“Pay $30”: Kenya Begins Visa-free Policy, Gives Strict Condition to Nigerian Travelers, Others

• The Kenyan government has started its visa-free policy and received its first set of foreigners into the country on Friday
• The country has joined the United States, South Korea, Haiti, the Seychelles, Germany and others using ETA
• The development means that citizens of 53 African countries will travel to the East African country without needing a visa

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over three years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

The Kenyan government has commenced its visa-free policy, welcoming the first set of foreigners into the country on Friday, January 5, 2024.

According to a BusinessDay report, the immigration authorities confirmed that some visa-free travellers arrived in the country four days after the planned launch.

The policy will be implemented alongside the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and will see 53 African countries travel to the East African country without needing a visa.

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Due to this development, Kenya has joined the countries that use the ETA. The United States, South Korea, Haiti, the Seychelles, Germany, Lucia, Kitts and Nevis are among these countries.

More ETA applications expected in Kenya

Julius Bitok, principal secretary of the State Department for Citizens Services, said the first batch of visitors entered the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport using the ETA system.

The secretary said the government received over 5,000 ETA applications since the announcement. It added that 2,141 of the applications have been approved.

He explained that the government delayed the ETA due to the need to resolve some issues with the planned implementation.

Conditions to apply

Holders of Nigerian passports who wish to visit Kenya need to apply online via eVisa for a Kenyan e-visa for tourists, according to travelstart.com.

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It said:

“Once you’ve downloaded your e-visa, simply present it to port officials upon arrival, and you’re all set.”

Larry Madowo of CNN, in a tweet last month, said:

“Kenya is now “visa-free” for every human on earth. But you can’t just get on a flight. You have to apply for Electronic Travel Authorization, pay $30, and wait up to 3 days for approval. So, a visa?

“Kenya hopes to attract 5 million tourists annually with the “visa-free” policy. 51 nationalities did not require visas before. Now, only members of the East African Community are exempt from the Electronic Travel Authorization.”

Kenya targets 5 million visitors

The East African nation targets an influx of five million visitors through this policy.

In this lieu, it is looking at a proposed amendment to the law to improve the immigration process, including Advance Passenger Information (API) screenings.

Before granting the ETA, the API must obtain important bio-data from travellers, such as airline information and itinerary details. According to the government, this will enable pre-arrival security checks for travellers.

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To implement these prescreening procedures, the Ministry of Interior presented a bill called the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2023.

The provision of correct information will be the responsibility of the airlines or the agents; however, any errors may result in a significant administrative penalty.

The amendment seeks to strengthen security, streamline travel procedures while maintaining safety, consolidate border services for efficiency, and modernize immigration procedures.

Like Kenya, Kazakhstan announces visa-free entry for Nigerians

Legit.ng reported that citizens of 80 foreign countries could stay in Kazakhstan without a visa, and nationals from 109 more countries have the opportunity to obtain an electronic visa, the official press service reported.

Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov announced this on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

Kazakhstan is trying to attract more tourists and boost its tourism sector revenue, which has already attracted $860 million of investments, 44% more than in the same period last year.

Source: Legit.ng