Kenya has unveiled a new directive allowing citizens from nearly all African countries to visit without prior authorisation.
The announcement, made by the cabinet on Tuesday, marks a shift from the country’s existing requirement for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, a system widely criticised as being “a visa under another name.”
The cabinet stated that the ETA requirement would be removed for “all African countries except Somalia and Libya—due to security concerns.” This change is part of Kenya’s efforts to promote “open skies policies and tourism growth” while fostering “regional integration and ease of travel.”
Under the updated system, citizens from most African nations will be allowed to stay in Kenya for up to two months without an ETA. Meanwhile, members of the East African Community—Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi—will benefit from an extended stay of up to six months, in line with the bloc’s policy. An improved process will also allow approvals for travellers to be granted instantly, with a maximum processing time of 72 hours.
Previously, visitors from over 40 countries, including many African nations, could enter Kenya freely. However, the introduction of the ETA required travellers to apply online and pay $30 at least three days before their trip, unless exempted. The system has been criticised for complicating travel and discouraging potential visitors.
The government has defended the ETA as a measure for “pre-screening, strengthening security, and streamlining passenger processing.” This has been particularly relevant given the security threats Kenya faces from al-Shabab militants based in neighbouring Somalia, which has prompted tighter border controls.
Despite these efforts, Kenya ranked 46th out of 54 nations in the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index, dropping 17 places. The new directive is seen as an attempt to reverse this decline by encouraging greater ease of travel and boosting regional cooperation.
To further enhance the travel experience, the government plans to introduce guidelines to improve the “traveller experience at Kenyan airports” within a week. However, the cabinet has not yet announced a specific implementation date for the new policy.
