IN an announcement made on Tuesday, Kenya has decided to postpone President William Ruto’s directive to introduce visa-free entries for global travellers. This decision retains the current requirement for travellers planning to visit Kenya to apply for visas through Kenyan embassies, upholding the existing visa application process.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) clarified that foreigners must continue to adhere to the established visa application procedures until further notice. A spokesperson from the KCAA stated, ‘Despite the presidential directive indicating Kenya’s transition to a visa-free country from January 2024, the development and implementation of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system are underway.’
The KCAA outlined, ‘All travellers from countries that necessitate visas for entry into Kenya should continue to follow the usual visa application process until the government officially communicates the transition to the ETA system.’
However, the specific date for the implementation of the ETA system remains unspecified. The KCAA expressed that the forthcoming details regarding the implementation date will be communicated at a later time.
The initial announcement by President Ruto on December 12 had declared Kenya’s intention to waive visa requirements for international visitors, effective from January 1.
This decision to postpone the directive signifies a continuation of the current visa application protocol, emphasising that until the ETA system is fully established, international travellers must adhere to the existing visa acquisition procedures when planning trips to Kenya.