Cabinet Approves Plan to Exempt All African Countries From ETA Except 2

Kenya is working towards exempting Africans from 52 countries from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system introduced last year.

eTA system was introduced on January 1, 2024, and mandates all travellers, including infants and children, to obtain an approved eTA before commencing their journey to Kenya.

The eTA is charged at 30 USD (about Ksh3,880 in the current exchange rates) is valid for a single entry and allows a stay of up to 90 days in Kenya.

According to a Cabinet dispatch released on Tuesday, January 21, the government is considering making it free for Africans to travel to Kenya after complaints emerged over the use of the eTA system.

“As part of efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant eTA exemptions to all African countries—except Somalia and Libya—due to security concerns,” reads part of the Cabinet dispatch.

The move reverts the country to the old travel system that allowed citizens from 51 countries, many within Africa, to enter Kenya visa-free.

Under the new policy, most African visitors will be allowed a two-month stay while East African Community (EAC) nationals will continue to enjoy a six-month stay under EAC-free movement protocols.

Furthermore, Kenya will introduce an expedited eTA processing option, allowing travellers to receive approval instantly, with processing time capped at 72 hours based on operational capacity.

Kenya will also introduce an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system to enhance prescreening, strengthen security, and streamline passenger processing at entry points.

“Consequently, the Cabinet Secretaries of National Treasury, Transport, Interior, and Tourism were mandated to review, report, and, within a week, propose guidelines to improve travelers’ experience at all Kenyan airports,” noted the Cabinet dispatch.

At the moment, travelers from the East African region are exempt from applying for the eTA.

Kenya has also waived the fees for Botswana, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zambia.

Other Countries: Comoros, Eritrea, Republic of Congo, San Marino.