The government has gazetted new immigration regulations exempting numerous individuals and categories from the requirement to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before entering Kenya.
In a legal notice dated May 30, 2025, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen published the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, under Section 59 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act.
The new rules introduce Regulation 15G under the Seventeenth Schedule, listing 34 categories of individuals now exempted from the eTA requirement.
Key Exemptions
✅ General Exemptions
- Holders of Kenyan permanent residence, valid work permits, and re-entry passes
- Citizens from East African Community (EAC) member states for visits not exceeding 180 days
EAC States Covered:
- Burundi
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
- Rwanda
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
Countries with Visa-Free Access for up to 90 Days
| Country | Country | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Barbados | Belize | Botswana |
| Brunei | Cyprus | Dominica |
| Eritrea | Eswatini | Ethiopia |
| Fiji | Gambia | Ghana |
| Grenada | Guyana | Jamaica |
| Kiribati | Lesotho | Malaysia |
| Maldives | Malawi | Mauritius |
| Mozambique | Namibia | Nauru |
| Papua New Guinea | Comoros | Samoa |
| San Marino | Sierra Leone | Singapore |
| Solomon Islands | South Africa | St Kitts and Nevis |
| St Lucia | St Vincent & Grenadines | Seychelles |
| The Bahamas | Tonga | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Republic of Congo | Tuvalu | Vanuatu |
| Zambia | Zimbabwe |
Exempted for up to 60 Days
| Country | Country | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | Morocco | Nigeria |
| Sudan | Tunisia | Algeria |
| Angola | Benin | Burkina Faso |
| Cape Verde | Cameroon | Central African Republic |
| Chad | Côte d’Ivoire | Djibouti |
| Equatorial Guinea | Gabon | Guinea |
| Guinea Bissau | Liberia | Madagascar |
| Mali | Mauritania | Niger |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Senegal | Togo |
Other Categories Exempted
- Transit passengers who do not leave the airport or ship
- International flight and ship crew
- Private aircraft owners stopping to refuel
- Officials with official laissez-passers from:
- United Nations (UN)
- African Union (AU)
- African Development Bank
- World Bank
- COMESA
- IGAD
- ELCI
- African Airlines Travel Association (AATA)
Diplomatic and Service Passport Holders
| Country | Duration of Stay |
|---|---|
| Iran | Up to 30 days |
| Turkey | Up to 90 days |
| Brazil | Up to 90 days |
| India | Up to 90 days |
| China | Up to 90 days |
Special Exemption
- British military personnel stationed in Kenya
These sweeping changes are part of Kenya’s broader efforts to enhance its global connectivity, ease travel, and promote diplomatic, economic, and regional integration.
