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The Kenyan government has officially declared that global visitors holding regular passports from their residing country can now travel to Kenya without the need for a visa, exclusively for tourism purposes. As reported by Wego, the announcement was made by President William Ruto during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi.
🇰🇪Starting January 2024, Kenya opens its doors as a visa-free country, embracing global unity and fostering socio-economic growth. This bold move reflects Kenya's commitment to a connected world and a thriving tourism landscape.
🔗https://t.co/J3ixi2wNGn pic.twitter.com/V9Bpy52zPQ
— World Tourism Organization (@UNWTO) January 2, 2024
President Ruto emphasized that this abolishment is rooted in the commitment to embrace globalization and facilitate the opening of borders to stimulate the socio-economic progress of the nation.
Effective from January 2024, people who wish to travel to Kenya for tourism will not be required to apply for a visa. A new digital platform has been developed specifically for identifying people travelling to Kenya so that they can obtain Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
As part of the ETA system, travellers will be charged Ksh4,600 when applying for a permit and Ksh7,600 for a single entry visa.
Previously, only people from bi-lateral countries were allowed to enter Kenya without a visa. However, this new development is expected to help Kenya from perennial challenges and foster cross-border development.
