Kenya entry requirements, by passport
Kenya visa requirements at a glance: 198 of the 198 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Kenya without arranging a visa beforehand: visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorisation.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Kenya for your nationality.
What we've verified for Kenya
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 21 August 2026). The specifics depend on your nationality: open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Authorisation fee: 30 USD
- Typical processing time
- Required documents (6)
- Required vaccinations
- Health-insurance rules
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Stay and transit rules
Sources: etakenya.go.ke/faqs (fee from USD 30 plus USD 100 for urgent processing, 72-hour processing, documents); etakenya.go.ke/terms-and-conditions (fee non-refundable and non-transferable); etakenya.go.ke/general-information (exemptions under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Rules 2025, transit, admission at the border, advice to apply two weeks ahead); kenyahighcom.org.uk/visas (Kenya High Commission in London: the eTA replaced the visa from January 2024 and is not issued on arrival); immigration.go.ke/travelers-obligations (Directorate of Immigration Services: deportation for overstaying); new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2011/12 (Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011, consolidated to 31 December 2022, sections 53 and 55: fines for unlawful presence); kra.go.ke (Kenya Revenue Authority, passenger terminal FAQ: alcohol and tobacco allowances for those aged 18 or over and currency declaration from USD 10,000); WHO, International Travel and Health country list 2022, revised 3 January 2023 (yellow fever: certificate for travellers aged one year or over arriving from countries with risk) (checked 29 September 2026).
Since January 2024 Kenya has required an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), which replaced the visa, from every visitor who is not exempt, including infants and children. Citizens of the East African Community and of two lists of countries published on the official etakenya.go.ke portal are exempt.
This table summarises the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track. The difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorisation, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorisation: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 2 November 2026. Published: 21 August 2026.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Afghanistan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Albania | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Algeria | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Andorra | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Angola | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Argentina | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Armenia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Australia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Austria | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Azerbaijan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bahrain | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Bangladesh | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belarus | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Belgium | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Belize | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Benin | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Bhutan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Bolivia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Botswana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brazil | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Brunei | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bulgaria | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Burkina Faso | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Burundi | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Cambodia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Cameroon | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Canada | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Cape Verde | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Central African Republic | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Chad | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Chile | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| China | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Colombia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Comoros | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Croatia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Cuba | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Cyprus | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Denmark | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Djibouti | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Dominica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Dominican Republic | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| DR Congo | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Ecuador | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Egypt | Visa-free | 60 days |
| El Salvador | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Eritrea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Estonia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Eswatini | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ethiopia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Fiji | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Finland | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| France | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Gabon | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Gambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Georgia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Germany | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Ghana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Greece | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Grenada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guatemala | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Guinea | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Guinea-Bissau | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Guyana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Haiti | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Honduras | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Hong Kong | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Hungary | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Iceland | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| India | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Indonesia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Iran | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Iraq | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Ireland | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Israel | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Italy | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Ivory Coast | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Jamaica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Japan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Jordan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Kazakhstan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Kiribati | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Kosovo | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Kuwait | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Laos | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Latvia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Lebanon | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Lesotho | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Liberia | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Libya | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Liechtenstein | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Lithuania | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Luxembourg | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Macao | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Madagascar | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Malawi | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Maldives | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mali | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Malta | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Marshall Islands | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Mauritania | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Mauritius | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mexico | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Micronesia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Moldova | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Monaco | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Mongolia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Montenegro | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Morocco | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Mozambique | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Myanmar | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Namibia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nauru | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nepal | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Netherlands | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| New Zealand | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Nicaragua | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Niger | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Nigeria | Visa-free | 60 days |
| North Korea | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| North Macedonia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Norway | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Oman | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Pakistan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Palau | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Palestine | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Panama | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Papua New Guinea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Paraguay | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Peru | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Philippines | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Poland | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Portugal | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Qatar | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Republic of the Congo | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Romania | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Russia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Rwanda | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Lucia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Samoa | Visa-free | 90 days |
| San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Saudi Arabia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Senegal | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Serbia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Seychelles | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Sierra Leone | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovakia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Slovenia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Solomon Islands | Visa-free | — |
| Somalia | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| South Africa | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Korea | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| South Sudan | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Spain | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Sri Lanka | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Sudan | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Suriname | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Sweden | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Switzerland | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Syria | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Taiwan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Tajikistan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Tanzania | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Thailand | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Timor-Leste | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Togo | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Tonga | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Tunisia | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Turkey | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Turkmenistan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Tuvalu | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uganda | Visa-free | 180 days |
| Ukraine | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| United Arab Emirates | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| United Kingdom | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| United States | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Uruguay | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Uzbekistan | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Vanuatu | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Vatican | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Venezuela | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Vietnam | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Yemen | Electronic authorisation (ETA) | — |
| Zambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Zimbabwe | Visa-free | 90 days |
Kenya rules for every passport
Vaccinations, customs limits and penalties are the same for every traveller.
Vaccinations
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers aged one year or over arriving from a country with risk of transmission.
Customs limits
- Cash
- Declare via Form F88 if carrying USD 10,000 or more (or the equivalent in another currency).
- Alcohol
- 1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of wine, duty-free, for those aged 18 or over.
- Tobacco
- 250 g of cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, tobacco or snuff (combined), duty-free, for those aged 18 or over.
Overstay penalties
Staying beyond the authorised period means being unlawfully present in Kenya, an offence punishable by a fine of up to KES 500,000, up to three years in prison, or both (section 53 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011). If the overstay is no longer than ten days, the immigration officer may offer, on departure, a written admission of the contravention and impose an instant fine of up to KES 50,000 (section 55); anyone who does not pay immediately can be prosecuted. The Directorate of Immigration Services adds that overstaying can lead to deportation.
Grounds for refusal
- Turning up to board without an approved eTA: it is required of every visitor who is not exempt before the journey begins, with no exemption by age, and approval takes three working days (sometimes longer), so leaving it to the last minute is the most avoidable mistake.
Travel insurance
Each destination decides whether to require insurance, and some check it at the border. If yours does, make sure the policy covers the whole trip.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
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Do you need a different visa for Nairobi, Mombasa, or Kisumu?
No. Kenya sets the requirements, so entering through Nairobi asks for the same as entering through Mombasa or Kisumu. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travellers to Kenya
Kenya is the safari par excellence, and almost the whole trip revolves around the parks. The Maasai Mara reserve, a continuation of the Serengeti plain, is the stage for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra (July-October) and the best place in the country to see predators. Amboseli offers elephants with Kilimanjaro behind; Lake Nakuru, flamingos and rhino; and Tsavo, red earth and big spaces. Nairobi, the capital, has the only national park inside a city and is worth a day. On the coast, Diani and the island of Lamu, a Swahili old town of alleys and dhows and a World Heritage site. Kenya has 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Ten days cover two or three parks plus a few days on a beach. The dry season (June-October and January-February) is best for safari. Official advisories warn against the Somalia border and parts of the north and the coast north of Malindi, away from the usual circuits.
Sources for this section: magicalkenya.com (Kenya Tourism Board); UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org, 7 sites in Kenya); UK FCDO travel advice for Kenya. Accessed 31 August 2026.
Things to see and do in Kenya
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:
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Where can Kenya passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.