Visa Free: Govt Dismisses Fears Of So Many Unwanted Foreigners Entering Kenya

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok on Friday, January 5 shunned criticism that the visa-free regime allowing global foreigners to enter Kenya would expose the country to infiltration by international criminals, syndicates and their activities.

Bitok who witnessed the maiden visa-free arrivals on Ethiopian Airlines flight number ET 318 from Addis Ababa said the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) system under the visa-free entry policy in Kenya offers better means of identifying and blacklisting undesirable visitors.

“ETA is a much superior system as we’re able to foretell persons who are coming to our country in advance and ensuring the necessary precautions are in place so that only the right people are welcomed,” he stated.

This came amidst concerns, criticism and a section of mockery from Kenyans who feared that the visa-free entry to Kenya would pose adverse consequences to the security and well-being of Kenyans through the mass entry of foreign nationals of whatever category.

Meanwhile, passengers echoed Bitok’s sentiments noting that the ETA process was simple and faster compared to the Visa application system it has replaced. 

“We used to spend long hours going through the Visa application but it took me a few minutes to complete the ETA process for my entire family,” South Korean national Kyunga Sang Yoo, who is a frequent visitor to Kenya, said.

Bitok underscored the ease of applications on ETA saying that the government had also received over 5,000 applications for ETA following President William Ruto's scrapping of Visa requirements.

“It’s very easy to apply and get an ETA. You just need to fill in your personal data in ten minutes and you should be able to get approval in 72 hours. We have made sure that travelling to Kenya is going to be an easy and pleasant experience,” he said.

An ETA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to a specific country without requiring a traditional visa.

It is an electronic form of permission that travellers must obtain before boarding a flight or entering the destination country, and in this case, meant to tame the influx of travellers to Kenya once the visas are abolished.

ETAs are often used to streamline the entry process, enhance security, and facilitate easier monitoring of travellers.

Normally, one is required to have a valid passport for verification, and will also be needed to pay a fee. In some cases, additional identification documents may be required before the authorization is validated.

The ETA is then electronically linked to one’s passport or travel document.

Read also: How To Apply For New Travel Requirements After Kenya Abolished Visas

Screengrab of the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) Kenya page. /ETA KENYA