The visa for Kenya, also called eTA, can be applied for using an online application form. You can carry out the entire procedure from home in just a few minutes. Once granted, you will receive your eTA in digital format. Read on to find out more about the Kenya visa application process.

Visa and eTA for Kenya

At the beginning of 2024, Kenya officially lifted the visa obligation. Instead of the visa, an eTA was introduced. The abbreviation eTA stands for electronic Travel Authorisation. This travel authorisation is mandatory for travel to Kenya and must be applied for online before leaving for this East African country. It is only allowed to travel to Kenya with a valid eTA. Children also need their own eTA. Despite the fact that the eTA is not officially a visa, when this page mentions the visa, it always refers to the eTA.

The eTA for Kenya costs € 64,95 and is valid for 90 days. Before applying, check the requirements to make sure you are eligible for the eTA Kenya.
Apply now for the Kenya visa

Safaris are a very popular activity in Kenya

The application process

The visa application process for Kenya is relatively simple. In most cases, the application can be completed within 10 minutes from home. It consists of three parts: filling in the application form, paying the fees and providing the required documents. The following paragraphs will address each of these three parts in more detail.

1. Fill in the application form

Before you open the application form, it is helpful if you have already collected some data. You must enter the following information in the application form:

• Your contact details
• Information about your flight to and from Kenya
• information about your first overnight stay in Kenya
• The passport details of each traveller for whom you are submitting an application
• Job information and marital status of each traveller
• Information about previous trips to Kenya
• Any past criminal convictions

Once you have collected all the above information for all the individuals for whom you want to apply for a Kenya visa, you can open the application form. Go through the form and fill in all the details carefully, paying special attention to the passport details. Do you need the visa on short notice? Then choose for an urgent application.
Open the Kenya visa application form

Do you have a question? If you move your cursor over an entry field in the application form, you will get further information about the required data. If this does not answer your question, please check the frequently asked questions about the visa for Kenya. Do you want to add travellers to your application? Press the blue button ‘Add a traveller’ at the bottom of the form.

2. Check the data and complete the payment

Have you filled in all the details in the application form? Then press the green button ‘Apply for visa’ to submit the application. On the next page, you will see an overview of some of the important details you have filled in. At this point, you should check again whether all details have been filled in correctly. It is often no longer possible to make changes at a later date.

On the verification page, you can also choose your payment method. You can choose among Mastercard, Visa, American Express, PayPal, Trustly, Apple Pay or Google Pay. All methods are equally secure. Have you chosen your payment method? Then click on ‘Confirm application’ to make the payment. You will then receive a confirmation by e-mail.

3. Provide the necessary documents

Are you leaving in more than 30 days? Then your application will be put on hold. You can already collect the necessary documents, but you can only submit them 30 days before your departure to Kenya. You will receive an email as soon as this is possible. Are you leaving within 30 days? Then you can submit the documents immediately. You can also submit them later, but your visa application can only be processed when all data and documents are provided. Therefore, it is recommended to submit the documents as soon as possible. In the confirmation email that you received after your payment, there is a link to the submission page. You must upload the following documents for each traveller (including accompanying children).

A passport photo: This can be an official passport photo or a photo you have taken yourself. It is important that the photo is sharp, the facial expression of the traveler is neutral and the background is even and light in color. You may submit the photo in colour or grayscale.

A photo or scan of the passport: Make sure that all the text on the passport is visible and legible. If the photo or scan is out of focus, it will be rejected.

A booking confirmation of your flight to and from Kenya: These can be booking confirmations of your flights or a cruise. The document must include the name of the traveler and dates of travel. If you travel to Kenya overland, you do not need to provide a booking confirmation.

Are you staying overnight in a booked accommodation? Then you must provide a booking confirmation: The booking confirmation of one accommodation is sufficient. This must contain the name and address of your accommodation. It must also state the dates you will be staying there. It must also contain the name of at least one traveller from your application form.

Are you staying with friends or family? Then you must provide a letter of invitation and a photo or scan of an identity document: The invitation letter must be written by the person with whom you are staying overnight. It can be a formal invitation, but informal, handwritten letters, e-mails or even text messages are also allowed. The invitation letter should include at least the address, the dates of your stay and the name of your host or hostess. Furthermore, a photograph or a scan of the ID card, passport or Foreigner Certificate of the person with whom you are staying in Kenya must be provided. Please note that your host or hostess must be a Kenyan national or hold a Foreigner Certificate (also known as Alien Card).

Complete the application and receive the visa

Once you have uploaded all the documents, you can submit them using the green button at the bottom of the page. Next, your documents will be checked by the visa specialists at e-Visa.ie. After submitting your application, keep a close eye on your email, as you will be notified if the documents are approved or if they do not meet the requirements. If you receive confirmation that your documents have been approved, you do not need to do anything else and your visa application will be processed.

Once your Kenya visa application has been approved, you will receive a confirmation via email and SMS. You now have a valid travel authorisation for Kenya. Once granted, the eTA is linked to your passport number. You therefore do not need to print anything.