Kenya removes ETA requirement for South African and southern African travelers

The Kenyan government has officially lifted the requirement to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for nationals of South Africa and other southern African countries. Earlier this year, the authorities announced the exemption of most African countries (our previous article). This decision has evolved and is aimed at strengthening free movement on the continent and boosting tourism. Until now, travelers from South Africa and southern Africa had to fill in the ETA form, but were entitled to free consular fees. From now on, this will no longer be necessary.

Which travellers are covered by the ETA exemption?

The citizens ofSouth Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho and Botswana have been added to the list of nationalities exempt from electronic travel authorization.

Nationals of the following countries are exempt from ETA and can travel to Kenya without an electronic travel authorizationand without having to pay consular fees. The length of stay varies from country to country.

African and Caribbean countries exempt from ETA / site https://etakenya.go.ke/

Key points of the new regulations

• Suppression of ETA: Citizens of South Africa, as well as those of most African countries and many Caribbean nations, no longer have to fill in lengthy forms or pay visa or ETA fees to enter Kenya.
• Specific exclusions : This exemption does not apply to Libya and Somalia, for security reasons cited by the authorities.
• Length of stay : The travelers concerned can stay in Kenya according to the length of stay granted, which can vary between 60, 90 or 180 days.
• Objective of the reform : These measures are part of Kenya's drive to promote open skies policies, support the tourism sector and facilitate intra-African mobility.

Setting the scene

• The ETA system was introduced in January 2024, replacing the traditional visa.
• The new reform aims to make travel easier and more fluid, while enhancing Kenya's attractiveness as an international destination and regional hub.

Further details

• Countries concerned : In addition to South Africa, the measure is aimed at many states in southern Africa and other African regions, with some security-related exceptions.
• Ancillary measures : The Kenyan government is also planning to implement a digital passenger pre-selection system to enhance security while maintaining ease of access.

This new measure, which consists of exempting several nationalities from the ETA procedure, allows the authorities to make several changes: boost tourism and facilitate entry conditions between the different regions of Africa. Kenya is thus positioning itself as a leader in the reform of migration policies, while at the same time supporting economic development and regional cooperation.

Fill in a file from ETA Kenya

• Kenya

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