As we have reported extensively, it is about to come into effect, in the next few days in Kenya, the eTA electronic travel authorisation will come into force in Kenya, an international security and traveller data control system already adopted by countries such as Great Britain, Canada and Australia and, according to experts, soon to be extended worldwide.

Kenya's President William Ruto, in announcing this news for tourists, prioritised the news that visas would be abolished.
To make it clear, beyond political proclamations, the visa is abolished as it will no longer be necessary to apply for it in order to have a permit to stay in the country for the canonical 90 days that can be extended, nor to travel.

REDUCED COSTS

For example, the cost is not zero, only reduced.
If the online visa (evisa) cost (and still costs, until the site is operational and there is official news of its closure) 51 euros, the ETA costs 31. But there is also a 'premium' service that costs the same as the visa, 51 euros.

TRAVEL PERMIT

The ETA has no validity in time, as it is not a visa, but only a travel permit!
It is the stamp in your passport, based on the return ticket that you must enclose with your ETA application, that will determine the first duration of your stay.
After that you will have to apply for the extension online, at the Kenyan immigration website fns.immigration.go.ke, giving reasons for your request.

EXTENSION POSSIBLE

If in the coming days the Kenyan courts do not prevent the application of the new tariffs on the presence of foreigners in the territory, the extension of stay for tourism after 90 days will cost USD 100, while one can also apply for the extension after six months, at a cost of USD 200.

RESIDENTS ALSO

The novelty of the ETA, which as it is said is a travel permit and not a visa application, from which residents in the country were exempt, is that it will therefore also be compulsory for those who had never had to apply online or pay anything to travel to Kenya.
In fact, as the etakenya.go.ke website states, only Kenyan citizens are exempt from applying for ETA, and those from the East African Community (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Federal Republic of Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda). While other nationalities that were previously exempt from paying visas, including 18 African nations and some Asian and Middle Eastern ones, are back in play.
Recall that, according to the website, the ETA must be issued every time one travels to Kenya, but there will certainly be controversy, especially for all those business residents who frequently, even weekly, travel abroad, round trip.

As always, in so many ways, Kenya is the country of 'work in progress'. We will update you on any further news and insights.