VISA REQUIREMENTS

Please read the following text carefully to the end, it should contain answers to many of the questions we are frequently asked.

Feel free to send us an email and if possible include your telephone number: visa(at)kenyaembassyberlin.de (English and German).

Find out at https://evisa.go.ke/eligibility whether you need a visa for Kenya and if so, which one.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!

NO visas will be issued on arrival!!!

Please inform yourself regularly about the current entry regulations for Kenya during the last 14 days before your entry!

The different visa types:

a) Single Entry visa

The Single Entry Visa allows you to enter Kenya once for tourism and short-term business purposes. The visa is valid for up to 90 days and allows re-entry into Kenya from Tanzania during the validity period. The processing time is usually 48 hours.

b) Transit Visa

The transit visa allows you to stay for up to 72 hours for transit purposes. The tranist visa allows a one-time entry. You do NOT need a transit visa if you are only stayiung within the international transit zone. The processing time is usually 48 hours.

c) Courtesy visa

This visa is issued to holders of diplomatic and service passports entering the country to perform official duties or travelling through Kenya to a third country to conduct official business or duties. It is issued free of charge. The application must be accompanied by a Note Verbale.

d) East Africa Tourist Visa

This is a joint visa issued to persons travelling to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda for tourism purposes. The first point of entry must be Kenya.

e) Multiple Entry Visa

Issued to persons who travel frequently to Kenya and whose nationality requires a visa to enter Kenya for business, tourism, medical or other reasons. Processing time is usually 10 working days. The multiple entry visa MUST be endorsed in your passport once it was granted. The multiple entry visa is endorsed at Nyayo House, 7th floor, room 30 or at the nearest Kenyan mission abroad.

f) Referred visa

Category 3 nationals (https://evisa.go.ke/eligibility), as well as stateless persons and holders of travel documents for foreigners must apply for a visa subject to approval at www.evisa.go.ke.The processing time is at least one month and approval is not guaranteed.

1. APPLICATION PERIOD

Apply for a visa no earlier than eight weeks and no later than one week before entry to allow time for any corrections. Once the visa is issued, you must enter Kenya within 90 days. The processing time for a single entry visa is usually 48 hours. Visas are processed 24/7 in Kenya.

2. APPLICATION

Please apply for the visa ONLY on the official website of the Kenyan government www.evisa.go.ke

a) All applicants must register with their own email address.

b) Each applicant must be in possession of the following documents in order to apply for an eVisa:

  1. A national passport valid for at least 6 months upon entry.
  2. A digital biometric passport photo, or a "biometric" selfie against a light background, it shall NOT be the same photo as in the passport.
  3. A credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or a debit card that is activated for online payments (it does not have to be your own credit/debit card).
  4. A hotel booking/travel itinerary
  5. You must be in possession of a return ticket/proof of onward travel. This can be uploaded in the visa application under "Additional documents".

 Depending on your purpose of stay, there may be additional or different documents that need to be uploaded.

 APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND TIPS:

 - Use the browser Microsoft Edge.

- A large screen is more convenient for applying for the visa.

- Please do NOT use umlauts (become ae, ue, oe), ß (becomes ss) and other letters or special characters that the English alphabet does not recognise. You will find your passport number on the top right-hand corner of the biodata page of your passport, and the correct English spelling of your name for the visa application on the bottom first line of the biodata page of your passport (please do NOT copy the passport number from the second bottom line).

-Before applying for a visa, it is best to create a folder on your computer in which you save the required photos in the correct format and size. For a tourist trip with hotel stay, you will need the following photos, which must also be uploaded in this order:

  1.  A digital biometric passport photo or a "biometric" selfie against a light background, it shall NOT be the photo from the passport.
  2. The cover of the passport (the upper hard side on which the federal eagle can be seen if it is a red German passport).
  3. The biodata page of your passport (this is the page with your photo, passport and personal details).
  4. The hotel booking/travel itinerary
  5. Any addition document, e.g. return ticket (optional)

 Depending on your purpose of stay, there may be additonal or different documents that need to be uploaded.

- The photos must be in jpg or jpeg format and no larger than 293 kB. Photos can be reduced in size by sending them back and forth via a messenger such as Whatsapp.

- Once you have uploaded the photos, we recommend opening them again via the file link and checking that they are legible (important for the biodata page).

- Check your details, spellings etc. again before clicking COMPLETE. Once the visa is paid in the next step, you cannot make any more changes.

- Please do NOT enter your Bundesland in the billing information under State/Province/Region, but "GERMANY". This only applies to applicants who are resident in Germany.

- The status of your visa must be IN PROCESS at the end. If the status is SUBMITTED, the payment has not gone through (see previous point).

 c) It is best to apply for the eVisa 4-6 weeks before entry. You have 90 days from the date of issue to enter the country. Your length of stay in Kenya is decided by the immigration officer on the spot, but it is a maximum of 90 days and can be extended for another 90 days online at https://immigration.go.ke/extension-of-visitors-pass-application/ (link does not work on mobile phones). The extension must be endorsed in your passport by the nearest immigration office.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

  1. The processing fees for the eVisa are not refundable.
  2. Erroneous applications are finally declined after several requests for correction.
  3. Possession of eVisa does not guarantee entry into the Republic of Kenya. The final decision on entry is made by the Kenyan border authorities.
  4. The holder of a visa may not conduct business, engage in paid activities or (un)paid internships without the appropriate authorisation. The eVisa will be declared invalid in such a case.
  5. The visa must be applied for and issued BEFORE entry.
  6. After a successful application process, you can download/print your eVisa from your eVisa account. You will not necessarily receive a confirmation email and not every confirmation email will have the visa attached in PDF format.

  3. The printout of the eVisa must be presented at the time of entry.

4. Children under 16 years

Children under 16 years do not need a visa, but should be entered in the visa application of the accompanying person under MINOR. Children under 16 years are only visible in the system, but not on the visa.

5. Yellow Fever Vaccination

Travellers who stay in a yellow fever area for 12 hours or more before entering Kenya must provide proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry.