KENYA – Visa Applications Must be Completed Online
All foreign visitors, including business visitors, who require a visa to enter Kenya must now apply online starting on July 1st, 2015. Once the applicants complete the online visa application, they will be issued an electronic visa to print-out and show to a DIS officer upon entry. However, all visa renewals will continue to be processed by the Department of Immigration Services. Ideally, the objective of this change is to streamline procedures and improve processing times for visa applications.
Visa applications must be submitted through the government’s eCitizen portal and once that is completed, the e-visas will be sent to the applicant via email. Even though the printed e-visa is required to enter into Kenya, the Department of Immigration Services has the right to refuse entry at the border. Those traveling to Kenya under a business visa will continue to have limited activities; those engaging in work activities must apply for a work permit instead. Visa nationals must also have an e-visa printout on arrival to Kenya where the DIS officer will review the visa and indicate the approved duration of stay on the entry stamp.