For a new trip, check Kenya's current Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system rather than following an old eVisa application guide. Start with your passport's eligibility: some travelers are exempt and should not buy an eTA service just because a search result says “Kenya visa.”
This guide helps you choose the application route. For the complete document list, use our Kenya eTA requirements guide; for passport-specific entry arrangements, check your nationality.
Why search results still mention Kenya eVisa
An older article, saved link or agency product name may use “eVisa” for a Kenya trip. That label alone does not establish which permission you need today. The current government portal is etakenya.go.ke, where the product is described as an eTA.
Use the live government instructions for a new application. Do not enter passport or payment details into an old form merely because it appears near the top of a search result. On this website, “Kenya eTA” describes the current travel authorization; our service is independent application assistance.
Compare the routes before paying
| Route | What you are choosing | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt traveler | An entry arrangement that may not require an eTA | Confirm your passport, visit length and travel purpose on the official eligibility service |
| Government eTA application | Self-service submission directly to the authority | Prepare the documents requested by the official form |
| Private eTA assistance | Paid help with preparation, document checks and submission | Compare our charges and handling terms with the direct route |
| Regional itinerary | A trip that also visits Rwanda or Uganda | Confirm the permission needed in each country before purchasing a regional product |
The eTA is permission to travel; immigration makes the final admission decision on arrival. Payment, a private application reference and an approved authorization are different stages.
Is a regional tourist visa the same as a Kenya eTA?
A journey through Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda needs a separate itinerary check. Do not assume that an ordinary Kenya eTA provides permission for the neighboring countries, or that a regional visa automatically settles Kenya's current eTA requirement.
Before paying, give the relevant immigration authority your passport nationality, first country of entry, border crossings, dates and any permission already issued. Ask which application route covers those movements and whether another authorization is required. Kenya's current official eligibility checker should be checked for the traveler rather than inferring an exemption from a product name or a regional fee table.
A safari booking does not finish the application
Ask the tour operator which parts of the booking they have arranged. A lodge confirmation, transfer schedule or package invoice is not by itself an eTA approval. Keep your own copy of the issued authorization if your trip requires one.
If the operator supplies accommodation and route details, prepare them together before starting the form. Our safari accommodation guide explains how to organize a multi-stop trip without treating a tour invoice as proof of immigration approval.
Need help with an application close to departure?
First confirm that an eTA is required and that you do not already have a submitted application needing follow-up. Starting a second application does not resolve an unanswered request on the first one.
For a new assisted application, our optional Urgent handling within 5 business hours costs an additional US$69.99 per traveler. It speeds up our review and submission work. It does not guarantee an authority decision before your flight. Kenya's official portal also describes its own urgent service; that is separate from our private add-on.
With our US$69.99 service fee, the service fee plus Urgent add-on is US$139.98 per traveler, before the applicable Government & Admin Fee and any other selected extras. Normal handling currently takes 1–7 business days after complete documents are received. Our checkout selects Urgent when the arrival date is within 0–2 calendar days; this is a service rule, not a government requirement.
Review processing and imminent-travel options, compare the full fee breakdown, or start an application with Urgent handling.
Sources and review
Checked 4 November 2026. The comparisons and preparation examples are editorial guidance, not reports of customer outcomes.
