What documents do I need to travel to Kenya?
Kenya replaced its tourist visa with an eTA you apply for online before you fly. You also need a passport valid six months with two blank pages and your accommodation details.
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Entering Kenya - what you need
Kenya's paperwork is all done online now, so the work happens before you leave home. Sort these out as soon as your flights and your trip1 hotel booking are confirmed.
- A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with at least two blank pages.
- An approved eTA, unless your nationality is on the exemption list.
- A return or onward ticket.
- Your accommodation address - the eTA form asks for it, and your trip1 booking confirmation has everything you need.
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are arriving from a country with a transmission risk.
The eTA replaced Kenya's tourist visa
Kenya scrapped its tourist visa on 1 January 2024 and replaced it with an Electronic Travel Authorisation. The government calls the country visa-free, which is true on paper only: you still apply online, still pay, and still need approval before you board.
The eTA is normally single entry, though you can re-enter from another East African Community country while it is still valid. It is tied to the passport you applied with, so a renewed passport means a new application.
The standard fee starts at USD 30, and expedited processing costs an extra USD 100. Fees get reviewed, so trust the amount shown on the official Kenyan eTA site rather than an older article.
How and when to apply
Apply on Kenya's official eTA website, no earlier than 90 days before travel and no later than three days before departure. Have these ready when you start.
- A clear scan or photo of your passport photo page.
- A recent passport-style photo of yourself.
- Your flight details and the address of your first night's accommodation.
- A payment method for the fee.
Approvals often come back within a day or two, but give yourself two weeks if you can. Use the official government site only, because lookalike sites charge a markup for the same document.
Important: airlines will not board you for Kenya without an approved eTA or a valid exemption. Save the approval PDF offline and print a copy, so you are not depending on airport wifi.
What changed recently
Kenya widened its exemption list in 2025. Most African nationals now enter without an eTA, with a small number of exceptions, and citizens of several Caribbean countries were added at the same time.
East African Community citizens can travel on a national ID card instead of a passport, and children under 16 are treated differently from adults. These lists move, so check the eligibility page on the official eTA site against your own passport.
Hotel check-in in Kenya
Kenyan hotels and safari lodges ask each adult guest for a passport at check-in and log the details in a guest register. Carry the physical passport rather than a photo.
Your trip1 booking confirmation is both what the front desk needs to find your reservation and what you use to fill in the accommodation section of the eTA form. Keep a copy on your phone and one on paper.
Some properties ask for a card at check-in to hold a deposit against extras. That is the hotel's own policy and has nothing to do with how you paid for the room on trip1.
Entering Kenya - FAQ
British citizens need a passport valid for at least six months after arrival with at least two blank pages, and an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) applied for online before travel. Bring a return or onward ticket, and a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with transmission risk. The eTA form asks for your accommodation address, which your trip1 booking confirmation provides.
Only if your nationality is exempt. Kenya's government says you may travel only after your eTA has been approved, and airlines will not board you without it. UK, US and EU citizens need one, and children need their own application. Most African nationals and East African Community citizens are exempt, so check the official eligibility list for your passport.
Kenya's official eTA site lists standard processing from US$30, which can take up to 72 hours, and expedited processing for an extra US$100. Fees are reviewed, so trust the amount shown on the official eTA site when you pay. Lookalike websites charge a markup for the same document, so avoid them.
Kenyan authorities suggest applying at least two weeks before departure. Applications are generally processed within three business days but can take longer if extra checks are needed. You can apply up to 90 days before travel, and no later than three days before you leave, so start once your flights and hotel are booked.
Printing is wise but not the only option. Kenya's official eTA site says to print the approval PDF from your email, or download it to your phone or save it in the official Kenya travel authorisation app. Keeping both a paper copy and an offline digital copy means a flat battery or weak airport wifi will not hold you up.
Only on paper. Kenya scrapped its tourist visa on 1 January 2024, but UK citizens still have to apply online for a paid Electronic Travel Authorisation and get it approved before they fly. The eTA is tied to the passport you applied with, so a renewed passport means a new application.