The Kenyan visa is good for visitors to stay in the country for about 90 days. It can also be extended further for a period of up to three months. However, a non-resident who does not leave the country even after that time will be charged with having an Expired visa in Kenya.
You can discuss such situations beforehand with travel agencies like tourist visa online. They can guide you through the repercussions of overstaying your welcome in this country.
Kenya is a country filled with lots of sights to visit thus giving it a large scope for tourism. It has the highest mountain in Africa, the Kilimanjaro; it is also house to great forests and wilderness.
You can mingle in a new culture; soak in new cuisines, art, architecture etc. However, in between all this, it is important to remember that you are staying in the country on a visa.
While being on a safari or adventure in one of the national parks or exploring the deep forests, it gets easy for one to miss the fact that they are on a visa. Expiry of visas in any country can be a problematic experience, so it is always better to avoid it.
Read more about the details of having an expired visa in Kenya, in the article below.
READ ALSO: KENYA VISA RENEWAL
Expiry of Visa
To answer the burning question of how long is a Kenyan visa valid for, we would say 90 days. A tourist visa is allowed to stay in the country for three months.
In the situation of visa expiration, it is always better to have a
Repercussions
If a regular tourist or visitor overstays his welcomed time in Kenya and continues to stay in the country even after the expiry of his visa, they can be arrested by the Civil Police.
It is illegal for you to stay in the country after that and you can even be penalised by a fine, imprisonment or even get deported back to your home country.
You should be in contact with your travel agency or the local consulate of your country if a situation arises due to which you are unable to leave before the visas’ expire.
There is another result of having an expired visa in Kenya, which could be worse than getting imprisoned, especially if you have to visit the country often for business purposes.
The country can declare you as an undesirable person/visitor. It will register you as a criminal offender in the legal system. Due to this, you might never be able to get another visa issued ever again.
READ ALSO: KENYA VISA POLICY
Renewal
It is better to get your visa renewed before it can even expire. Usually, the time frame for this has to be at least 15 days.
Here is a list of steps for a visa renewal, before your travel agency is forced to hire a good immigration lawyer for you:
- The Kenya Visa renewal online can be done, via the official government website.
- Visit the portal created by the government and begin by creating an account.
- Once you have logged in, go to the - apply now link which will be right on the homepage.
- Fill the application form and create a portfolio by adding the digitised documents.
- You can then submit the application and also submit the fee online – either by net banking or a MasterCard.
- After the visa is processed, you will get an automatic notification for it.
- Either the travel agency or the consulate will send you an email regarding the same.