- Kenya’s ETA has faced challenges since its launch on January 1, 2024.
- Kenya was ranked 46th on the Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), 2024.
Kenya is set to review the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in early January 2025 after it performed poorly on the Africa Visa Opennes Index (AVOI) report, 2024. A major drop in rankings has raised concerns, prompting the cabinet to call for enhanced competitiveness to accommodate more foreign rivals by addressing issues plauging the ETA system.
“To further enhance Kenya’s competitiveness, the Cabinet sanctioned a review and strengthening of the Eletronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system in response to various concerns from stakeholders and to accommodate the increasing number of tourist arrivals,” a resolution by Kenya’s Cabinet.
The Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife confirmed the planned review of ETA with the purposes of addressing concerns and the outcome of the Africa Visa Openness Index report, 2024. She was responding to a comment on the same by the CNN correspondent @LarryMadowo.
“We have scheduled a multi-sectoral engagement on 7th January 2025 to review and discuss the ETA in details based on the concerns raised and the results of the Africa Visa Openness Index. I will keep all stakeholders updated until we improve the visa openness index.” Rebecca Miano remarked on X.
An Overview of Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
Kenya transitioned to electronic travel authorization (ETA) systems on January 1, 2024, with the aim of replacing the previous eVisa process and streamlining the seamless entry of travellers into the country. The introduction of ETA focused on improving the booming tourism industry in Kenya.
The ETA is mandatory for every foreign traveller visiting Kenya, including infants and children, with the exception of a few East African Community member states. However, the ETA approval does not guarantee an empty, as immigration officers have to assess admissibility upon arrival.
The application process is done through the ETA official website, which requires personal information, travel details, and a payment of USD 30. The processing time takes approximately three working days, but it is recommended for travellers to apply at least three days before their intended travel date for timely processing.
Once issued, the ETA is only valid for 90 days, allowing a single entry and exit of Kneya. Only travelers leaving for another East African Community (EAC) country are allowed to enter Kenya without needing a new ETA.
Only citizens of EAC member states: Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are allowed to enter Kenya without needing an ETA. Kenya hasn’t imposed entry measures on the Somali nationals visiting the country, despite being an EAC member, due to security concerns.
Requirements for ETA Application
- A valid passport with at least six months of validity from the date of entry
- A recent passport-sized photo or a selfie
- Contact information (home address, phone number, email).
- Travel itinerary including fight details.
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking, or invitation letter, whether from friends, for businesses, or diplomatic travel).
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from endemic countries.
Kenya was ranked 46th with a score of 0.113 on the Africa Visa Openness Index report of 2024. Kenya was flanked by the East African counterparts, nclduing Rwanda as the top country and does not require a visa for any African national to enter, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
AVOI has noted that despite the versatility and seamlessness of an ETA, “it should, at a minimum, be electronically linked within the host country’s immigration system to the applicant’s passport details and biometric data and include much longer periods of validity than is currently the case.”
Kenya is the East African leading business destination and is expected to receive more tourists in the coming year. The introduction of ETA was to serve as a foundation for easing travel to Kenya, but it has been facing challenges, with multiple concerns pending until the recent AVOI reports.
