Travelers coming to Kenya will soon find it easier to get a visa beginning at midnight on Thursday, July 2.
Visitors to the east African country will be able to apply for entry visas in advance using the e-visa portal.
After Thursday, there will be a two-month transition period until the end of August where travelers can either get their visas in person at a local embassy, on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, or via the online portal.
However, beginning September 1, the e-visa process will become compulsory and will have to be made online.
People traveling to Kenya are advised to register their application well in advance of travel as approvals can take up to seven days to process.
Currently, a single entry tourist visa to Kenya costs £30/US50 and is valid for three months.
Travelers will need to register as a visitor, click on the Department of Immigration button, then submit an application.
An approval email will then be sent out to the user, and the e-visa (printout) can be presented to immigration officers at the port of entry.
The visa also allows a re-entry to Kenya from Tanzania and Uganda.
There has been some controversy in the travel industry about the processing time of the e-visa, as it will make it next to impossible for last minute travelers to come by eliminating on arrival visas.
Visitors going to other countries in East Africa should consider the East African Visa, allowing you to go to Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda for the low price of $US100.
For more information, see our article: What You Need To Know About The East African Visa.
