Kenya has become one of the most favourite tourism destinations for worldwide travellers. All foreigners who plan to visit Kenya must note the latest shift in its visa issuance system. The Kenyan government has declared that from January 2021, all eligible citizens need to apply for a Kenya eVisa in order to visit the country.

From the announced date, the electronic visa (eVisa) will become the only available method to get the travel document for visitors from all eligible countries from the start of January. The decision is probably an initiative to make the immigration-related process all online and benefit from its advantages.

Currently, nationals of around 147 different countries are eligible to request a Kenyan eVisa and meet the requirements for the Kenya eVisa . The e-process is smooth and fast enough as compared to conventional consular visas. All travellers who are not visa-exempt will be able to apply for eVisa online.

Kenya Policy Shift on Visas On Arrival:

Kenya is progressively marching towards digitalizing all the services from the governmental level. Kenyan government efforts got an acknowledgement that it successfully launched the eVisa in 2015. The government is also installing Airport Biometrics to strengthen the security of airports and major public areas in Kenya. Moreover, the country is phasing out old Kenyan passports and replacing them with new East African Community biometric e-passports.

Inclusively, the availability of an online Kenya e Visa issuance service to all travellers who require a visa for Kenya is one of the government's initiatives to free up foreigners from standing in queues and exhaust their time. Instead, by setting the online eVisa application system mandatory for all eligible travellers, they will receive their eVisas by a hassle-free process in a shorter time.

Since its launch, the Kenyan eVisa service has proved to be a successful and easy method for applying for Kenya eVisa. Its advantages over other modes of visa have led the government to shut visa issuance from the embassy and on arrival.

Advantages of the eVisa System Expansion:

Kenya is taking the entire eVisa issuance system online due to its advantages. The online system allows the users to apply for Kenyan eVisa from any location, be it your home or office, by laptops or mobile phones. The thing that the applicant must have is the required documents and a stable internet connection.

In addition, it approximately takes a few minutes to complete the application and then waits for 2-3 business days for visa approval and receipt. This process is way quicker and easier than visiting embassies to apply for a visa physically.

Suspension Of Other Kenyan Visas:

After 2020, only the Kenya electronic visa system would be in service of issuing eVisa. The entire visa application can be submitted online and the final travel document is sent in an email to the applicant.

The other methods for acquiring Kenyan eVisa include:

• Applying at an embassy or consulate for the visa

  ---

• Applying for a visa on arrival

  ---

The government will discontinue both of these methods and stream the service by issuing visas only. Citizens of countries that need to apply for a visa at a Kenyan embassy will be able to complete an online application for Kenya eVisa from 1 January 2021.

There is no proper announcement regarding how the visitors will apply for long-term visas and permits. It is not confirmed whether Work/Resident Permits will also be completely switched to the online process or not.

Disadvantages Of Kenya Consular Visas And Visas On Arrival :

Getting a consular visa involves expanding the time, energy, effort, and money of the applicant. Similarly, if the traveller chose to get a Kenya visa on arrival, he needs to stand in line waiting at border control. If it is a busy time for airports, then the process might become more lengthy.

All such problems disperse when the traveller applies for the visa in advance. For this reason, from January 2021, all foreign visitors travelling to Kenya need to apply for an eVisa online.

Who can obtain an electronic visa for Kenya in 2021?

Citizens from 147 countries can apply for an electronic visa online. If you are a national from an eligible country, you should apply for e-Visa. Check: Eligible Countries for Kenya Visa

Can I Get A Kenya Visa On Arrival In 2021?

As of now, any foreigner visiting Kenya will not be able to get a visa on arrival.