Kenya to revise visa, travel authorisation rules for Mombasa Port arrivals

Kenya is set to revise its visa and Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) requirements for travellers arriving at the Port of Mombasa, aligning the process with recent changes made at the country's international airports.

President William Ruto made the announcement on Sunday while welcoming the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship at the port, emphasising that the move aims to ensure a seamless and paperless clearance process for visitors.

“I want to confirm to you and other cruise ships that we will be changing our visa and our eTA so that we can make it easier and seamless for those of you who are visiting. This will ensure that there is no paperwork and issues,” Ruto said.

The Head of State noted that he had engaged with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officials, led by Captain William Ruto, to discuss the implementation of the new policy. He reiterated that the changes would facilitate a hassle-free experience for tourists and other visitors arriving via the port.

“We have agreed with the management of the port that it will be made simple and easy so that visitors can explore our country, cities, and parks with much more ease,” he said.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir welcomed the move, explaining that the new process would enable visitors to travel freely across the country after a one-time clearance at the port.

“This is going to be a seamless approach to visa processing where the shipping line will simply provide a manifest of all passengers to the port authorities, who will then process it as a one-off,” Nassir said.

Cabinet decision

The announcement follows a Cabinet decision last month to consider exempting African nationals from eTA requirements to promote regional travel. However, Somalia and Libya were excluded due to security concerns.

“As part of efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant eTA exemptions to all African countries—except Somalia and Libya—due to security concerns,” read a section of the Cabinet dispatch.

President Ruto also used the occasion to highlight the steady growth of Kenya’s tourism industry, urging the private sector to invest further in the sector. He revealed that the country’s tourism revenue had increased to Sh450 billion, marking a growth of approximately Sh80 billion.

“There are opportunities in providing hospitality facilities. I urge the private sector to expand their footprint by ensuring that as we grow visitor numbers, we also expand facilities and enhance our very able hospitality workforce so that we can serve our guests better,” Ruto said.

He further reiterated that Kenya’s efforts to streamline entry requirements, including waiving eTA rules for African travellers, were part of broader measures to attract global tourists.

“We are proud of the achievements and the strides we are making as a country in making it a suitable destination for those who visit from different parts of the world,” he added.

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The Norwegian Dawn cruise ship, which docked at Mombasa, was carrying nearly 3,000 people, including 2,200 guests.

The eTA system, introduced on January 1 last year, requires all travellers, including infants and children, to obtain an approved eTA before travelling to Kenya.

However, with the latest Cabinet approval, Kenya is set to introduce an expedited eTA processing option, allowing travellers to receive approval instantly, with a maximum processing time of 72 hours based on operational capacity.