(Posted 31st October 2023)
Kenya’s President William Ruto has, during an international conference in Nairobi, told the audience that by the end of the year Kenya will have put into effect Visa free travel to the country for all citizens of African countries,
This is a major step to promote intra African travel, which in the past has been often severly constrained by the need to obtain a Visa. In fact, oftentimes was it in the past easier as a citizen of Europe, the US, Canada and for instance Australia and New Zealand to get Visa approved than applying for one as an African citizen.
Leader for Visa free travel, world wide in fact, is the Seychelles, which requires no Visa but has other requirements in place such as a confirmed hotel booking, a return flight booked and sufficient funds to sustain a stay. Other African countries like Rwanda, the Gambia and Benin have since followed suit.
Notably is Kenya also part of a tri partite agreement with Uganda and Rwanda, from where duly registered expatriates can travel across the three countries using a so called Interstate Pass, which also allows for Visa free entry. Since its launch have visitors numbers for to all countries by expats from the participating countries risen sharply, boosting hotel occupancies and earning the countries much needed foreign exchange.
