ETA: Ruto's Cabinet grants all African countries free entry to Kenya except 2

• The administration of President William Ruto has announced plans to review the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, one year after its implementation.
• At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 21, the Kenya Kwanza administration exempted nearly all African countries from ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) requirements, stating that it was essential to boost tourism and regional integration.
• The Cabinet announced that the government will introduce expedited electronic travel authorization processing, allowing travelers to obtain instant approval.

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All African countries will be able to enter Kenya without a visa, with the exception of two countries that have been excluded due to security concerns.

On Tuesday, January 21, President William Ruto's Cabinet determined that African countries would be exempted from the requirement for electronic travel authorization.

This comes a year following the government's implementation of a visa-free entry programme, which afforded ETA exemptions to only the member states of the East African Community, as well as seven other countries.

What countries in Africa are subject to ETA requirements?

However, at the Tuesday meeting, the Cabinet exempted all the countries on the continent except those in Somalia and Libya, citing security concerns.

The Kenya Kwanza government stated that ETA exemptions will boost Kenya's tourism industry and strengthen regional cooperation.

The goal of this initiative is to enhance regional unity and simplify travel within Africa. Most African passport holders will be granted a two-month stay permit, whereas citizens of East African countries will continue to benefit from the six-month stay allowance as per the East African Community's free movement guidelines.

In 2024, the Cabinet anticipates that Kenya will welcome 2.5 million visitors, representing an increase from the 2.013 million tourists recorded in 2023.

What are the updates to the estimated time of arrival?

The Cabinet authorized proposals to improve the ETA system, with the aim of increasing efficiency and enhancing traveler experience.

The government also announced that expedited ETA processing will be introduced, which will enable travellers to receive instant approval.

Travellers will now be able to receive instant approvals, with a maximum 72-hour processing time based on operational capacity.

"The introduction of an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system will further enhance pre-screening, bolster security and simplify passenger processing at entry points," the Cabinet also stated.

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A portion of Kenyans and other international visitors expressed disapproval of Kenya's immigration processing system.

In December 2024, the Cabinet, led by Ruto, pledged to assess ETA in order to ensure that the concerns raised by stakeholders are addressed.

The president endorsing AfCFTA and promoting Kenya as a visa-free nation, the country still ranks among the worst in the Africa Visa Openness Index.

"Expected Time of Arrival": This acronym is commonly used to refer to the predicted timing of an individual's arrival at a specific location.

• In December 2023, President Ruto officially declared Kenya to be a visa-exempt country, with the intention of alleviating the hassle of manual visa applications for travelers.
• In January 2024, the number of foreign visitors entering Kenya under the visa-free entry system exceeded 9,000.
• Immigration PS Julius Bitok announced that the number of foreigners entering the country through the programme has increased to 32,000, resulting in revenue of over KSh 158 million for Kenya.
• However, there were worries among travelers about the system, with some arguing it would deter tourists.

Editing services provided by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, a journalist and copy editor with .co.ke.

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