No Visa - No Entry as Kenya launches new rules

[webfact]

No Visa - No Entry as Kenya launches new rules
BY PROF. DR. WOLFGANG H. THOME, ETN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT

NAIROBI: -- Come midnight tonight, 02nd of July 2015, do major changes in Kenya’s Visa policy come into place. Unlike in the past when many nationalities were able to get their Visa on arrival in Nairobi or Mombasa, will intending visitors now have to apply for an e-Visa in advance, with processing days taking as much as a week.

Upon vehement intervention from tourism stakeholders has a grace period been extended but only for two months, during which tourists and business travelers arriving at one of the two international airports can still get their Visa on arrival but effective 01st of September will this dual modus operandum be scrapped and only the e-Visa process be available.

The new method was only announced a short while ago and has caught many travelers and in particular tour operators and travel agencies abroad unaware. Many destinations brochures will now need re-printing as in most are European visitors told they can get their Visa on arrival at a cost of US Dollars 50, payable in cash. No more under the new rules when the payment must be made by credit or debit card.

It was not possible in the short period of time available to ascertain if the common East African tourist Visa, which presently allows entry into the three CoW countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya at a reduced cost of just 100 US Dollars, must now also be purchased in advance via e-Channels, as no such information was included in the regulations and guidelines published by the Kenyan immigration department.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/60915/no-visa-no-entry-kenya-launches-new-rules

-- eTN 2015-07-01

[Jay Sata]

Very badly written story and by a professor!

I doubt these changes will impact most Thai Visa members.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Jay Sata

[BudRight]

A Professor Dr. Ph.D no less. This from his Twiiter page;

"Homme` fatal? I'm an enigma to myself so follow at your own risk. Flying inverted through life! News in the morning, banter during the day+insomniac at night!"

[bushwacker]

Looks like the Kenya Government wants to reduce the number of tourists. I for one look for simple and convenient places to visit. If it is difficult or if I need to share financial info, especially over the internet, then I just pass and move on to another country. Me thinks they are moving in the wrong direction!

[CNXBKKMAN]

Maybe not as bad as it sounds. Doing the visa online and going through immigration at the airport a lot faster is a benefit. With all the terroist attacks Kenya has suffered it looks like the Kenyan government wants to scrutinise who are coming. Say your typical Brit passport holder lets call him Mohammed Mohammed( popular name in the uk) visits instead of queing up for two hours and getting a rubber stamped visa on arrival the Kenyans will check out his itinerary a bit more.

[Ulic]

I have been a couple of times to Kenya, was actually thinking of another visit but I like

things simple. Kenya definitely going in the wrong direction as far as trying to pump

some life into its ailing tourist industry. On another note I was going to visit Vietnam

last year with my mother (her birth place). It was just going to be a short 4-5 day side

trip while she was visiting me in Thailand. Between the cost and having to get a visa

on-line we opted not to go. With the new Vietnam visa rules I look forward to that

side trip later this year.

[Soutpeel]

one suspects Kenya is doing this due to the terrorist attacks giving an extra level of scrutiny of who is coming into the country

its not meant to cut tourist numbers, maybe more of an attempt to protect those tourists who are visiting, of course there will be those conspiracy nuts who will claim all sorts of things

[Jay Sata]

one suspects Kenya is doing this due to the terrorist attacks giving an extra level of scrutiny of who is coming into the country

its not meant to cut tourist numbers, maybe more of an attempt to protect those tourists who are visiting, of course there will be those conspiracy nuts who will claim all sorts of things

I doubt the sort of terrorists you suggest fly in on a tourist visa. More like drive across in several heavily armed vehicles as they did in the college massacre a few months ago.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/04/kenya-university-massacre-shabaab-divisions

The border with Somalia is where they should focus attention not making it harder for western tourists.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Jay Sata

[Soutpeel]

one suspects Kenya is doing this due to the terrorist attacks giving an extra level of scrutiny of who is coming into the country

its not meant to cut tourist numbers, maybe more of an attempt to protect those tourists who are visiting, of course there will be those conspiracy nuts who will claim all sorts of things

I doubt the sort of terrorists you suggest fly in on a tourist visa. More like drive across in several heavily armed vehicles as they did in the college massacre a few months ago.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/04/kenya-university-massacre-shabaab-divisions

The border with Somalia is where they should focus attention not making it harder for western tourists.

Westgate Shopping Mall attack alleged perpetrators:

Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow - a Norwegian citizen of Somali origin

Possibly 2 to 3 US citizens and a British National

Make sense now slick ? .... very easy for them to enter as western tourists

[Jay Sata]

If you start to apply that line of thinking then there will be no more visas on arrival anywhere.

The current batch of nutjobs that want to wipe out civilisation, because they have been brain washed in to believing in some fairy in the sky, could be sitting next to you anywhere.

[Fab5BKK]

Not sure I'll be that keen to give my credit card details to the Kenyan government! (I worked in Nairobi and spent some time in sub-Saharan Africa...).

[NanLaew]

Yes, these new visa regulations have buggered up my travel plans for a Madagascar job start-up with a Nairobi layover in the itinerary.

[Soutpeel]

If you start to apply that line of thinking then there will be no more visas on arrival anywhere.

The current batch of nutjobs that want to wipe out civilisation, because they have been brain washed in to believing in some fairy in the sky, could be sitting next to you anywhere.

I suspect that line of thinking is going to come in play in many more places at time goes on due to what is happening and in fact is in place in countries like the UK & US even under visa waiver programs, so even in the US under a visa waiver, one is required to pay and seek permission before one travels, so not that different, it may not be called applying for a visa before one travels, but the intent is the same as what Kenya appears to be doing.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

Making people get visa before they travel, will not eliminate nut jobs getting in, but it does provide another level of scrutiny as to who is arriving in country and is not being left to an immigration official sitting at a desk at a border.

A bit closer to home, imagine if what happened in Tunisia, happened on beach road in Pattaya, and it turned out it was non Thai nationals who had got in on a visa waiver or by sloppy visa issue ?....

What do you think the Thai government will do ? I would wager the days of visa waiver in Thailand would be numbered as well, people complain about the "difficult" visa's now, what happens now would be nothing

Edited July 4, 2015 by Soutpeel

[Soutpeel]

Yes, these new visa regulations have buggered up my travel plans for a Madagascar job start-up with a Nairobi layover in the itinerary.

seems this is only effective 01st of September

[NanLaew]

Yes, these new visa regulations have buggered up my travel plans for a Madagascar job start-up with a Nairobi layover in the itinerary.

seems this is only effective 01st of September

I hope so since getting a Madagascar visa is taking enough time. Anything that mitigates the trauma of a Nairobi airport transit is welcome.

[Fab5BKK]

Yes, these new visa regulations have buggered up my travel plans for a Madagascar job start-up with a Nairobi layover in the itinerary.

seems this is only effective 01st of September

I hope so since getting a Madagascar visa is taking enough time. Anything that mitigates the trauma of a Nairobi airport transit is welcome.

As a side note, Nairobi airport (NBO) isn't that bad.

If you stay in Nairobi 4 tips:

1. Don't trust taxis at the airport, ask your hotel to send you a driver

2. Print you itinerary, you'll need it to enter the terminal when you'll fly out of NBO

3. Nairobi is dangerous. Don't go out at night alone, avoid eye-contact

4. Don't drink tap water use bottled water only.

Quite the same situation in Madagascar.

BTW, are you up to date re. your vaccinations (yellow fever, hepatitis A & B, typhoid, polio, meningitis, diphtheria, rabies...)?

Edited July 4, 2015 by Fab5BKK

[NanLaew]

Yes, these new visa regulations have buggered up my travel plans for a Madagascar job start-up with a Nairobi layover in the itinerary.

seems this is only effective 01st of September

I hope so since getting a Madagascar visa is taking enough time. Anything that mitigates the trauma of a Nairobi airport transit is welcome.

As a side note, Nairobi airport (NBO) isn't that bad.

If you stay in Nairobi 4 tips:

1. Don't trust taxis at the airport, ask your hotel to send you a driver

2. Print you itinerary, you'll need it to enter the terminal when you'll fly out of NBO

3. Nairobi is dangerous. Don't go out at night alone, avoid eye-contact

4. Don't drink tap water use bottled water only.

Quite the same situation in Madagascar.

BTW, are you up to date re. your vaccinations (yellow fever, hepatitis A & B, typhoid, polio, meningitis, diphtheria, rabies...)?

Just needed the meningitis jab. Now they're nickel and diming on the air travel to keep me in coach (only pay for business class on flights greater than 6 hours) which means flying via Dubai and Seychelles apparently.

I think I will pass on this one. Just because they are hurting due to the oil prices, doesn't mean I have to.