Travel Requirements and Documentation

 1. Visas

Visa requirements for Kenya

Starting January 5, 2024, ALL travellers coming to Kenya are required to apply and pay for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

eTA applications for Kenya should be submitted at least 3 days prior to travel to ensure adequate time for authorisation. Travellers can submit their applications up to 3 months before travel. It is highly recommended that travellers apply as soon as they have booked their accommodations and transport tickets.

We encourage all travellers to visit http://www.etakenya.go.ke for detailed information on the eTA application process and to ensure a smooth travel experience to Kenya.

Persons exempted from applying for the eTA:

  1. Holders of valid Kenya Passports or one-way Emergency Certificates issued by Kenya Missions abroad.
  2. Holders of Kenya Permanent Residence, valid Work Permits, and Passes.
  3. Holders of valid United Nations Conventional Travel Documents issued by the Government of Kenya.
  4. Members of Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations Accredited to Kenya.
  5. Citizens of the East African Partner States (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) - Exempted for Six (6) months.
  6. Passengers in transit through Kenya who do not leave the precincts of Airports.
  7. Passengers arriving and leaving by the same ship who do not leave the ship.
  8. Members of the crew of any ship, aircraft, train, vehicle, or carrier proceeding to a destination outside Kenya.
  9. Owners of private aircraft stopping over for refuelling in Kenya without leaving the airport precincts.


 Persons Applying for eTA, but Exempted from Payment:

  1. Holders of Diplomatic, Official, or Service Passports on official duty.
  2. Holders of specific Laissez-Passers for official business purposes (United Nations, African Union, African Development Bank, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, and others - see the complete list below).

Laissez-Passers Exempted from eTA Payment:

  1. United Nations Organization
  2. African Union
  3. African Development Bank
  4. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
  5. International Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa
  6. Desert Locust Control Organization
  7. COMESA
  8. International Monetary Fund and World Bank
  9. Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
  10. African Airlines Travel Association (IATA)
  11. Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI)
  12. Union of Radio, Television Network of Africa (URTNA)
  13. International Labour Organization (ILO)
  14. European Union
  15. CIP (International Potato Centre)
  16. African Reinsurance Corporation (ARC)
  17. African Housing Fund (AHF)

Note: Travellers with already paid and issued visas will continue to use them for entry until the expiry of their validity.

Updated on 12th January 2024

Visa requirements for Tanzania

Any traveller from a country requiring a visa to enter Tanzania is required to obtain an e-visa before entry. Although Visas are still being issued upon arrival, we recommend that you obtain the visa in advance to avoid any inconvenience.

How to apply for the e-visa:

  1. Go to https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/ and start the new visa application
  2. Fill in all required details and attach the required documents for the Visa (*You will get an email with the User Identification Number)
  3. Pay the required fee
  4. Upon approval, download the e-visa

The Tanzanian authority allows you to make a visa application six months in advance before the date of your trip.

Note: Tourist visas allow you to stay in the country for 30 days.

For further information on immigration requirements in Tanzania, please visit www.immigration.go.tz or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visa requirements for Uganda

Any traveller from a country requiring a visa to enter Uganda may obtain their visas online or from the embassies of their home countries. We recommend that you apply for the visa well in advance to avoid inconvenience.

How to apply for the e-visa:

  1. Go to visas.immigration.go.ug and choose application type
  2. Fill out the application form, attach any required documents and pay the applicable fee
  3. Pay the required fee
  4. Upon approval, download the e-visa.

For further information on immigration requirements in Uganda, visit www.immigration.go.ug or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

East Africa Tourist Visa 

This is a single-entry visa for travellers visiting Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda simultaneously. It is multi-entry within the three countries valid for 90 days, which expires automatically if the traveller ventures outside of the three countries. It is accessible online through the respective immigration sites or embassies abroad.

 

2. Passport Validity

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Parents travelling with children without a passport are required to provide a birth certificate or a waiting notice.

 

3. Entry Declaration Form

All travellers to Tanzania are expected to fill out an entry declaration form (paste this link on a new tab to download the form: http://www.immigration.go.tz/index.php/application-and-declaration-forms?download=13:entry-declaration-form) prior to their arrival.

 

4. Health requirements - Yellow Fever

Kenya: The Republic of Kenya requires travellers from a country with a risk of Yellow Fever transmission to have a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. This applies to travellers 1 year of age and older coming from - or who are in airport transit for more than 12 hours within.

Tanzania: Yellow fever immunization is mandatory for travellers arriving from countries with the risk of yellow fever transmission. These travellers must provide proof of yellow fever vaccination.

For more information on this, please visit https://moh.go.tz/en/yellow-fever-entry

Uganda: All travellers to the Republic of Uganda MUST have a valid Yellow Fever Immunization card.

Exemption: Any traveller less than 9 months or older than 60years who cannot undertake the yellow fever vaccination needs to consult a medical practitioner before travel and carry with them a medical letter of exemption.

 

5. Health requirements - Covid-19

Kenya:

  • All travellers above the age of 12 years arriving into the country through any point of entry will be required to show proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test conducted not more than 72 hours before departure.
  • Note: Vaccination means having received the prescribed doses of a specific vaccine's latest shot at least fourteen (14) days before arrival (not including the day of vaccination).
  • Travellers below twelve (12) years shall be exempt from the requirements of a vaccination certificate or PCR test.
  • All unvaccinated travellers above the age of twelve (12) years arriving at any port of entry into Kenya must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted not more than 72 hours before departure, regardless of the route of entry. Travellers below twelve (12) years are exempted from this testing requirement.
  • Any traveller above the age of twelve (12) arriving at any point of entry with no proof of vaccination or a PCR test or those with flu-like symptoms shall be subjected to a rapid antigen test at their own cost of 30 USD. Any person who tests positive on antigen RDT will be subjected to an entry PCR test at their own further cost of USD 50 and self-isolate as per MOH guidance on isolation. Travellers below twelve (12) years are exempted from this testing requirement.
  • With effect from 1st September 2022, only travellers arriving at any port of entry into Kenya with flu-like symptoms will be expected to fill out the passenger locator form on the ‘jitenge’ platform. They will also be required to take a COVID-19 PCR test at their own cost upon arrival.
  • Passengers travelling out of the country will be required to abide by the particular travel, health and COVID-19-related requirements of the transit and destination country.
  • Pre-departure RDT or PCR testing may be considered at the discretion of any of the airlines departing from or terminating in Kenya. 

Tanzania:

Note:  For passengers connecting to Tanzania through the Migori-Tarime border crossing, fill out SIRARI OSBP as the point of entry and select LAND as the mode of transport since the actual border crossing is done by bus*.
*AirKenya provides air-conditioned buses to transfer passengers from Migori (in Kenya) across to Tarime (in Tanzania), where passengers are picked up by our subsidiary airline, Regional Air Services, to continue with their safari in Tanzania.

Afya Msafiri Land

  • Fully vaccinated travellers (including Tanzanians, returning residents, truck drivers/crew and those in transit through land borders) will be exempted from both RT CPR and Rapid Antigen Test requirements. Travellers will be required to present a valid vaccination certificate with a QR code for verification upon arrival. The only accepted vaccines are those which have been approved by the Government of Tanzania and the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Partially and un-vaccinated travellers and those not eligible for vaccination due to their country policies will be required to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR or NAATS certificate with a QR code obtained 72 hours before departure.
  • Partially and un-vaccinated travellers and those not eligible for vaccination due to their country policies and who have no COVID-19 RT-CPR certificate will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival using a Rapid Antigen Test at the cost of USD 10 for Tanzania Mainland except for children aged 12 years and below, and aircraft crew. Positive cases will be further confirmed by RT-PCR at a cost of USD 50. For ground crossings, positive cases will be handled according to Bilateral and Joint Border agreements. 
  • Travellers in transit by air transport are exempted from both vaccination and COVID-19 testing requirements unless stated otherwise by the conveyance to be used or the countries of their final destination. 
  • All departing travellers are advised to seek information prior to departure from their travel agents regarding COVID-19 requirements o their country of destination or conveyance to be used. 

Uganda:

  • All inbound and outbound travellers must provide a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, except children aged five (5) years and below.
  • Fully-vaccinated travellers arriving in or departing from Uganda will not be required to undertake a COVID-19 PCR test.
  • Travellers departing from Uganda will be required to undertake a PCR test if it is a requirement at the destination country or by the carrier airline.
  • All unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated travellers arriving in or departing from Uganda must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate not older than 72 hours.
  • Children under the age of five (5) years will not be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate upon arrival or departure.

 

6. Health requirements - Ebola

Kenya:  From 27th September 2022, all inbound travellers arriving via the Kisumu International Airport will be required to fill out a health surveillance form (download the form here) and undergo an Ebola screening. This affects all passengers arriving from Uganda on our Entebbe-Kisumu-Mara route.

Uganda: All inbound and outbound travellers will be subjected to a mandatory Ebola screening at the Entebbe International Airport.