Kenya replaced its old visitor-visa entry route with the Electronic Travel Authorisation system in January 2024. The current rule is not “everyone pays.” The official portal now lists exempt travellers and passport nationalities, including EAC partner-state citizens and named nationalities with 90-day or 60-day exemptions.
If you are not exempt, apply only at etakenya.go.ke. A standard eTA costs USD $30 and normally takes three working days. The receipt email is not permission to travel; wait for the approval PDF.
Start here
1. Check first, then apply
Read the exemption rule, official fee, required documents and approval process. → Read the Kenya eTA overview
2. Prepare the published inputs
Eight cards based on the public application guide, with no invented regexes. → Open the field guide
Fast facts
- Official URL:
etakenya.go.ke. - Agency: Directorate of Immigration Services under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
- Cost: USD $30 for a standard eTA. Expedited service and other eTA products cost more.
- Processing: generally three working days/72 hours, but verification can take longer.
- Validity: travel within 90 days from issue. Length of stay is decided at entry.
- Each traveller: every non-exempt traveller, including a child, needs an individual approved eTA. A group application still creates one eTA per person.