Requirements for visa application to enter or reside in Kenya
Visa is an endorsement placed within a page in a passport that allow the use to stay leave or enter in a foreign country for limited time. Different types of visas are issued depending on reason for visiting. Theirs a tourist, student work and transit visa. Depending on the country, a visa can serve multiple purpose, for example, you can have both work and student permit. The visa can be handed to the holder before or after visiting the county. For example, in Kenya a student visa is granted after entering the country as a visitor. A visitor’s Visa can be granted at the point of entry. For a student’s Visa the individual will need a letter from the institution(university) and probably a letter from whoever is funding your stay.
Types of VISAs granting entry into kenya
- Single entry Visa
- Transit Visa
- Courtesy Visa
- East African Tourit Visa
- Multiple Entry Visa
- 5-year multiple entry VISA
What are the basic requirements for visa application?
When planning your trip to Kenya for tourist, medical of business reasons, you need to know what documents you may need to be given access to enter the country. Among the requirements are:
| Visa Type | Single Entry Visa | Transit Visa | East African Tourist Visa | Multiple Entry Visa | 5yr Multiple Entry Visa |
| Basic Requirements |
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The requirements for a Courtesy Visa application to Kenya Include:
- Valid travel document not less than six months.
- Must be a holder of a service, official and diplomatic passport.
- Must hold an official letter from the country of origin/ organization/ foreign affairs.
- A round trip ticket or a boarding pass for passengers on transit.
- In cases of applicants who fall under category 3 of the Visa regime / Regulations, the Kenyan visa regulations must apply whether on transit or official business.
Who Requires a Visa to enter The Republic of Kenya?
A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter The Republic of Kenya, generally must first obtain an electronic VISA (eVISA). Among travellers into Kenya, there are 3 categories based on official designations including:
- Category 1 – Nationals and Persons who do not require visas to enter Kenya.
- Category 2 – Nationals issued with Visas on application.
- Category 3 – Countries and Persons who require referred Visas.
Check the table below for your VISA category by country. For an updated list see HERE
| COUNTRY | CATEGORY | QUALIFICATION |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 3 |
YES |
| Albania | 2 |
YES |
| Algeria | 2 |
YES |
| Andorra | 2 |
YES |
| Angola | 2 |
YES |
| Antigua and Bermuda | 2 |
YES |
| Argentina | 2 |
YES |
| Armenia | 3 |
YES |
| Australia | 2 |
YES |
| Austria | 2 |
YES |
| Azerbaijan | 2 |
YES |
| Bahamas | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Bahrain | 2 |
YES |
| Bangladesh | 2 |
YES |
| Barbados | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Belarus | 2 |
YES |
| Belgium | 2 |
YES |
| Belize | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Benin | 2 |
YES |
| Bhutan | 2 |
YES |
| Bolivia | 2 |
YES |
| Bosnia Herzegovina | 2 |
YES |
| Botswana | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Brazil | 2 |
YES |
| Brunei | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Bulgaria | 2 |
YES |
| Burkina Faso | 2 |
YES |
| Burundi | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Cambodia | 2 |
YES |
| Cameroon | 2 |
YES |
| Canada | 2 |
YES |
| Cape Verde | 2 |
YES |
| Central African Rep | 2 |
YES |
| Chad | 2 |
YES |
| Chile | 2 |
YES |
| China {P.R} | 2 |
YES |
| Colombia | 2 |
YES |
| Comoros | 2 |
YES |
| Congo {Brazzaville} | 2 |
YES |
| Congo {Democratic Rep} | 2 |
YES |
| Costa Rica | 2 |
YES |
| Croatia | 2 |
YES |
| Cuba | 2 |
YES |
| Cyprus | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Czech Republic | 2 |
YES |
| Darussalam | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Denmark | 2 |
YES |
| Djibouti | 2 |
YES |
| Dominica | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Dominican Republic | 2 |
YES |
| East Timor | 2 |
YES |
| Ecuador | 2 |
YES |
| Egypt | 2 |
YES |
| El Salvador | 2 |
YES |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2 |
YES |
| Eritrea | 2 |
YES |
| Estonia | 2 |
YES |
| Ethiopia | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Fiji | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Finland | 2 |
YES |
| France | 2 |
YES |
| Gabon | 2 |
YES |
| Gambia | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Georgia | 2 |
YES |
| Germany | 2 |
YES |
| Ghana | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Greece | 2 |
YES |
| Greenland | 2 |
YES |
| Grenada | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Guatemala | 2 |
YES |
| Guinea | 2 |
YES |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2 |
YES |
| Guyana | 2 |
YES |
| Haiti | 2 |
YES |
| Honduras | 2 |
YES |
| Hong Kong {SAR} | 2 |
YES |
| Hungary | 2 |
YES |
| Iceland | 2 |
YES |
| India | 2 |
YES |
| Indonesia | 2 |
YES |
| Iran | 2 |
YES |
| Iraq | 3 |
YES |
| Ireland {Republic} | 2 |
YES |
| Israel | 2 |
YES |
| Italy | 2 |
YES |
| Ivory Coast | 2 |
YES |
| Jamaica | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Japan | 2 |
YES |
| Jordan | 2 |
YES |
| Kampuchea | 2 |
YES |
| Kazakhstan | 2 |
YES |
| Kirghizistan | 2 |
YES |
| Kiribati | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Democratic People’s Republic of Korea North | 3 |
YES |
| Korea South | 2 |
YES |
| Kosovo | 3 |
YES |
| Kuwait | 2 |
YES |
| Laos | 2 |
YES |
| Latvia | 2 |
YES |
| Lebanon | 3 |
YES |
| Lesotho | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Liberia | 2 |
YES |
| Libya | 3 |
YES |
| Liechtenstein | 2 |
YES |
| Lithuania | 2 |
YES |
| Luxembourg | 2 |
YES |
| Macedonia | 2 |
YES |
| Macau {SAR} | 2 |
YES |
| Madagascar | 2 |
YES |
| Malawi | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Malagasy | 2 |
YES |
| Malaysia (For less than 30 days stay) | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Maldives | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Mali | 2 |
YES |
| Malta | 2 |
YES |
| Marshall Islands | 2 |
YES |
| Mauritania | 2 |
YES |
| Mauritius | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Mexico | 2 |
YES |
| Micronesia | 2 |
YES |
| Moldova | 2 |
YES |
| Monaco | 2 |
YES |
| Mongolia | 2 |
YES |
| Montenegro | 2 |
YES |
| Morocco | 2 |
YES |
| Mozambique | 2 |
YES |
| Myanmar {Burma} | 2 |
YES |
| Namibia | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Nauru | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Nepal | 2 |
YES |
| Netherlands | 2 |
YES |
| New Zealand | 2 |
YES |
| Nicaragua | 2 |
YES |
| Niger | 2 |
YES |
| Nigeria | 2 |
YES |
| Norway | 2 |
YES |
| Oman | 2 |
YES |
| Pacific Isles | 2 |
YES |
| Pakistan | 2 |
YES |
| Palau | 2 |
YES |
| Palestine | 3 |
YES |
| Panama | 2 |
YES |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Paraguay | 2 |
YES |
| Peru | 2 |
YES |
| Philippines | 2 |
YES |
| Poland | 2 |
YES |
| Portugal | 2 |
YES |
| Qatar | 2 |
YES |
| Reunion | 2 |
YES |
| Romania | 2 |
YES |
| Russian Federation | 2 |
YES |
| Rwanda | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Salvador | 2 |
YES |
| St Kitts & Nevis | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| St Lucia | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Saint Christopher Cape | 2 |
YES |
| Samoa | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| San Marino | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Sao Tome & Principe | 2 |
YES |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 |
YES |
| Senegal | 2 |
YES |
| Serbia | 2 |
YES |
| Seychelles | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Sierra Leone | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Singapore | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Slovakia | 2 |
YES |
| Slovenia | 2 |
YES |
| Solomon Islands | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Somalia | 3 |
YES |
| South Africa (For less than 30 days stay) | 2 |
EXEMPTED |
| South Sudan | 2 |
YES |
| Spain | 2 |
YES |
| Sri Lanka | 2 |
YES |
| Stateless | 3 |
YES |
| Sudan | 2 |
YES |
| Suriname | 2 |
YES |
| Swaziland | 2 |
EXEMPTED |
| Sweden | 2 |
YES |
| Switzerland | 2 |
YES |
| Syria | 3 |
YES |
| Taiwan | 2 |
YES |
| Tajikistan | 3 |
YES |
| Tanzania | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Thailand | 2 |
YES |
| Togo | 2 |
YES |
| Tonga | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Tunisia | 2 |
YES |
| Turkey | 2 |
YES |
| Turkmenistan | 2 |
YES |
| Tuvalu | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Uganda | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Ukraine | 2 |
YES |
| United Arab Emirates | 2 |
YES |
| United Kingdom | 2 |
YES |
| United States | 2 |
YES |
| Uruguay | 2 |
YES |
| Uzbekistan | 2 |
YES |
| Vanuatu | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Vatican City | 2 |
YES |
| Venezuela | 2 |
YES |
| Vietnam | 2 |
YES |
| Western Sahara | 2 |
YES |
| Yemen | 3 |
YES |
| Yugoslavia and former States of Yugoslavia | 2 |
YES |
| Zambia | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
| Zimbabwe | 1 |
EXEMPTED |
