Overview
The Department of Immigration Services has launched evisa.go.ke which allows visitors to
apply for the Republic of Kenya evisa online without having to visit a Kenyan diplomatic
mission, or obtain the visa on arrival.
What is an eVisa
An eVisa is an authorization document issued in PDF format which allows visitors to travel to
a Kenyan entry point. The eVisa should be presented to an immigration officer at any point
of entry who then grants the right to enter The Republic of Kenya by stamping the holders
passport.
Validity of an eVisa
An evisa to Kenya once issued is valid for 3 months before you travel. Once you present
yourself to immigration control at the port of entry, you may be issued with a stay period
not exceeding 90 days, which may be renewed for a further 90 days at the immigration
headquarters. The maximum number of days a visitor may stay in Kenya is 6 months.
How to verify an eVisa
The visa is accessible for viewing by your airline, or at port, through an electronic system
managed by the Kenyan Government. Once the e visa is issued, the holder can travel to an
entry point where their passport will be stamped then they are allowed entry. Verify your
evisa below.
Verify your eVisa
Application steps
In order to apply for an eVisa, visitors should:
- Click on Create an account.
- Select Register as a Visitor.
- Once Logged in, Select Deparment of Immigration services.
- Select Submit Appplication.
- Select Kenyan Visa.
- Select the type of Visa and read the Instructions
Carefully.
- Fill in the application form.
- Pay Using visa card, Mastercard and other
debit
cards.
- Await approval via email, then download and print the
eVisa from
your eVisa account.
- Present your printed eVisa to the immigration officer at the port of
entry.
Points to note
- Visa processing fee is non refundable.
- Incomplete applications will be rejected.
- The possesion of an eVisa is not the final Authority to enter The Republic of Kenya.
- Engaging in any form of business or employment without a requisite permit or pass is an
offence.
- A visa is required prior to entry into The Republic of Kenya.
- The e-Visa printout must be presented at the port of entry.
- It should take atleast 2 working days to get your eVisa.
- Each adult visitor to the Republic of Kenya is required to submit evisa applications in
their
personal eVisa account. Parents can apply for their children in the parents account.
Categories of Visas
Passport holders traveling to the Republic of Kenya are divided into 3 categories.
- Category 1 - Nationals and Persons who do not require
visas to enter Kenya.
- Category 2 - Nationals issued with Visas on
application.
- Category 3 - Countries and Persons who require referred
Visas.
Category 1
All persons holding valid
passports issued by Country of Nationality under - Category 1
Persons
- All persons whose passports are endorsed with valid Kenya re-entry passes or any other
written authority in lieu
of a re-entry pass.
- All passengers arriving and leaving by the same ship, and who don’t leave the ship.
- All passengers in transit through Kenya arriving and leaving by the same aircraft or
transferring to another
aircraft and who do not leave the international transit lounges at the international
airports in Kenya.
- Holders of United Nations Organization Laissez-Passers whilst on official UN Business.
- Holders of African Union Laissez-Passers whilst on official UN business.
- Holders of African Development Bank Laissez-Passers whilst on official ADB business.
- Holders of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Laissez-Passers whilst on official
ABEDA business.
- Holders of International Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa
Laissez-Passers whilst
on official I.R.I.C.O. business.
- Holders of Desert Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa
Laissez-Passers whilst on official
D.I.C.O. business.
- Holders of COMESA Laissez-Passers whilst on official COMESA business.
- Holders of International Monetary Fund and World Bank Laissez-Passers whilst on official
IMF/World Bank
business.
- Holders of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Laissez-Passers whilst
official IGAD business.
- Holders of African Airlines Travel Association (IATA) Laissez-Passers whilst on official
business.
- Holders of Environment Liaison Centre International Laissez-Passers whilst on official
ELCI business.
- Holders of Union of Radio, Television Network of Africa (URTNA) Laissez-Passers whilst
on official URTNA
business.
- Holders of International Labour Organization (ILO) Laissez-Passers whilst on official
ILO business.
- Holders of Preferential Trade Area/Common Market of East & Southern Africa bank
Laissez-Passers whilst on
official PTA/COMESA business.
- Holders of European Union Laissez-Passers whilst on official European Union Business.
- Holders of CIP (International Potato Centre) Laissez-Passers whilst on official CIP
business.
- Holders of African Reinsurance Corporation (ARC) Laissez-Passers whilst on official ARC
business.
- Holders of African Housing Fund (AHF) Laissez-Passers whilst on official AHF business.
- The Islamic Republic of Iran for a period not exceeding (30) days stay.
- Holders of Diplomatic Official, Special and Service Passports, from the Republic of
Turkey and members of their
families holding valid Diplomatic, Official, Special and Service Passports, while on
Transit or Stay not
exceeding ninety (90) days.
- Holders of Diplomatic, Official, or Service Passports from the Federal Republic of
Brazil for a period not
exceeding ninety (90) days.
- Serving Members of the British Military (are exempted from visa formalities).
- The manifested crew of ships and aircrafts passing through or stopping in Kenya for
periods not exceeding seven
(7) days in the case of aircrew and fourteen (14) days for ship’s crew.
- Owners of private aircraft stopping over for refueling in Kenya and who do not leave the
precincts of the
airport.
Category 2
All persons holding valid
passports issued by Country of Nationality under - Category 2
Category 3
All persons holding valid
passports issued by Country of Nationality under - Category 3
Stateless persons not holding valid
passports/documents issued by their own Country of Nationality.
Prohibited Immigrants