Travellers that want to go to Kenya would do well to apply for a Kenya visa as early as possible. Due to the very strict visa rules which the country has, failure to apply on time can have grave consequences for your trip.
To travel to Kenya, you need to meet all of the requirements set by the government of Kenya. One of those requirements is that travellers possess a valid Kenya visa. If you forget to apply for one, the trip cannot go through.
Requirements to enter Kenya
Travellers that want to enter Kenya need to be able to present a valid Kenya visa. Furthermore, they have to meet the requirements tied to the visa. It is advised to check before departure whether all of your paperwork is in order. This includes both the visa itself, and any additional documentation it requires.
If it turns out that the documents are invalid, this can have serious consequences. For one, you can be denied entry to the country on arrival. Depending on the severity of the situation, there is even a risk of deportation.
Kenya has very strict visa rules. This means that if a traveller is deported from the country due to faulty paperwork, getting a visa in the future will become a lot more difficult.
Strict requirements
It is possible to apply for an electronic Kenya visa on the website of e-Visa.co.uk. Travellers will not need to visit the embassy to get their visa. The electronic visa is only meant for tourist travel purposes; this includes holidays and (somewhat less known) business trips. The visa has a specific validity period, and it is important that travellers observe it during their stay. Overstaying a visa can be cause for deportation.
Before applying for the visa, first the flights and accommodations have to have been booked. Applications submitted by British citizens are almost never rejected provided they meet all of the requirements. In the visa application, the traveller is required to fill in the exact dates of arrival in and departure from Kenya. You are also asked for the address information of the first place where you will be spending the night.
Apply for the visa on time!
Most important of all, apply for the visa on time. The visa for Kenya can take up to a week to get processed. This means that you should apply for a visa at least a week in advance, but preferably even earlier.
Apply for Kenya visa
Who does the Kenya e-visa apply to?
The online Kenya visa can be applied for by tourists and business travellers. All British travellers are required to possess a Kenya visa; travelling to the African country without a visa is impossible. You will inevitably be sent back to England.
You are required to apply for a visa with a valid passport. Applying with a different type of document, such as a driving license or a residence permit, is not allowed. On arrival, the passport has to be valid for at least six more months. Finally, the passport must contain at least one empty page.
Additional requirements
When applying for the Kenya visa take the additional requirements into account. For a business trip, you cannot enter into employment with an organisation in Kenya. To do so you require a specific work visa which you can get at the embassy.
Finally, Kenya has specific requirements regarding arrival locations. Travellers can only arrive in areas where there is a control point. These can be found on virtually any airport in Kenya.
Consequences breaking visa rules Kenya
If you did not follow these instructions to the letter, the Kenya visa will likely be rejected. In the worst case scenario, the traveller will be deported from the country and banned from entering for a number of years. Make sure to check before departure whether all of the documents are in order. This does not just apply to adults, but also to minors such as children and babies that are travelling along.
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.