Kenya, once hailed for its ambitious move to introduce a visa-free policy for African travelers, has faced criticism and a significant drop in its visa openness rankings. According to the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), Kenya fell 17 places, now ranking 46th out of 54 African nations.
Last year, President William Ruto’s announcement that Kenya would eliminate visa requirements for all African nationals was widely celebrated as a step toward greater regional integration and tourism. The policy, which went into effect in January 2024, was touted as a progressive move to ease travel across the continent. However, the enthusiasm has been tempered by the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), a new system that has been described as “a visa under another name.”
The ETA system requires most travelers to apply online before their departure. It takes up to three days for processing and involves submitting documents like flight details and hotel bookings. While citizens from East African Community (EAC) countries remain exempt, most other African nationals are now required to pay a $30 fee for a 90-day authorization. Previously, many travelers could enter Kenya with just a passport stamp, paying a one-time $50 fee for a multiple-entry visa valid for several years.
Critics argue that the ETA adds another bureaucratic layer to the travel process, undermining the very essence of a “visa-free” policy. Mohamed Hersi, a Kenyan hotelier and former chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation, voiced his concerns back in January, predicting that the ETA would complicate travel rather than simplify it. He emphasized that it was “not the same as visa-free” and could deter potential visitors.
Entrepreneur Gina Din echoed these concerns, calling the ETA “not progress” but rather a hindrance to ease of movement. She advocates for a reevaluation of the policy to make travel to Kenya more accessible and less administratively burdensome.
Despite the backlash, Kenya’s tourism sector has not been significantly harmed. The country welcomed over a million international visitors in the first half of 2024, a 21% increase from the previous year, according to the Kenya Tourism Board. This suggests that the new system has not deterred travelers entirely, though the broader impact on regional mobility remains a concern.
The AVOI, which evaluates visa policies across African nations, noted that Kenya’s introduction of the ETA lowered its score, highlighting that “ETAs resemble features of a visa” and fail to ease movement. Joy Kategekwa, an AfDB director, pointed out that the continued requirement of visas or similar permits for most African travelers contradicts the continent’s aspirations for regional integration.
Kenya’s drop in the rankings underscores a larger issue facing Africa: the complex and often restrictive visa policies between many countries. While some nations, like Benin, Rwanda, and Seychelles, are praised for their openness, others like Sudan and Libya sit at the bottom of the index.
For now, Kenya remains a popular destination for international tourists, but the government may need to reconsider its approach to visa requirements if it hopes to lead the way in fostering easier travel and deeper regional cooperation in Africa. The promise of visa-free travel has proven challenging, and the introduction of the ETA might need a rethink to align with the vision of a more open and connected continent.
