The Kenya visa is required for almost all travellers aged 16 and above travelling to this country. In this article, you can read more about the information that must be provided when applying for a visa for a trip to Kenya with children. Furthermore, always keep in mind the requirements when applying for a Kenya visa.
Do I need to apply for a Kenya visa for my children?
All travellers aged 16 and older with a passport from the United Kingdom, Switzerland or a country in the EU require a visa for a trip to Kenya. With this visa, they are allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 days. Only travellers with the nationality of Cyprus (regardless of their age) and travellers aged 15 and under with a tourist or business travel purpose do not need to apply for a visa. As for children under the age of 18 travelling with an adult traveller, the visa application form does require some information to be provided.
Required information for travelling to Kenya with a child
If children under the age of 17 travel with an adult traveller, it is also necessary to provide some information about these children in the application form. However, this rule only applies when the adult traveller requires a visa to travel to Kenya. In that case, the childʼs information must be added to the application form of the designated adult traveller. The entry fields appear when you select “yes” under the question “Is a minor (under 18 years of age) travelling along?”.
When travelling with children, you also need to keep in mind the other rules regarding travelling with children. These rules have been implemented to prevent child abduction. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad.
Visa application for accompanying children older than 15
Minor children between the age of 16 and 18 do need to apply for a visa. If they are travelling with an adult, they can be added to the visa application of this adult traveller by clicking on “Add a traveller” in the application form. That way, you can submit a group application, which is a convenient way to apply for the required Kenya visa for several travellers at the same time.
Conveniently use a group application
Children under the age of 16 at the moment of arrival in Kenya do not require their own visa. The information of children who, at the time of arrival in the country, are not yet 18 years of age and are travelling with an adult, needs to be added to the visa application of the designated adult traveller. This also applies to babies.
Filling in the required information for all accompanying children can easily be done on the same application form that is used to submit the visa application for the adult traveller. Thus, children aged 16 and 17 require their own visa, but must also provide their information in the visa application for an accompanying adult. By submitting a group application, multiple visas can be applied for at the same time, and the required information for any accompanying children can also be submitted right away.
Required documents for children travelling without a visa
All travellers requiring a visa to Kenya (anyone aged 16 and above) must submit a photograph, passport photo or scan and a booking confirmation or invitation letter. All minors who need to be added to the application of a travelling adult need only submit a photo or scan of their passport. A photograph and a separate booking confirmation or invitation letter is not required for them. This passport scan can also be submitted at the same time as the documents of one of the accompanying adults. Thus, for children aged 16 and 17, digital passport scans must be submitted twice.
Is your child turning 16 shortly before travelling to Kenya?
Is your child not yet 16 at the time of application, but will be 16 upon arrival in Kenya? In that case, they will require their own visa. Keep in mind that the Kenya visa can only be applied for online after the child turns 16. If the child turns 16 within two weeks of the arrival date in Kenya, you need to schedule an appointment at the Kenyan High Commission or Embassy. Other travellers within the same travelling party can apply for their visas online.
Is the child turning 16 after arriving in Kenya? In that case, the child does not require their own visa, but does need to have their information added to the visa application of the accompanying adult.
Other questions regarding a trip to Kenya?
When travelling to Kenya with children, you need to keep in mind that children older than 16 require a visa, and that for children under the age of 18, some information must be provided with the visa application of an accompanying adult. In addition, it is good to keep in mind that there are special rules in place for minors travelling to Kenya without one or more parents or guardians, to prevent child abduction. More on this and other information about the Kenya visa can be found on the frequently asked questions and answers page.
Please note: this news article about the visa for Kenya is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Kenya.