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Kenya drops on travel index ranking with new visa requirements
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Africa


KENYA DROPS ON TRAVEL INDEX RANKING WITH NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS

November 27, 2024 2:33 PM
 * By Mohammed Yusuf

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FILE - Tourists take a selfie from an observation point on the top of the
Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, June 21, 2019.
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Nairobi — 

A Kenyan government requirement that foreigners register online three days
before traveling to the country has made the East African nation among the most
difficult countries to visit in Africa, according to an index that ranks
countries for ease of travel.

Kenya's introduction of new visa policies earlier this year has made the country
less accessible, according to the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index.

The East African country slid 17 places on the index, and now ranks 46 out of 54
African countries.

The index, compiled by the African Development Bank and African Union
Commission, tracks visa openness and the ease of visiting African countries.

Kenya recently launched its Electronic Travel Authorization program. The cost of
a visa dropped from $50 to $30, but prospective visitors have to register for
the visa online, and approval takes three days.

That is causing problems for people who are used to traveling with little
advance planning, said Esther Mutwiri, an immigration consultant based in Kenya.

“Whenever there is an application to be made, people who don’t like changes …
will feel a little bit of a challenge,” Mutwiri said. “And this is expected;
there is a little challenge. I always advise my clients, for example, if you
know you are flying in next week, just apply early enough.”

Before the introduction of the online visa application, citizens of many African
countries could travel to Kenya, get a visa upon entry, and get their passport
stamped.

Now, they have to plan ahead, which is made more challenging when the
registration system goes down or gets backed up. Sometimes users have to wait
for hours to complete the registration process.

Some users physically visit an immigration office after turning in their
application, just to make sure they get their visa.

Professor Chacha Nyaigotti Chacha, an expert in diplomacy and international
relations, said Kenya must improve ease of travel to benefit from visitors.

“The openness status when you allow people to get your visa in an easy way means
that you can receive more guests and visitors. And the more visitors you
receive, the more business people do with the expenditure of various services
that are provided,” Chacha said. “So, it’s important as a country we strive to
always ensure that guests and visitors are welcomed and to see that our visa
application process should be seamless.”

Mutwiri said travelers should apply for visas early to avoid challenges and
ensure a smooth process.

"We should embrace change. Nowadays, it's all about going digital, and I think
that's what our government is trying to do. So, the people who should do
something are the applicants. If I know I am traveling to a country that
requires a visa, then I should apply for it beforehand. That way, if most of the
travelers do that, they are going to experience less challenges when they come
in," Mutwiri said.

Despite the difficulties with the visa system, the Kenya Tourism Board said the
country welcomed more than 1 million visitors in the first six months of this
year, a 21% increase from 2023.

Nnenna Lily Nwabufo, vice president of regional development, integration, and
business delivery at the African Development Bank Group, said 39 African
countries have improved their scores on the visa index.

Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles are among the countries ranked high for
easy travel within Africa. Sudan, Libya, Equatorial Guinea and Eritrea are
ranked the lowest.


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