Kenya has exempted Zimbabwean travellers heading into the country from paying the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) when applying to visit.
- In December 2023, President Ruto removed all visa requirements for travellers, stating, “It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya.”
- This new directive, which took effect in January 2024, requires each traveler to pay US$ 30, a significant reduction from the previous visa charges.
- However, the eTA has been met with mixed reaction from the tourism industry — particularly travellers from previously visa-exempt countries, who are now required to apply for the eTA and were paying a US$ 34 processing fee.
Before the introduction of the eTA system, citizens from 51 countries enjoyed visa-free entry to Kenya.
Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade confirmed the decision, saying Zimbabwean travelers to Kenya will apply for authorization on the digital platforms for identification without paying the fee.
Zimbabwe now joins Ethiopia in having its ETA requirements to travel to Kenya lifted. Additionally, Kenya has also removed the ETA requirements for travellers from Eritrea, South Africa, Mozambique, San Marino, Comoros, Botswana, and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).
Nationals from South Africa, the Comoros, the Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique and San Marino all fall under the exemption, due to the fact that these countries had “concluded visa abolition agreements or signed visa waiver agreements” with Kenya prior to the eTA’s introduction.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi revealed in March that the new travel requirements have led to a significant increase in tourism. Between January and March, Kenya received 330,000 visitors using ETA compared to 188,570 who used the previous eVisa system.
Currently, passport holders from Kenya’s fellow East African Community member states – Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda – are the only travellers exempted from applying.
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