It has been some time since Kenya announced scrapping the visa requirement for visitors from all countries. William Ruto, the president of Kenya, shared how travellers can enter the African country without showing a visa, effective from January 2024 with this groundbreaking policy. Well, looks like there might be a catch to this travel policy considering a buzz among many travel enthusiasts.
Is Kenya Really Visa-Free For Travellers? What Is The Ongoing Chaos All About?
The prefix visa-free is not completely free for international visitors. The country might have put an end to the mandate of acquiring a visa to travel to Kenya, but there is a compulsion to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). All foreigners wishing to travel to Kenya need to apply for an ETA and it costs $34 for every individual.
The present requirement might not be exactly the same as the mandate of getting a visa, but there are some rules and regulations to follow to get this authorisation. Firstly, all travellers need to apply for it a minimum of three days ahead of their travelling date to this nation, according to a report by Times Now News. Secondly, the step of paying the processing fee of $34 (₹2,823) for the ETA comes into action.
Another noticeable change in Kenya’s new travel policy is the payment of the processing fee for everyone. While the last rule was about kids below the age of 16 years not paying the visa fee, now travellers of all ages need to submit the processing fee. Most tourists do not seem to like the new policy as many are sharing their disappointed responses on social media.
Also read: 6 Wonderful Safaris To Experience In Kenya, Now That It Will Be Visa-Free From 2024
Netizens Are Voicing Outrage
Though the move of going visa-free was greatly accepted and appreciated by many, most people are now angry and not willing to pay the hefty Electronic Travel Authorisation fee for kids. Many even called the entire process “hectic”. With the requirement to apply for an ETA 3 days before, there is no scope for travelling to Kenya on an urgent basis. More than the amount of processing fee, many travel enthusiasts are complaining about how the process is different.
Also read: From Marine Parks To Restaurants, Kenya Now Lets You Invest In 122 Tourism-Related Projects
What are your views on this on this new visa policy?
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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