Multiple travelers hoping to visit the country on President William Ruto’s declaration of Kenya being ‘VISA-Free’ have expressed their dissatisfaction on the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) system put in place to replace the eVISA.
According to an exclusive report on how the eTA system works accessed by BRK, a traveler says the portal currently available on eCitizen is more of a ‘cash-grab’ than a means of opening Kenya’s borders to tourists, others claiming it’s costlier than the previous eVISA.
Aviation expert Sean Mendis says the current eTA system is completely a bait-and-switch concept; substitution of a working system with something more costlier or inferior.
According to Sean, a traveler will have to apply to travel to Kenya at least 72 hours in advance at a cost of at least KSH. 4,600 for ordinary/standard eTA or KSH. 8,000 for premium eTA. Additionally, a traveler has to submit their confirmed flight itinerary and hotel booking copies.
“In some cases, the system also requires bank statements and proof of finance. The ordinary eTA is not changeable even if the flight is cancelled, but you can pay extra for the premium eTA to be allowed only one change of flight” reads a concern report exclusively seen by BRK.
Further, each eTA is redeemable for a single entry and you cannot apply for the next eTA until you exit the country, meaning, a foreigner cannot travel to Kenya more often than once every 72 hours.
“This system is not commendable. It is rather a cash-grab. The older eVISA regime was far better especially for those who qualified for actual VISA free entry in the past but now have to pay for this ‘not a VISA’ or for frequent travelers who could get multiple entry VISAs but now have to reapply every single time.
This is one of the harshest VISA regimes in Africa right now masquerading as a travel liberation. The long term will not be kind to Kenyan tourism,” says the concern report.
On 5 January, at least 2,141 foreigners on President Ruto’s VISA-free program arrived in the country through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the Immigration Department (through a statement) confirming the visitors travelled using the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
The 2,141 became the first batch of foreigners to travel to Kenya on VISA-free program and according to Immigration Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok, over 5,000 eTA applications have been received from visitors across the world.
The eTA system replaced the VISA which was scrapped by President Ruto last December during the country’s 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, declaring Kenya a VISA-free country from January 2024.
On Saturday, 6 January, some 47 Ethiopians were arrested along Mombasa Road in Makindu, Makueni County, for allegedly being in the country illegally. According to a police report, the aliens who were apprehended while traveling in a truck, had no documentation to confirm their identities or their mission.
They’re currently being held at Makindu Police Station awaiting arraignment on Monday.
