Kilimanjaro, across the border in Tanzania, seen from Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Who needs a visa for Kenya?

Sub-Saharan Africa · Nairobi

Photo: Sergey Pesterev / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Of 198 nationalities, 77 enter Kenya with no paperwork at all. The rest: 121 must be approved before they travel.

Government fee
$30
Stay permitted
The standard eTA allows one entry. A one-year eTA allows multiple entries.
Apply on the official Kenya government site

This is the government's own portal. We are not paid to send you there.

Checked 19 September 2026 — read the fees and rules on etakenya.go.ke

What Kenya asks for

  • Passport valid for at least six months
  • A passport-style photograph or a selfie taken in the application
  • Return or onward ticket
  • Hotel booking or the address where you will stay
  • Proof of funds for the stay

Worth knowing

  • The official Kenya eTA costs $30 and is applied for only at etakenya.go.ke. Agent sites charging $90 or more are filling in the same form for you.
  • Kenya no longer runs an eVisa. Any site still selling a 'Kenya eVisa' is out of date or not genuine.

Photo requirements

We have not yet read the photo rules for Kenya on an official page, so we print no sizes. Photo rules we have checked, and official links for the rest

Resize a photo in your browser. It is never uploaded.

How long your passport must be valid for Kenya: see passport validity by country.

What do you need?

Who needs what

Visa free 77

Nothing to apply for and nothing to pay before you travel.

eTA (electronic travel authorisation) 121

Not a visa. A short online form for travellers who are already visa-exempt, usually approved automatically in minutes to hours. No appointment, no interview, no documents.

Guides for Kenya

About Kenya

Region
Eastern Africa
Capital
Nairobi
Population
57,532,493 2025 · 26th of 197
Size
580,367 km² 47th largest of 199
Density
99 per km²
Languages
English, Swahili
Currency
Kenyan shilling KES
Borders
Ethiopia Somalia South Sudan Tanzania Uganda

Capital, area, languages and currency from the open country dataset, pulled 21 September 2026. Population from the World Bank, series updated 13 July 2026. Density is calculated from the two figures above.