9787 ETA applications received in Kenya’s new visa-free policy
PS Julius Bitok receives first batch of visitors under the visa-free policy.
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In a statement on Sunday, Principal Secretary State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services Amb. Julius Bitok said 9787 ETA applications had been received on the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.
"Of these, 4046 have already been processed while the others are undergoing review on priority basis guided by the travel schedule submitted by each applicant," Bitok said.
The PS further said that the introduction of ETA is premised on the need to have a fair, faster and reliable system that also addresses Kenya’s security and other strategic interests.
"Before ETA, citizens from 51 countries enjoyed visa-free entry to Kenya, while travellers from 155 other countries were subject to a visa application process at a cost of $50," he added.
"With the introduction of the ETA, we now have comprehensive data on all visitors, significantly improving our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of both our visitors and citizens," Bitok announced.
"To guarantee a seamless experience, we have introduced a 24-hour service desk dedicated to ETA. This will ensure clients are promptly attended to irrespective of the hour while also taking into consideration the different time zones across the world," he promised.
The Kenyan ETA is a semi-automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to Kenya.
In a step-by-step guideline listed on the ETA website the state has listed requirements that all visitors - including infants - will need. They include;
- Valid passport for at least six (6) months after their planned date of arrival into Kenya with at least one blank page.
- Selfie or passport-type photo
- Contact information (Email address and phone number)
- Details of arrival and departure itinerary
- Accommodation booking confirmation(s)
- Credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or other means of payment
Steps to apply
- One will have to visit www.etakenya.go.ke
- Click “Apply Now” and follow the instructions
- Make sure that all the data has been entered correctly
- Submit the application
- An email confirming receipt of your application and payment will be sent to you
- Upon decision by the Immigration officer, an email confirming Approval / Refusal will be sent to you
- If your application has been approved, print the PDF document that has been attached to the email or save it in the Kenya Travel Authorisation mobile app. The ETA needs to be shown at all departure and arrival points.
- If your application has been denied, you will not be able to travel to Kenya for the moment and you will need to contact support@etakenya.go.ke to report your situation and obtain further details.
- You can check the status of your application at any time by visiting the following URL: https://www.etakenya.go.ke
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