Travel Documents
Kenya & Tanzania Visa Guide
Everything you need before you fly — eVisa steps, fees, required documents and the East Africa Tourist Visa, in one place.
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Overview
Sorting out your visa is the first practical step of planning a Kenya or Tanzania safari — before flights, before packing, before anything else. Both countries require most international visitors to hold an approved electronic visa or travel authorisation before departure, and requirements are set by nationality, so what applies to your travel companion may not apply to you.
Safari Update builds your itinerary, briefs you on what your trip will need, and points you to the right official portal — but we don’t process visa applications on your behalf. This guide is general information to help you plan; it is not immigration advice, and requirements change without notice. Always verify current, nationality-specific requirements on the official government immigration portal before you book flights or finalise dates.
The Basics
What Is a Visa / eVisa?
A visa is a government’s formal permission for a foreign national to enter the country for a specific purpose and length of stay. An eVisa is that same permission issued and verified electronically rather than as a paper document or passport sticker — you apply, pay, and receive approval entirely online.
Kenya now issues an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) rather than a traditional visa sticker: it’s a pre-arrival clearance linked digitally to your passport number, applied for on the official eTA portal before you fly. Tanzania issues a more conventional eVisa through its own immigration portal. In both cases there is no physical stamp to collect in advance — your approval is checked electronically against your passport when you land.
Check Your Passport
Who Needs a Visa?
Most travellers from the United States, United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need an approved eTA (Kenya) or eVisa (Tanzania) before travel. Citizens of East African Community member states, and a short list of other nationalities, are exempt for short tourist stays.
Because exemption lists are set by each government and reviewed periodically, the only reliable way to know your status is to check by your exact passport nationality on the official portal — not by what a friend or a forum post says worked last year. Travelling with children? Each child needs their own approved application, even infants. Dual nationals should apply using the same passport they intend to travel and check in with.
Choose the Right One
Visa Types
Almost every safari guest needs one of the four types below. Pick the one that matches the actual purpose of your trip.
Tourist Visa
Leisure travellers, single or multi-entry
The visa almost every safari guest applies for. Covers holiday travel, visiting family, and short volunteer or study visits. Kenya issues this as an electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA); Tanzania issues a standard eVisa. Both are typically valid for a single stay of up to 90 days, though the exact validity window and entry count depend on your nationality.
Transit Visa
Connecting through en route elsewhere
For travellers passing through a Kenyan or Tanzanian airport on the way to a third country, usually without leaving the international transit area. If you're leaving the airport — even for a short layover tour — most nationalities still need a transit or tourist visa, not just a boarding pass.
East Africa Tourist Visa
One application, three countries: Kenya, Uganda & Rwanda
A single joint visa that covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on one multi-entry permit, typically valid for 90 days from first entry. It's applied for through whichever of the three countries you enter first and is a genuine time- and money-saver if your itinerary crosses those borders. Important: Tanzania is not part of this scheme — a Kenya/Tanzania safari that includes both countries still needs two separate applications.
Business Visa
Conferences, meetings, site visits
For travel tied to work rather than tourism — conferences, supplier visits, due-diligence trips. Usually requires an invitation or support letter from the host company and is processed on a separate track from the tourist eVisa/eTA, so don't select it by mistake if you're on holiday.
Get Organised
Required Documents
Gather these before you start the online application — having them ready as clear digital files saves you a second login session.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond your return datewith at least one full blank visa page
- Completed online application formevery field matching your passport exactly
- Recent passport-style photoplain background, uploaded per the portal's spec
- Proof of accommodationa hotel/lodge booking confirmation or invitation letter
- Return or onward flight ticketconfirming you intend to leave within your visa validity
- Proof of sufficient fundsa recent bank statement is usually enough
- A rough itinerarydates and the main places you'll visit on safari
Always verify the exact document list for your nationality on the official portal before applying — requirements occasionally differ by passport and can change with little notice.
The Process
Step-by-Step: Applying Online
The Kenya eTA and Tanzania eVisa applications follow the same broad shape. Apply two to three weeks ahead of departure to leave room for a manual review.
- 1
Confirm the right portal for your nationality
Use only the official government sites — Kenya's eTA portal (etakenya.go.ke) and Tanzania's eVisa portal (visa.immigration.go.tz). Both list which nationalities need to apply and which are exempt.
- 2
Create an account
Register with a valid email address you'll check regularly — approval and any follow-up requests arrive there.
- 3
Complete the application form
Enter your details exactly as printed in your passport — a mismatched middle name or transposed passport number is the single most common cause of a rejected or delayed application.
- 4
Upload your documents
Scan or photograph your passport bio page, photo and supporting documents as clear, uncropped, correctly oriented files in the format the portal requests.
- 5
Pay the fee online
Pay by the card options the official portal accepts. You'll receive an email receipt — keep it with your other travel documents.
- 6
Submit and wait for approval
Most applications are decided within a few business days, but leave a buffer — occasional manual reviews take longer, especially in peak season (July–September, December–January).
- 7
Save and print your approval
Your eVisa/eTA is linked electronically to your passport, but border officials still routinely ask to see a printed or downloaded copy alongside your passport on arrival.
Budget For It
Fees & Processing Times
Fees vary by visa type, nationality and, occasionally, whether a bilateral fee-waiver agreement applies to your passport. Processing times are similarly variable depending on how the automated checks and any manual review land. Treat the figures below as planning guidance, not a quote — the official portal will always show the exact, current fee for your nationality at checkout.
| Visa / Country | Typical fee | Standard processing |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya eTA (tourist, single entry) | Paid online at application | A few business days |
| Tanzania eVisa (ordinary tourist) | Paid online at application | A few business days |
| East Africa Tourist Visa | Single fee, covers 3 countries | A few business days |
| Business visa (either country) | Higher than tourist rate | Can run longer — apply early |
Fees are typically payable by international card in USD or the local currency equivalent. Cash payment on arrival, where still available, is usually in USD only — check the current accepted currency and note before you fly.
Exemptions
Visa-Free Countries
Citizens of East African Community (EAC) member states — including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the DRC alongside Kenya and Tanzania themselves — generally move between these countries without a visa, using a national ID or passport depending on the border. A short additional list of other nationalities also enjoys visa-free entry for short tourist stays, negotiated bilaterally and reviewed from time to time.
These lists are not fixed — they’re amended by each government as agreements are signed, suspended or renegotiated. Confirm your current status by exact passport nationalityon the official Kenya and Tanzania immigration portals rather than relying on a country’s exemption status from a previous trip.
Plan Ahead
Visa-on-Arrival vs eVisa
Tanzania still permits visa-on-arrival for many nationalities at its main airports and land borders — you can, in principle, arrive without a pre-approved eVisa and apply at the counter. Kenya’s move to the eTA system effectively removed the walk-up tourist visa counter: online pre-approval is required before you fly.
We recommend applying online in advance for both countries regardless of which option is technically available. A pre-approved eVisa/eTA means faster immigration queues, a fixed and known cost with no cash-on-hand surprises, and no risk of being turned back at the counter for a document you didn’t know you needed. Reserve visa-on-arrival as a fallback, not the plan.
Avoid These
Common Mistakes
At a Glance
Quick Reference
| Kenya | Tanzania | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) | eVisa (with visa-on-arrival at some points) |
| When to apply | 2–3 weeks before departure | 2–3 weeks before departure |
| Typical validity | Up to 90 days, single entry (tourist) | Up to 90 days, single entry (ordinary) |
| Multi-country option | East Africa Tourist Visa — Kenya, Uganda & Rwanda only (not Tanzania) | |
| Official portal | etakenya.go.ke | visa.immigration.go.tz |
| Payment | Online by international card at application (currency/method may vary — check the portal) | |
This guide is general information intended to help you plan, compiled for the 2026/27 travel season. It is not immigration or legal advice, and visa rules, fees and exemptions can change without notice. Safari Update is a safari planning company, not a visa agency, and does not submit applications on travellers’ behalf. Always confirm current requirements for your exact nationality on the official Kenya and Tanzania government immigration portals before booking flights.
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