists who show signs of COVID-19 will be vaccinated at their cost. Kenya accepts the UK’s proof of recovery and vaccination record.
To visit the country, a British tourist must have a passport that is valid for six months, and it should have two blank pages. Because rules and regulations change over time, get in touch to know whether you qualify to visit Kenya.
Visa and Work Permits
Tourists require a visa to travel to Kenya from the UK. The visa must be an e-visa and obtained before departure. If you plan to work in the country, you must have a work permit. Without a work permit, you will be subjected to the judicial system and deported for being in the country illegally.
If your work permit application is successful, the passport must be stamped with a permit stamp. Before arriving in the country, British tourists must have a yellow fever certificate, especially if they have travelled to countries with a prevalence of yellow fever.
Kenya recognizes UK Emergency Travel documents, which can be used to enter, exit or transit through Kenya.
India
Indian luxury travelers are required to have a visa before entering Kenya. To do this, they must fill out a Kenyan application form and submit it to the Kenyan consulate in Mumbai or New Delhi. Indian tourists are issued an e-visa either through email or mail.
The visa is valid for 90 days, and the holder is required to carry it at all times. Other types of visas that Indian tourists can also apply for include the following:
Single entry visit: This type of visa is best for tourists visiting the country for a short time. This is a single-use Visa, meaning it can only be used to enter the country once.
Transit Visa: This Visa is used by tourists transiting through Kenya. It is a single-use Visa that is valid for 78 hours.
Service Visa: Service visa is issued to employees of the Indian government.
Germany
German luxury travellers are required to apply for an e-visa through http://www.ecitizen.go.ke/. When travelling as a tourist, apply for the visa eight weeks before the departure date. The e-visa is valid for 90 days.
Children under the age of 16 years do not require to have a visa. When applying for a tourist visa, you must have the following documents:
- A credit card
- Biometric passport photo
- A German passport that is valid for six months
- Proof of hotel booking
- A letter of invitation and a copy of the Host’s Kenyan ID card
If you have traveled to a country with a high risk of yellow fever, you must show proof of yellow fever vaccination before being allowed to enter the country.
German citizens can apply for several types of visas, such as a single journey visa and a courtesy visa. A single journey visa is valid for 90 days, and a courtesy visa is issued to diplomatic individuals.
German business people can apply for multiple journey visas valid for one year. To get this Visa, entrepreneurs must prove that they have entered Kenya thrice in the last 12 months.
France
French tourists need an electronic visa to travel to the country. To apply for an electronic visa, the tourist must have a passport valid for at least six months. The tourist must also provide a digital passport photo, have a return flight ticket, and show proof of accommodation.
The tourist must also show that they have already booked a travel itinerary. These measures assure the immigration department that you will be going back home to France.
The cost of obtaining this visa will depend on the processing time. If you require an e-visa within two business days, the processing fee will cost $253. The standard processing time is six business days, and the visa fee for this is $125.
E-visas are valid for 90 days under a single entry visa. This means that travellers can only use them to enter the country once. French travellers must apply for an e-visa for their children regardless of age.
Nigeria
Nigerian tourists are required to have a visa to enter Kenya. The visa fee is around $55. Nigerian luxury travellers are required to obtain a permit before departure. Nigerian tourists intending to travel to East Africa should apply for Kenya East Africa Tourist Visa.
The Kenya East African Tourist Visa costs $109.32 and is valid for 90 days. Nigerians can also apply for a single journey visa valid for 90 days. However, with this type of visa, you cannot enter countries such as Rwanda and Uganda.
Nigerians must have a valid passport copy with at least three blank pages when applying for a Kenyan visa. You must also prove you have a return ticket, hotel reservation, a tour itinerary, and a transparent background photo.
China
Chinese tourists are required to have an e-visa to travel to Kenya. To apply for an e-visa, a Chinese citizen must have a valid passport. The passport must have at least two blank pages. The Tourists must also provide a digital photograph, a travel itinerary, and a debit or credit card for payment.
An E-visa is valid for 30 days but can be extended twice for three months. Chinese entering Kenya must be vaccinated against polio, measles, covid 19, mumps, and yellow fever.
Other countries allowed to enter Kenya with a visa
Below are the countries allowed to enter Kenya with a Visa:
- Afghanistan
- Austria
- Albania
- Algeria
- Australia
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Argentina
- Angola
- Antigua and Bermuda
- Brazil
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Botswana
- Bahamas
- Bosnia
- Bolivia
- Bhutan
- Benin
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Rep
- Chad
- Chile
-
China {P.R}
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo {Brazzaville}
- Congo {Democratic Rep}
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cub
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Darussalam
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong {SAR}
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland {Republic}
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kampuchea
- Kazakhstan
- Kirghizistan
- Kiribati
- Korea South
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Macau {SAR}
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malagasy
- Malaysia (For less than 30 days stay)
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Moroco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar {Burma}
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- norway
- Oman
- PalaUA
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Rwanda
- Salvador
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Saint Christopher Cape
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome & Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somali
- South Africa {30 days}
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Urugua
- Ubekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Yugoslavia and the former States of Yugoslavia
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Countries allowed to travel to Kenya without a visa
There are four European and Asian countries that are allowed to enter the country without a Visa. These are:
- Cyprus
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Madlives
North American countries allowed to enter Kenya without a Visa include:
- Trinidad
- Jamaica
- Dominican Republic
- Barbados
- Bahamas
- St.kitts and Nevius
- Grenada
- Belize
- Brunei Darussalam
- St. Lucia
Oceania countries allowed to enter Kenya visa-free include:
- Tuvalu
- Tonga
- Kiribati
- Solomon Islands
- Vanuatu
- Papua New Guinea
- Fiji Island
- Nauru
- Samoa
African tourists allowed to enter the country visa-free include:
- Zimbabwe
- Botswana
- Zambia
- Burundi
- Ghana
- Uganda
- The Gambia
- Lesetho
- Tanzania
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Namibia
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Swaziland
In conclusion, we hope that these Kenya entry requirements will make it easy for tourists like you to visit Kenya. If you are unsure whether you qualify to visit Kenya, get in touch, and we will advise you.
