Apply for your Kenya travel authorisation
Lions of the Maasai Mara, elephants beneath Kilimanjaro, white Swahili sands. One travel authorisation opens it all — we handle the paperwork; approval lands in your inbox.
Start my applicationIssued in 7–10 days · 100% online
Your Electronic Travel Authorisation,
delivered to your inbox.
Apply online, pay securely, and your approved Electronic Travel Authorisation is delivered straight to your email inbox — no embassy visit.
Safari country, from the Mara to the coast.
Every Electronic Travel Authorisation is issued online — no embassy visit required. Government fee plus our processing fee, shown in full before you pay.
How it works
Three steps between you and your Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Before you apply
Applying for your Kenya travel authorisation
Kenya's travel authorisation is issued by Directorate of Immigration Services, Republic of Kenya. govr.me is a private, independent service — we are not a government department. We check your documents, complete the official form and submit your application for you. You can also apply yourself, directly and for the government fee only, at the official portal authority website.
What it costs
Prices in USD. Our fee pays for our help only; it does not buy a faster government decision. Applying directly at the official portal costs the government fee alone.
Since 2024 almost every visitor needs a travel application before travelling to Kenya, including nationalities that were previously travel application-free. Citizens of most African Union member states (currently all except Somalia and Libya) and of the East African Community can travel without a travel application — confirm your nationality on the official portal.
Passport
- Valid for at least 6 months from your application date.
- At least 1 blank page.
- Valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended date of entry.
Photo
- Format: JPG/PNG
- A clear passport-style photo, or a selfie taken during the application.
Documents you'll need
- Coloured passport bio-page scan
- Passport-style photograph
- Confirmed return or onward flight ticket
- Accommodation details for your stay (hotel booking or host address)
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country where it is endemic
How the application works
- Choose your trip type + nationality
- Personal & passport details
- Travel details (arrival date, accommodation)
- Upload supporting documents
- Pay
Payment: Card. Approved travel application emailed as a PDF. Apply at least 3 days before departure — the Directorate sets the processing time.
Do
- Apply at least 3 days before you fly — the travel application is checked at boarding.
- Use the official portal at etakenya.go.ke; Kenya has many lookalike sites.
- Make sure every detail matches your passport exactly.
- Carry a printed or offline copy of your approved travel application.
- Check whether a yellow fever certificate applies to your route.
Don't
- Don't book non-refundable flights before your travel application is approved.
- Don't leave it to the airport — a travel application cannot reliably be obtained on arrival.
- Don't enter mismatched passport or travel details.
- Don't overstay the period granted — overstays carry fines and future entry problems.
Why applications are refused
Decisions rest entirely with Directorate of Immigration Services, Republic of Kenya. The most common reasons an application is turned down:
- Passport with less than 6 months validity.
- Unclear passport scan or photograph.
- No confirmed onward/return travel or accommodation.
- Personal details that do not match the passport.
govr.me is an independent travel-document assistance service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government, embassy or consulate. Requirements and fees are set by Directorate of Immigration Services, Republic of Kenya and can change — always confirm the current rules on the official portal (authority website) before you travel. Powered by IRCC FZCO.