A Kenyan Visa is a legal status and document obtained by citizens of foreign countries when they want to enter Kenya. It is usually attached to their travel documents or a passport issued by their country of origin.
The purpose of your intended travel to Kenya determines the type of visa you will apply as there are many different types of Kenyan visas depending on where you come from, how long you will stay, and even who you are since there are special categories of people like holders of United Nations Organization Laissez-Passers, Union of Radio, Television Network of Africa (URTNA) Laissez- Passers, African Reinsurance Corporation (ARC) Laissez-Passers, European Union Laissez-Passers, and African Airlines Travel Association (IATA) Laissez-Passers and a few others who need not a Kenyan Visa when coming to the country for official business.
Diplomatic officials, serving members of the British Military, and all African nationals can also come visa-free.
Kenyan Visa categories
While there are many Kenyan Visas available, with varying durations of stay or expiry dates and with either single or multiple entries, they can be grouped first as either online e-visas or regular paper/sticker visas (obtained physically in the Kenyan-based high commission or embassy of the visiting individual), then by purpose of the visa which as initially stated depends on the intention of travel.
For this, there are several Kenyan Visa types, and some are Tourist Visas, Business Visas, Student Visas, Entry Visas, Medical Visas and Medical Attendant Visas, Journalist Visas, Research Visas, and Employment and Project Visas, all with differing validity periods and application costs.
Kenyan Visa application fees in 2024
As mentioned, each type of Kenyan Visa has its own price, and their validity period also varies greatly.
For instance, getting a Tourist Visa, which is valid for one year, will cost you $100, while a Business Visa with the same validity period is $120, the same as obtaining an Employment Visa, which has a lesser expiration time of six months like the Entry Visa whose application fee is $80 – their prices vary greatly.
So check out all the prices for all Kenyan Visas for nonimmigrants before making your application to get one:
| No. | Kenyan Visa type | Fees | Entry limit | Expiration time |
| 1. | * Tourist Visa I * Tourist Visa II | – $100 – $200 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries | – Up to one year – 1 to 5 years |
| 2. | * Business Visa I * Business Visa II | – $120 – $250 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries | – Up to one year – 1 to 5 years |
| 3. | * Entry Visa I * Entry Visa II * Entry Visa III | – $80 – $120 – $200 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries – Multiple entries | – Up to six months – Six months to 1 year – 1 to 5 years |
| 4. | * Employment Visa I * Employment Visa II * Employment Visa III | – $120 – $200 – $300 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries – Multiple entries | – Up to six months – Six months to 1 year – 1 to 5 years |
| 5. | Transit Visa | $20 | Single/double entry | Up to 15 days |
| 6. | Intern Visa | $80 | Multiple entries | Up to one year |
| 7. | Student Visa | $80 | Multiple entries | 5 years |
| 8. | * Medical Visa I * Medical Visa II | – $80 – $120 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries | – Up to six months – Six months to 1 year |
| 9. | Journalist Visa | $80 | Single/double entry | Up to six months |
| 10. | * Research Visa I * Research Visa II * Research Visa III | – $80 – $120 – $200 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries – Multiple entries | – Up to six months – Six months to 1 year – 1 to 5 years |
| 11. | * Missionary Visa I * Missionary Visa II * Missionary Visa III | – $80 – $120 – $200 | – Single/Multiple entry – Multiple entries – Multiple entries | – Up to six months – Six months to 1 year – 1 to 5 years |
READ: How to Get Your First Kenyan Passport
