Kenya’s ETA System: What Caucasus Travellers Need to Know Before a Safari

By Safari News — Africa Calling Safaris, Partner desk, Nairobi · 30/10/2026

Since January 2024, Kenya has required all visitors to secure an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arrival, replacing the country’s former single- and multiple-entry visa categories. Applications are submitted through the official portal, etakenya.go.ke, where travellers upload a passport scan, a recent photograph, and proof of accommodation and onward travel. Processing takes two to three business days, and officials stress that the ETA cannot be obtained on arrival — airlines may refuse boarding without one, so travellers departing from Tbilisi or elsewhere in Europe should apply well ahead of their flight.

The ETA costs USD 30 for most nationalities and is valid for 90 days, covering a single stay of up to 90 days. In its first year of operation, Kenya processed more than 1.5 million applications, with a 94% approval rate and an average processing time of 36 hours.

Travellers combining Kenya with gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda can instead apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa, a USD 100 multi-entry permit covering all three countries for 90 days. Nikos Pocock, head guide and co-founder of Africa Calling Safaris, noted that cross-border paperwork used to be the most confusing part of a safari, but the ETA has streamlined things considerably for guests crossing between Kenya and Tanzania at posts such as Namanga.

Additional entry rules remain in force: a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from endemic countries, though exemptions apply depending on passport. Citizens of East African Community states are exempt from the ETA altogether, and Tanzania maintains its own separate e-visa system for those not using the regional pass.

Based on reporting by Safari News, the travel desk of Africa Calling Safaris (Nairobi), GTour’s partner for East Africa. Read the original there.