The New Kenya E-Visa

Starting this month, all Kenya visas must now be purchased online in advance of travel. Please note that this does NOT impact your Tanzania visa. We are still issuing VIP Tanzania visas upon arrival. This announcement is only applicable for those guests visiting Kenya.

Kenya visas can obtained through the E-Visa portal: http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html

Applicants are required to follow the three stages indicated on the E-Visa website, namely:

Register in order to activate their account.

1. Fill the application form (includes providing a photo and passport copy) and pay online using a debit or credit card.

2. Download and print the E-Visa (PDF form) for presentation at the Port of entry.

Key Points to note:

3. The 90-Day Visa Validity commences from the date of E-Visa approval … not of one’s arrival into Kenya. Visitors are therefore urged not to apply too early.

4. There are some web browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer) that for one reason or another are experiencing problems with the E-Visa portal. We recommend that clients use Google Chrome which has been found to be quite effective.

5. The E-Visa Portal is mobile enabled and one can complete the application from a mobile phone – including taking and uploading a picture from the phone.

6. The inclusion of additional languages is still pending but Google Chrome has the ability to translate the entire website into a language of your choice. We are however following up with Immigration about the language issue.

7. It should take between 12 – 24hours to receive the E-Visa approval. The official timeline given is however about 48hours.

8. The required photo can be uploaded from a mobile phone – no special equipment (scanners) is necessarily required.

9. Tourists can upload their tour itinerary and not necessarily an “invitation letter”.

10. The Single Entry Visa to Kenya allows for free re-entry to Kenya as long as one is travelling within the EAC countries.

11. The EAC Tourist Visa allowing travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda is not available online. This can only be applied for and issued on arrival at the Airport.

12. For a limited duration of Two months, Immigration will have E-Visa Terminals whereby visitors arriving without E-Visas can apply for them at JKIA. Clients are however encouraged to apply for the E-Visa to avoid unnecessary delays at the Airport.