Travelers who need to change flights through Kenya and are due to board a flight within three days or 72 hours are eligible to apply for an electronic transit visa. It is important to note that the traveler must leave the airport if they are arriving with a transit visa
Kenyan transit visa is only allowed for foreigners. They must obtain it before traveling to Kenya and make sure they leave the country within 72 hours by boarding their connecting flight. In this regard, there are several conditions to meet and documents to produce before receiving a transit visa. On this page, you will understand all these requirements and everything you need to know about the Kenya transit e-visa.
The Kenyan transit visa allows visitors to indulge in sightseeing to spend their time productively instead of staying within the airport transit lounge. Kenya is one of the few countries where travelers can visit local sites before boarding their connecting flight. The transit visa to Kenya allows them to enjoy the rich culture, cuisine, and pleasant environment of Kenya, a country boasting vast natural beauty.
It is worth noting that the visa allows travelers to stay for a maximum duration of 72 hours. If you do not obtain this visa, you will have to spend the time in the airport's transit lounge until the time of your flight to the next destination.
A Kenya transit visa is a single-entry travel permit. It can be obtained online, but it is only offered to people traveling from Kenya to another country who wish to leave the airport premises. It is also called the 3-day visa.
Anyone wishing to cross Kenya's border has to obtain a transit visa. In this regard, the government of Kenya has set pre-defined eligibility criteria, which every traveler must meet to receive a transit visa. Firstly, you must be a citizen of a visa-eligible country. Secondly, you must be above the age of sixteen (16). Under 16, travelers do not need to obtain a transit visa to cross Kenya, and they can travel with a valid passport and an onward ticket.
Please note that a Kenya transit visa isn't allowed to seek employment in the country or engage in financial investment. For this purpose, you will need a business or work visa. If you have a connecting flight that does not require you to wait for long and leave the airport, you don't need a transit visa to board the flight
The transit visa costs around $$. The charges include card handling fees and surcharge for all payment cards, including debit, credit cards, and MasterCard and VISA.
Remember that if you want to spend more than three days in Kenya, you will need a tourist visa as transit vis is not valid beyond 72 hours.
While submitting the transit visa application, travelers must attach some documents to support their application. The approved file formats for digital documents are JPG, PDF, and Microsoft Word.
Points to Note Regarding Photograph
Foreigners can fly into Kenya via any of the following airports:
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is most international flights' primary entry port. It is located in the suburbs of Embakasi suburb and facilitates flights to more than 50 countries. This is where a majority of transit passengers also arrive. They can leave the airport if their flight is within the next 2 or 3 days if they have obtained a transit visa. To enjoy your trip to Kenya, please book a hotel before arriving and rent a car to avoid unnecessary hassles.
Kenya has discontinued the visa-on-arrival facility for foreigners. Every visitor arriving in Kenya must obtain a transit visa if their stay is less than 3 days, or else they should apply for a tourist e-visa. The country discontinued the visa-on-arrival service in 2020, and from January 2021, Kenya started offering online tourist and transit visas to facilitate international travelers. Remember that except for 43 visa-exempt countries, all nationalities must obtain a permit before traveling to Kenya. This includes travelers visiting Kenya for medical and business purposes.
Every international traveler crossing Kenya on their way to a different country must acquire a transit visa before boarding the flight to Kenya. This visa is available online and allows travelers to leave the airport [remises while they wait for the connecting flight.
You won't need a transit visa if you do not plan to leave the airport or go sightseeing in the city. It is necessary only if you want to leave the airport area. It is also unlike the visa on arrival, which was discontinued by the end of 2020. A transit visa lets you stay in Kenya for as long as three days and visit any site of your choice in the city before boarding the connecting flight.
An online transit visa to Kenya is valid for 72 hours or three days. It is a non-extendable, single-entry travel permit using which you can tour the city, book accommodation, and enjoy the exotic locales of the town. It is a fantastic opportunity to visit Kenya instead of spending hours in the airport's transit lounge.
Unfortunately, there is no way to extend the East Africa tourist visa. Once you get back to your home country, you must submit an online application for a new entrance permit if you want to stay in Kenya, Rwanda, or Uganda for a longer period.
Kenya transit visa can be received in 4 to 6 business days, depending on how urgently you need a visa. At the time of online submission of your visa form, you can choose the desired processing time. Remember that the visa fees vary as per the nationality and urgency involved.