In a significant move to promote regional integration and tourism growth, Kenya’s cabinet has announced that citizens of nearly all African countries will no longer require prior authorization to visit the country.
This decision comes after the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system last year, which was met with criticism for being a “visa under another name”.
Under the new directive, citizens of most African countries will be allowed to enter and stay in Kenya for up to two months without an ETA.
Members of the East African Community, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, will be permitted to stay for up to six months.
Notably, Somalia and Libya are exempt from this new policy due to security concerns.
Kenya’s decision is part of its efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, as well as promote regional integration and ease travel across the continent.
Interestingly, despite introducing the ETA system, Kenya’s ranking in the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index dropped 17 places to 46th out of 54 nations.
The country aims to improve its ranking and traveller experience with the introduction of an enhanced process, allowing for instant approval and a maximum processing time of 72 hours.
