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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

  1. Single entry Visa
  2. Transit Visa
  3. Courtesy Visa
  4. East African Tourit Visa
  5. Multiple Entry Visa
  6. 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
  • Valid travel document not less than six months.
  • A Return ticket
  • Valid travel document not less than six months.
  • A round trip ticket.
  • Valid travel document not less than six months.
  • A Return ticket
  • Valid travel document not less than six months.
  • A Return ticket
  • Valid travel document not less than six months.
  • A Return ticket

The requirements for a Courtesy Visa application to Kenya Include:

  1. Valid travel document not less than six months.
  2. Must be a holder of a service, official and diplomatic passport.
  3. Must hold an official letter from the country of origin/ organization/ foreign affairs.
  4. A round trip ticket or a boarding pass for passengers on transit.
  5. 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:

  1. Category 1 – Nationals and Persons who do not require visas to enter Kenya.
  2. Category 2 – Nationals issued with Visas on application.
  3. 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