If you’re planning a Kenya safari, an approved Kenya eTA is the first thing you need, before you even book flights. The eTA replaced the old visa system in January 2024, and every visitor, including infants and children, needs one before they travel. This guide covers who needs it, what it costs, how to apply, and what to expect.
Kenya is visa free, but visa free doesn’t mean you can just show up. You still need an Electronic Travel Authorization, or eTA, approved before you board your flight. Think of it as a pre-travel screening, it tells the Kenyan government who’s coming and when.
We’ve been planning Kenya safaris since 1995, so we help travelers through this process every week. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is the Kenya eTA?
The Kenya eTA is a digital permit that allows you to travel to Kenya. You apply online, pay a fee, and receive approval by email, no embassy visit, no passport sent anywhere.
It’s not a visa. Kenya abolished visa requirements for most nationalities in January 2024, replacing them with the eTA system, which identifies travelers in advance. An approved eTA gives you permission to travel to Kenya, but it’s not a guarantee of entry, the final decision is made by the immigration officer when you arrive.
The eTA is valid for travel within 90 days of the date it’s issued. Once you arrive, your length of stay is set at the point of entry, most tourist eTAs allow up to 90 days
Who Needs a Kenya eTA?
Most international travelers need one, tourists, business travelers, family visitors, and transit passengers who leave the airport.
Every traveler needs their own eTA, including infants and children, there’s no family application.
If you’re a citizen of an East African Community member state, Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda, you don’t need an eTA and can stay up to 180 days without one.
Kenya has also waived the eTA for citizens of many African and Caribbean nations for short stays, alongside countries like Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and Jamaica. If you’re unsure whether you need one, check the official eTA website before booking anything.
How Much Does the Kenya eTA Cost?
The standard single entry eTA costs $30 USD per person, covering one entry and a stay of up to 90 days.
Other options include a transit eTA at $20 for connecting flights, a one year multi entry eTA, a five year multi entry eTA, and an East African Tourist eTA covering Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda in one $100 permit. Fees for the longer multi entry options can change, worth confirming the current price on the official portal when you apply.
You’ll also pay small bank and processing charges on top, depending on your payment method.
Be careful of third party websites charging well above the official fee, some unofficial sites charge $100 or more for the same eTA. Always apply through the official government portal, etakenya.go.ke.
What Documents Do You Need?
Before starting your application, have these ready:
- A valid passport with at least six months remaining after your planned arrival, with at least one blank page
- A recent selfie or passport style photo
- Your email address and phone number
- Your arrival and departure flight details
- Confirmation of your accommodation booking
- A credit card, debit card or other means of payment
Business travelers need an invitation letter from the company they’re visiting, family visitors need one from their host, and medical travelers need a letter from the hospital.
A Note on the Travel Health Insurance Requirement
You may see mentions online of a new mandatory $50,000 travel health insurance requirement for visitors to Kenya. Here’s the current, accurate status, worth knowing since this has genuinely changed more than once in recent months.
In late July 2026, Kenya’s government gazetted a rule requiring non-Kenyan visitors staying under 12 months to hold travel health insurance with a minimum $50,000 in cumulative coverage, to be uploaded and verified through the eTA system. However, Kenya’s High Court suspended enforcement of this requirement on August 25, 2026, after legal challenges to how it was introduced, and the matter is still working through the courts, with a further hearing scheduled for late September 2026.
What this means practically: as things stand, this insurance requirement is not currently being enforced, and the eTA application process doesn’t require it. That said, this is an active legal situation and could change again. We’d strongly recommend checking the official eTA portal directly for the current requirement shortly before you apply, and regardless of the legal outcome, travel insurance covering medical care and emergency evacuation is something we recommend for every safari anyway, it’s simply good practice on a trip like this.
How to Apply, Step by Step
Step 1. Go to the official website. The only official portal is etakenya.go.ke.
Step 2. Click Apply Now and select the eTA type you need, most tourists choose Standard.
Step 3. Fill in your details exactly as they appear in your passport. Even a small spelling mismatch can cause problems at the airport.
Step 4. Upload your documents, your passport photo page, a clear selfie, and anything else required.
Step 5. Enter your travel details, arrival and departure dates, flight numbers, and accommodation.
Step 6. Pay the fee, $30 plus any bank charges, by card.
Step 7. Wait for approval. Standard processing takes about three working days. You’ll get approval by email, print a copy and keep it with your travel documents, and be ready to show it on your phone too.
Apply up to three months before you travel, but not much earlier, since the eTA expires 90 days after it’s issued.
How Long Does Processing Take?
Standard processing takes about three working days, though official advice is to apply at least two weeks ahead to allow for delays. An expedited service can process applications within 72 hours for an extra fee, subject to capacity.
Don’t leave this to the last minute, airlines won’t let you board without an approved eTA.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong website. Several unofficial sites look official and charge well above $30. Only use etakenya.go.ke.
- Spelling your name wrong. Your eTA must match your passport exactly.
- Applying too early. It expires 90 days after issue.
- Not printing a copy. Digital copies are usually fine, but a printed one is safer if your phone dies or you lose signal
What Happens When You Arrive
At immigration in Nairobi or Mombasa, an officer checks your passport and eTA, takes your fingerprints and a photo, then decides whether to admit you. Your eTA isn’t a guarantee of entry, but if your documents are in order, there’s usually no problem. Keep your eTA and accommodation details ready to show if asked.
Conclusion
The Kenya eTA is straightforward once you know what to expect. Apply through the official website, have your documents ready, and give yourself at least two weeks before you travel. Don’t use third party sites, don’t leave it to the last minute, and make sure your name matches your passport exactly.
If you’re planning a Kenya safari and need a hand with the eTA process, we’re happy to help, we’ve been guiding travelers through this since 1995.
