Kenya eTA application is the first step of every safari for international visitors. Kenya replaced the old visa system with an electronic travel authorisation. Most visitors apply online, pay a fee and receive an approval by email before they fly.
- FromUSD 30reported Kenya eTA fee for most visitors, confirm on the official portal
- DurationRead time 10 min
- StartsApply at least 3 days before you fly
- Best forInternational visitors flying to Kenya for a safari or beach holiday
- StyleSolo travellers, couples, families and groups
Rated 5.0 on Google from 46 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.
This guide explains who needs the eTA, who is exempt, how to apply step by step, which documents to upload and how long it takes. It also lists the most common mistakes and what to do if your approval is delayed.
Rules and fees change, so confirm every detail on the official portal. When you book a safari with us, we send your hotel and tour confirmations so your Kenya eTA application matches your itinerary.
Highlights
- Most international visitors need an eTA before flying to Kenya
- The reported fee is about USD 30, confirmed on the official portal
- Approval usually arrives in about 72 hours, so apply at least 3 days ahead
- East African Community citizens are exempt. Many African passports are exempt too
- You upload your passport, photo, ticket and accommodation details
- Only use the official Kenya eTA website
Kenya eTA application costs and sample safari prices
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya eTA fee | About USD 30 | Confirm on official portal |
| Processing time | About 72 hours | Apply 3 or more days ahead |
| 3 day Maasai Mara Big Five safari | USD 850 | Per person sharing |
| 5 day Great Migration safari | USD 1,450 | Per person sharing |
| 8 day multi park safari | USD 2,200 | Per person sharing |
- The eTA fee is set by the Kenyan government and can change. Confirm the figure on the official portal before you pay.
- Safari prices are guide prices per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment.
- The eTA does not include travel insurance, vaccines or park fees. Those are separate costs in your safari quote.
Get my exact price on WhatsApp
What the Kenya eTA application is
The Kenya eTA is an electronic travel authorisation. It replaced the old visa for most visitors. You apply online, upload your documents and pay a fee. The approval is a digital document linked to your passport.
You show the approval when you check in for your flight and again at Kenyan immigration. The eTA allows a stay of up to 90 days for tourism in most cases. The exact dates are written on your approval, so read it carefully.
Who needs a Kenya eTA application
Most international visitors need one. This includes travellers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and many other countries. Every traveller needs an approval, including children and babies.
Check the rule for your passport on the official portal before you fly. Kenya has changed its entry rules several times. Old blog posts are often wrong.
Who is exempt from the Kenya eTA application
Citizens of the East African Community states are exempt. Kenya also announced exemptions for many African passports in early 2025. Diplomats and some other categories have special rules.
If you are unsure, check the official exemption list. If you are exempt, carry your passport and your return ticket. Officers can still ask about your trip at the border.
Step by step: complete your Kenya eTA application
The Kenya eTA application form takes about 20 minutes. Prepare everything first so you do not lose your session.
- Open the official Kenya eTA website and start a new application.
- Enter your personal details exactly as they appear in your passport.
- Upload your passport bio page and a recent photo.
- Add your flight details and your accommodation in Kenya.
- Review every field and pay the fee by card.
- Wait for the approval email, then download and print it.
Documents for your Kenya eTA application
Gather these before you start your Kenya eTA application. Blurry scans and missing details cause most delays.
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from arrival.
- Passport bio page scan in colour.
- Recent passport style photo.
- Return or onward flight booking.
- Hotel booking, safari voucher or host address in Kenya.
- Travel itinerary with dates.
- Yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a risk country.
Kenya eTA application fee and processing time
The reported fee is about USD 30 for most visitors, paid by card at the end of the form. The Kenyan government sets the fee and may change it. Check the portal on the day you apply. Older guides sometimes quote a different figure.
Approval often arrives in about 72 hours. Apply at least 3 days before you fly. For a safari in July, August or December, apply 2 weeks early. The fee is not refunded if the application is declined.
Using your safari booking for your Kenya eTA application
The eTA asks where you will stay. A safari voucher or hotel booking is the best proof. When you book with Authentic Adventures, we send a written itinerary and confirmations for your hotels and camps.
Copy the hotel name and city exactly as written. If you stay in more than one place, list the first night or the main address as the form asks. The Kenya eTA application is a travel plan, not a booking contract.
Common Kenya eTA application mistakes
Most delays in a Kenya eTA application come from small errors.
- Name does not match the passport exactly.
- Passport scan is blurry or cropped.
- Passport has fewer than 6 months of validity.
- Accommodation details are missing or unclear.
- Applicant used a copycat website and paid extra.
- Dates on the form do not match the flight.
If your Kenya eTA application is delayed or declined
If your Kenya eTA application is slow, check your spam folder and the portal status first. If 72 hours have passed, contact the official support address on the portal. Do not apply a second time without checking, because you may pay twice.
If your application is declined, read the reason. Fix the error and apply again. If your flight is close, tell your airline and your tour operator. We can help you rearrange transfers if you need a short delay.
Yellow fever and health rules for Kenya
Kenya asks for a yellow fever certificate from travellers arriving from or transiting a country with a risk of the disease. If you fly direct from the US, UK or most of Europe, this normally does not apply. Check your routing.
Malaria is a risk in most safari areas. Ask your doctor about tablets 4 to 6 weeks before you fly. Our guide to Kenya vaccinations and malaria explains the basics.
After your Kenya eTA application is approved
Once the Kenya eTA application is approved, print two copies and save a PDF on your phone. Check the name, passport number and dates. Keep it with your passport and your safari voucher.
Next, plan your trip. See our 3 day Masai Mara safari for a short first trip or the 7 day Kenya safari for a longer plan. Use the safari price calculator and pay in instalments through book a trip and pay by card.
Kenya eTA application for families and children
Each child needs a separate Kenya eTA application, including babies. Use the same hotel and flight details for the whole family so the files match. A parent can complete the form on behalf of a child and upload the child passport.
If one parent travels alone with a child, carry a signed letter from the other parent and a copy of the birth certificate. Airlines and border officers can ask for these. Check yellow fever rules for children too, since age limits differ by country.
A simple timeline for your Kenya eTA application
Good planning keeps the process calm. Three months out, check your passport has 6 months of validity. Two months out, book your safari and your flights. Three weeks out, complete your Kenya eTA application and pay the fee. One week out, print the approval and your safari voucher.
If you travel in the July to October migration season or over Christmas, apply even earlier. Flights are full and any delay is hard to fix.
What happens at Nairobi airport after your approval
You land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and join the immigration line. The officer checks your passport, your eTA approval and your return ticket. They take your fingerprints and a photo. The process often takes 20 to 60 minutes.
Collect your bags and walk to arrivals. Your driver guide meets you with a sign. If you have booked an airport pickup with us, see airport transfers Nairobi for fixed rates. If you plan to hire a car, see car hire Nairobi.
What to budget after your Kenya eTA application
The eTA is a small cost. The bigger costs are park fees, vehicle, guide, lodging and tips. Maasai Mara fees for non residents are USD 100 per day from January to June and USD 200 per day from July to December. See our guide to Kenya national park entry fees for the full list.
Tips for your driver guide and camp staff are extra. Travel insurance and vaccines are extra too. Our safari quotes list each cost line so you can see what is included.
Travel insurance and safety for your Kenya trip
Buy travel insurance with medical cover and emergency evacuation before you fly. A medical evacuation from a remote camp can cost thousands of dollars. Read our guide to Kenya travel insurance and AMREF Flying Doctors for options.
Kenya is a popular safari country with experienced guides. Follow your driver guide on game drives and stay in the vehicle near wildlife. Keep your passport copy with you and the original in the safe.
Safari ideas once your approval arrives
Most visitors combine the Maasai Mara with one or two other parks. The Mara is best for big cats and the Great Migration from July to October. Amboseli gives you elephants with Mount Kilimanjaro behind them. Lake Nakuru gives you flamingos and rhinos.
Short on time? A 3 day Mara trip is enough for a first safari. Have more days? Add Amboseli or Lake Nakuru. See the Kenya safari packages and prices page for every option and the Maasai Mara safari packages and prices page for Mara trips.
Country pages for visitors from your home market
We run trips for visitors from many countries. See our pages for US travelers, UK travellers, Indian travellers and travellers from Dubai and the UAE.
Each page lists travel times, season tips and sample prices in your currency where possible. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and passport country and we will point you to the right plan.
Turn this Kenya eta application guide into a real trip
Reading about Kenya eta application is the fun part. Planning around it is where most people get stuck. Here is how we take you from an idea to a confirmed trip, step by step, with no surprises.
- Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
- Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
- Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
- Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
- Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.
What every trip with us includes
Every Kenya eta application plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.
We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.
Paying safely
We share payment details in writing only and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.
Why book with a Nairobi team
We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good Kenya eta application into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews and we plan to keep it that way.
Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.
Questions people ask
Do I need a visa to visit Kenya?
Most visitors no longer apply for a visa. They apply for an electronic travel authorisation, the eTA, before flying. Some nationalities are exempt. Check the official portal for your passport.
What is the Kenya eTA and who must apply?
The Kenya eTA is an online travel authorisation for most international visitors. Every traveller needs one, including children. East African Community citizens are exempt and many African passports are exempt too.
How much is the Kenya eTA?
The reported fee is about USD 30 for most visitors, paid by card online. The government sets the fee and may change it. Check the official portal on the day you apply.
How long does the Kenya eTA take?
Approval often arrives in about 72 hours. Apply at least 3 days before your flight and earlier in busy months. Check your spam folder and the portal before contacting support.
What documents are needed for the Kenya eTA?
You need a passport with 6 months validity, a passport bio page scan, a photo, a flight booking and accommodation details. A yellow fever certificate may be needed on some routes.
Can my safari operator submit my Kenya eTA application for me?
You should complete your own application on the official portal so the details match your passport. We send hotel and tour confirmations you can use for the accommodation fields. Ask us on WhatsApp if a field confuses you. We reply in plain language and you stay in control of your own data.
Official information: Kenya eTA official portal.
Ready when you are. Send your dates and group size. We reply with a clear price and a plan you can change.
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