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The government has reported a substantial surge in visitor arrivals since the implementation of the visa waiver policy, according to Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi.
Mudavadi revealed that the volume of visitors between January and March nearly doubled compared to the same period last year, following the introduction of the visa-free regime. This policy is administered through an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
“After chairing the National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) at his Railways Headquarters office in Nairobi, Mudavadi stated that 330,000 visitors were processed through the ETA, marking a significant increase from the 188,570 processed via eVisa during the equivalent period in 2023,” read a dispatch from the government.
The NDIC, chaired by Mudavadi with Vice-Chairman Felix Kosgei and all Principal Secretaries as members, convened for its first meeting of 2024 and second since last year.
Kenya adopted a visa-free entry policy for all foreign nationals starting January 1, 2024, allowing tourists and business travelers to stay for up to 90 days without a visa. Travelers are required to obtain an ETA online, costing US$30, with government processing taking up to three business days.
Notably, East African Community nationals are exempt from the ETA requirement. The ETA is valid for a single trip, necessitating a new application for each visit to Kenya.
This streamlined entry process aims to facilitate business travel and bolster tourism by simplifying procedures and eliminating visa requirements. The government anticipates attracting more business interests and enhancing tourism through this initiative.
Visa-free travel eliminates the need for extensive visa procedures, offering convenience to travelers. Such agreements typically arise from bilateral agreements between governments or unilateral decisions by receiving countries to open their borders.
Countries with visa-free policies often have simplified entry requirements, reducing administrative burdens for travelers and allowing them to focus on enjoying their trips rather than navigating bureaucratic hurdles.
