CHANGE OF HEART KEEPS KENYA OPEN FOR VISITORS WITHOUT VISA – FOR NOW
(Posted 02nd August 2015)
It was Kenya Airways which broke the news that in a last minute change of heart has Kenya’s Department of Immigration installed separate desks at the main airport of Nairobi to apparently facilitate visitors coming to the country who failed to secure an e-Visa in time of else failed to apply for one online in the first place. It could not be ascertained if the facility also exists in Mombasa to where all of the charter flights from Europe come.
Given that strong sentiments remain, some expressed by potential visitors here who were and continue to struggle with the e-Visa system, this is good news for the country as last minute deciders can now continue to select Kenya as a destination when for instance scanning the last minute offers in airports in Germany and the UK among other places.
Many tourism stakeholders have and continue to advocate for a parallel system of Visa to be also available on arrival to make travel to Kenya easier and not put unnecessary hurdles in the way of people who would want to come for a safari or beach vacation but are put off by red tape and bureaucrazy – pun intended.
The situation will be monitored in coming days to ascertain how well the system works, including the e-Visa on arrival. At least two airline sources have also confirmed that they will, for now, not refuse visitors to Kenya without an e-Visa now that the added option is available while of course travelers continue to have the option to fly into Kigali or Entebbe, secure an East African common tourist Visa on arrival at the cost of 100 US Dollars and then travel across the region without the hassle of online Visa applications standing in their way.
And no sooner had this been posted did the following message arrive via Facebook:
Good Morning Wolfgang, thank you very much for your insights that KQ is transporting passengers even without a valid visa. Yesterday the worst case happened and guests have been denied boarding a KLM flight in Amsterdam. We also received the information from Condor, that following the TIMATIC regulations they will deny boarding…
5 Responses
I cannot imagine the queues this will cause! Crazy. This should have been thought out better in advance. I don’t object to the evisa. I have applied and received one. The problem was it was dated from the date I applied, not the date of departure as stated on my application. I am now sending my documents to London where I am assured my visa will be amended.
Pls does this apply to my case? I am to travel to Uganda from Nigeria with Ethiopian airlines at the end of this month. Is my visa on arrival?
I suggest you contact both Kenya Airways and the Kenyan Department of Immigration to ascertain their current handling of Visa on arrival but to be sure best apply on line.
Thanks for reading my blog.
W.
hi, Wolfgang, do you know if I’m a Taiwan citizen, can I apply visa on arrival? I’m leaving on Saturday but hasn’t got my evisa. I just submitted yesterday and am really worry if I should change my ticket. thanks!
Most nationalities can obtain Visa on arrival in Kenya and
if your e-Visa had not come through just print the application
details and bring them with you for manual processing on
arrival in Nairobi.
Enjoy your Kenya visit and thanks for reading my blog.
W.