How To Apply Kenya Visa Online Travel Guide

• Visa processing fee is non refundable.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.
• The possession of an e-Visa is not the final Authority to enter The Republic of Kenya.
• Engaging in any form of business or employment without a requisite permit or pass is an offence.
• A visa is required prior to entry into The Republic of Kenya.
• The e-Visa printout must be presented at the port of entry.
• It should take at least 2 working days to get your e-Visa.
• Each adult visitor to the Republic of Kenya is required to submit e-visa applications in their personal e-citizen account. Parents can apply for their children in the parents account.

Things to Note:

Before you Start – Kenya Visa For US Citizens

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Transit Visa Requirements

• You require an onward Ticket to apply for a Transit Visa

Entry Requirements (On Arrival)

• Passport Valid for at least Six Months
• eVisa Printout from www.eCitizen.go.ke
• Travel itinerary
• Supporting letter e.g. letter from company or Invitation letter for business visits/family visits. or
• Hotel bookings/details about places to visit if going as tourist.

Photo requirements, during Registration

• The photograph must be in color.
• Have a white background.
• It should have a close up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70-80% of the photograph.
• It should be in sharp focus and clean.
• Should be of high quality with no ink marks and creases.
• The photograph must show you looking directly at the camera.
• Should be 5.5cm * 5.5cm (207px * 207px).
• show your skin tone naturally.
• It should have appropriate brightness and contrast.
• The photograph should be a recent one not more than 6 months old.
• It is to be taken without headgear.
• Photograph can be taken with headgear, after consideration on case to case basis if the applicant wears headgear on religious grounds. The main characteristics of the face must be apparent from the photograph. Chin, nose, eyes and eyebrows must not be covered, the forehead should be uncovered to the extent that the shape of the face is apparent.
• It should be without hat/cap.
• Should be with the applicant’s hair tucked behind his/her ears.
• The photograph should not have any staple marks.
• Scanned & color photocopies would NOT be accepted.

Kenya Work Visa Application / Permits and Residency

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Applications can be submitted online but manual applications have to be sent at the same time. The processing and approval of the permit must take place while out of the country.

A special 3-month work permit is available that allows you to begin working while waiting for approval of your long-term work permit. It can be renewed for an additional 3 months if necessary.

The temporary permit takes three weeks to process. So the best approach is to send both applications simultaneously at least a month before the scheduled departure as the processing time for work visas can be lengthy.

• A new rule requires that for each holder of a work permit there is also a Kenyan understudy who must be trained to take the position held by the foreigner, except for senior management or skilled technical employees.
• There is no minimum salary for work permits.
• Once you have a work permit, you can apply for a residence permit or alien card. This process can take 2-4 months for approval.
• Work permits cost around US$3000, with an additional annual fee of US$2000.

More details are available here Kenya immigration authorities. Many individuals and companies prefer to use a dedicated lawyer. Or specialist to submit the application and help with the processing of work permits and visas.

Who Requires Kenya Visa to enter The Republic of Kenya?

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A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter The Republic of Kenya. Generally must first obtain an e-visa via www.ecitizen.go.ke

Nationals of the Countries Listed Below may be issued with an eVisas Upon Application on www.ecitizen.go.ke (category 2 Countries)

Albania	Algeria	Andorra
Angola	Antigua and Bermuda	Argentina
Australia	Austria	Bahrain
Bangladesh	Belarus	Belgium
Benin	Bhutan	Bolivia
Bosnia	Brazil	Bulgaria
Burkina Faso	Cambodia	Canada
Cape Verde	Central African Republic	Chad
Chile (Nationalist)	China (China P.R.)	Columbia
Comoros	Congo (Brazzaville)	Costa Rica
Cote de voire	Croatia	Cuba
Czech Republic	Denmark	Djibouti
Dominican Republic	DRC	East Timor
Ecuador	Egypt	El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea	Estonia	Finland
France	French Guyana	Gabon
Georgia	Germany	Greece
Greenland	Guatemala	Guinea
Guinea Bissau	Haiti	Herzegovina
Honduras	Hong Kong (Holders of Hong Kong special administrative region)	Hungary
Iceland	India	Indonesia
Iran	Ireland	Israel
Italy	Japan	Jordan
Kazakhstan	Kirghizstan	Korea (South)
Kuwait	Laos	Latvia
Liberia	Liechtenstein	Lithuania
Luxembourg	Macedonia	Madagascar
Malta	Marshall Islands	Mauritania
Mexico	Micronesia	Moldavia
Monaco	Mongolia	Montenegro
Morocco	Mozambique	Myanmar (Formerly Burma)
Nepal	Netherlands	New Zealand
Nicaragua	Niger	Nigeria
Norway	Oman	Pakistan
Palau Pacific Isles	Panama	Paraguay
Peru	Philippines	Poland
Portugal	Qatar	Romania
Russia	Russia	Salvador
Sao Tome and Principe	Saudi Arabia	Serbia
Slovakia	Slovenia	Southern Sudan
Spain	Sri Lanka	St. Christopher Cape
Sudan	Suriname	Sweden
Switzerland	Taiwan	Thailand
Timor East	Togo	Tunisia
Turkey	Turkmenistan	UAE
Ukraine	United Kingdom	Uruguay
USA	Uzbekistan	Vatican City
Venezuela	Vietnam	Yemen

Nationals Exempted From Obtaining Kenya Visa 

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Barbados	Malawi	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Belize	Malaysia (For less than 30 days stay)	St.Kitts and Nevis
Botswana	Mauritius	St.Lucia
Brunei	Namibia	Swaziland
Burundi	Nauru	Tanzania
Cyprus	New Guinea	The Bahamas
Darussalam	Papua	Tobago
Dominica	Rwanda	Tonga
Fiji Island	Samoa	Trinidad
Ghana	Seychelles	Tuvalu
Grenada	Sierra Leone	Uganda
Jamaica	Singapore	Vanuatu
Kiribati	Solomon Islands	Zambia
Lesotho	South Africa (For less than 30 days stay)	Zimbabwe

The Following Persons Do Not Require Kenya Visa to The Republic

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• Persons whose passports are endorsed with valid Kenya re-entry passes or any other written authority in lieu of a re-entry pass.
• All passengers arriving and leaving by the same ship, and who do not leave the ship.
• Passengers in transit through Kenya arriving and leaving by the same aircraft or transferring to another aircraft and who do not leave the international transit lounges at the International Airports in Kenya.
• Holders of United Nations Organization Laissez-Passers whilst on official UN Business.
• Any Holders of African Union Laissez-Passers whilst on official A.U. business.
• Holders of African Development Bank Laissez-Passers, whilst on official A.D.B. business
• Holders of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa Laissez-Passers, whilst on official ABEDA business.
• An Holders of International Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa Laissez-Passers, whilst on official I.R.L.C.O. business.
• Holders of Desert Locust Control Organization Laissez-Passers, whilst on official D.L.C.O. business.
• The Holders of COMESA Laissez-Passers, whilst on official COMESA business. xi. Holders of International Monetary Fund and World Bank Laissez – Passers whilst on official IMF/World Bank Business.
• Holders of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Laissez- Passers whilst on official IGAD business.
• An Holders of African Airlines Travel Association (IATA) Laissez- Passers whilst on official business.
• Holders of Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) Laissez-Passers whilst on official ELCI business.

• Holders of Union of Radio, Television Network of Africa (URTNA) Laissez- Passers whilst on official URTNA business.

• The Holders of International Labor Organization (ILO) Laissez – Passers whilst on official ILO business.
• Holders of Preferential Trade Area/Common Market of East & Southern African Bank Laissez – Passers whilst on official PTA/COMESA business.
• Holders of European Union Laissez – Passers whilst on official European Union business.
• An Holders of CIP (International Potato Centre) Laissez – Passers whilst on official CIP business.
• Holders of African Reinsurance Corporation (ARC) Laissez – Passers whilst on official ARC business.
• Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports from The Islamic Republic of Iran for a period not exceeding (30) Days stay.
• Any Holders of Diplomatic, Official, Special, and Service Passports, from The Republic of Turkey and members of their families holding valid Diplomatic, Official, Special, and Service Passports, while on Transit or Stay not exceeding ninety (90) days.
• Holders of Diplomatic, Official or Service Passports from the Federal Republic of Brazil for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days.
• Serving Members of the British Military (are exempted from visa formalities).
• The manifested crew of ships and aircraft passing through or stopping in Kenya for periods not exceeding seven (7) days in the case of air crew and fourteen (14) days for ship’s crew.
• Owners of private aircraft stopping over for refueling in Kenya and who do not leave the precincts of the airport.

The following can NOT make e-Visa applications on eCitizen. These Nationals of countries, classes and categories of persons require Referred Visas. The VISA applications are referred to the Director of Immigration services for processing and approval.

Afghanistan	Armenia	Azerbaijan
Cameroon	Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Formerly North Korea)	Eritrea
Iraq	Kosovo	Lebanon
Libya	Mali	Palestine
Senegal	Somalia	Syria
Tajikistan

1. Applicants whom there is some local objections or doubt in the country where the application is made.
2. Stateless persons or persons not holding valid passports or other travel documents issued by their own country of nationality including recognized refugee holders of the United Nations Refugee Travel Documents.
3. Prohibited immigrants as enumerated under chapter 1, paragraph (e) of the Visa regulations.

Booking Your Kenya Trip?

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