Do Indians need a visa for Kenya?

The rule

Kenya eTA (USD 30) must be approved before travel.

• Official source

What "Electronic travel authorisation" means for Indians

An electronic travel authorisation is a pre-clearance, not a visa. Indians apply online, usually in minutes, and the approval is linked to the passport number. Airlines check it at check-in, so the authorisation must be granted before the flight. On arrival the officer still decides the stay (up to 90 days); the ETA only confirms you may travel to the border.

Before you apply

Apply as soon as the dates are fixed. Check that the passport has two blank pages and six months of validity, that the name on the booking matches the passport exactly and that bank statements cover the last three to six months without a sudden large deposit. Print or save the approval: airlines verify it at check-in and some borders ask to see it again. Vistolane runs the document checks before filing and shows the guaranteed filing date before you pay.

At the Kenya border and during the stay

Kenya sets a stay of up to 90 days, single, on a visa valid for 90 days. The date written at the border is the one that counts, not the visa validity. Overstaying, even by a day, is recorded, usually fined and can lead to a refusal on the next application for Kenya and for countries that share immigration data. Extensions, where they exist, are applied for inside the country before the stay ends; a new entry is not an extension and repeated back-to-back visits are refused at many borders.

When this rule does not apply

This answer is for ordinary India passports and short visits: tourism, visiting family and friends and business meetings without local employment. Study, work, family reunion, medical treatment and long stays follow different routes with their own fees and documents, listed on the Kenya destination page. Note for this rule: Kenya eTA (USD 30) must be approved before travel. Diplomatic and official passports, dual nationals travelling on a second passport and holders of a residence permit for a third country can fall under different rules; when in doubt, the official source linked above decides.

How this answer is kept current

The rule comes from Kenya's own immigration authority or official e-visa portal and was last verified on 2026-10-22. The Vistolane operations team re-checks it when the government announces a change, and the page updates the same day. Airline summaries, travel forums and agency websites are never used as the source.

Kenya for India passport holders: costs, documents and timing

Kenya replaced visas with the eTA: every Indian traveller applies online at etakenya.go.ke (USD 30 plus a small processing charge) and must hold the approval before boarding. It covers tourism and short business visits; a student pass is a separate immigration permit, not an eTA.

Kenya replaced visas with the eTA: every Indian traveller applies online at etakenya.go.ke (USD 30 plus a small processing charge) and must hold the approval before boarding. It covers tourism and short business visits; a student pass is a separate immigration permit, not an eTA.

How much does a Kenya visa cost? From ₹5,914 per traveller all-in: ₹2,839 government fee plus ₹3,075 Vistolane filing fee. Premium ₹0, Business ₹0.

How long does a Kenya visa take? 1–5 working days (about 5 days); etakenya.go.ke publishes 1–3 working days. Vistolane shows the document deadline and filing date before you pay; the decision itself is the authority's.

What documents do I need for a Kenya visa? The eTA is not visa-free entry: USD 30 per traveller, approved before you fly. One blank passport page is enough; two are not required. Passport valid 6 months beyond arrival with one blank page. The Kenya checklist in your portal is built from the official list, so nothing extra is asked for.

How much bank balance do I need for a Kenya visa? About ₹94,620 for a tourist visit, rising to ₹94.62 lakh for the most demanding route, held steadily over three to six months rather than deposited last week. This is Vistolane's planning guideline, not an official minimum: Kenya publishes no fixed figure unless its checklist states one.

Can I apply for the Kenya visa online, or is it visa on arrival? Online. Kenya issues the Kenya electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before you fly; it is not a visa on arrival.

How long can I stay in Kenya on this visa? Up to 90 days; entry: single; validity 90 days from issue. Overstaying affects every future application, so count days from the entry stamp.

Is an interview or biometrics required for Kenya? No. Kenya decides on the documents; there is no interview and no biometrics appointment for this route.

Applying for the Kenya visa

Why are Kenya visas refused? Bank statements that do not match the trip, weak evidence of ties or purpose, inconsistent bookings and form errors that contradict the passport. Each document is checked against the Kenya list before Vistolane files it, and a refusal letter is decoded within 24 hours if you were refused before.

Can I apply for the Kenya visa myself? Yes. The checklist on this page is the one Vistolane uses. Most applicants let Vistolane file the tourist and student routes because the guaranteed filing date and document checks remove the two main causes of refusal; other routes are matched with a licensed specialist.

Where else Indians travel without a visa

• Thailand: Visa-free
• Malaysia: Visa-free
• Nepal: Visa-free
• Bhutan: Visa-free
• Maldives: Visa on arrival
• Mauritius: Visa-free
• Qatar: Visa on arrival
• Jordan: Visa on arrival
• Hong Kong: Visa-free
• Philippines: Visa-free

Questions, answered