do i need a visa for kenya

People are generally confused about the visa policies in Kenya. 

If you are planning a trip to Kenya and wondering whether you need a visa for Kenya, here is the complete information to help you out. 

Kenya is a beautiful scenic country located in East Africa. You can see thousands of species of fauna and amazing landscapes in the country. 

There are also some exclusive species of animals you can only see in Kenya like Vervet monkey, Sitatunga, Nile crocodile and many more. 

Kenya is famous for its incredible wildlife and various safari parks which are exclusively found in the country. 

But there is a question which almost everyone has while planning a trip to Kenya, that do I need a Visa to Kenya? 

Let's find an answer to it.

Citizens of all the countries would need a visa to travel to Kenya unless they belong to any of the countries which are exempted.

Read Also: Is Yellow Fever Vaccination Required For Kenya Visa

Which countries do not need a visa to Kenya

However, there are certainly other countries whose diplomatic and service category passport owners do not require a visa to Kenya. 

The countries include:

• Brazil

• China

• Israel

• Iran

• India

• Turkey

There are also citizens of certains countries who can travel just by carrying their national identity cards. These nations are - 

• Uganda

• Rwanda

Though most of the visa applications can be submitted online, according to the rules in Kenya there are certain countries whose citizens cannot apply for the visa online. 

Their visa application would be in the process of approval from the Director of Immigration Services. 

These countries include:

•  Afghanistan

•  Armenia

•  Azerbaijan

•  Eritrea

•  Iraq

•  North Korea

•  Kosovo

•  Lebanon

•  Libya

•  Palestine

•  Somalia

•  Syria

•  Tajikistan

•  Yemen

Visa to Kenya for US citizens:

If you are a citizen of the US, you do not need to apply for a visa prior to your visit. 

You can simply get a visa for Kenya on arrival. 

The duration of this visa would be for 3 months and you just need to have a passport with a minimum of six months validity. 

Read Also: How Do I Apply For Kenya Visa

What is Visa for Kenya on Arrival?

According to the Kenyan Immigration services, you can get a visa on arrival for Kenya for single entry if you have a passport with validity of six months or more. 

However, you cannot get a multiple visit visa on arrival and you would have to apply for it prior to your visit. 

E - visa to Kenya

Kenya has started the application of visa online from July 2015.

You just need to apply for the visa before seven days of your arrival to Kenya. You can stay in Kenya for up to a duration of 90 days with an e-visa. 

Visa for Children

According to the visa policies in Kenya, children who are under the age of 16 do not require to pay the visa processing fee. 

They can apply for a visa to Kenya without paying any fee. 

FAQs

1. Do I need an e-visa to Kenya?  

If you need an e-visa to Kenya totally depends on which country you belong to.

If you belong to any country other than the above mentioned exempted countries, then you would be required to apply for an e-visa. 

2. Who does not qualify to issue an e-visa for Kenya?  

There are some rules according to which you cannot apply for an e-visa to Kenya:

• If you belong to countries like Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Eritrea, Iraq, North Korea, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine Somalia, Syria ,Tajikistan and Yemen you would not be allowed to apply for an online visa. 

• If you have any objections against yourself from the country you belong to, you cannot apply for an e-visa. 

• If you do not have a genuine or valid passport and other necessary documents, you cannot apply for an e-visa to Kenya. 

• If you belong to the category of prohibited immigrants, you cannot get an e-visa. 

3. When will my e-visa to Kenya expire?  

The e-visa to Kenya will expire after 3 months from the day you travel. However you can extend your stay up to maximum 6 months only through the renewal process. 

So, if you are planning to come to Kenya anytime soon you must check whether you need a visa for Kenya or not. 

Kenya is a beautiful country with more beautiful and amazing wildlife. Given a chance to visit Kenya, you should surely come to this African paradise and spend some time near nature.