Kenya has rejected some 110 travelers’ applications through the new Electronic Travelers Authorization (ETA).
They were part of more than 32,000 travelers’ applications made through the system.
Of these, 25,000 were approved in the past weeks, officials said.
This has enabled the immigration officials to collect over USD 1 million, Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed Thursday
Some of the affected travelers who were rejected were on Interpol and other watchlists.
“They were found to be on the watchlist, others have issues to do with terrorism, drug trafficking, and other issues.
We have a system to enable us to detect this,” said Bitok.
He made the remarks when he visited the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday to inspect the progress of the new system.
He was accompanied by senior immigration officials.
He said they have been able to make the form of application as simple as possible.
“There should be nobody complaining that it’s taking so long. It’s very efficient,” he said.
He added the number of visitors using the system has increased in the period.
“We believe we are going to double the number of tourists coming to Kenya in the coming days.”
Immigration Director-General Evelyn Cheluget said the new system enables them to get all needed data on travelers.
She said ETA is the only way for now and Kenya is the first one to embrace it in Africa.
She added they had removed the requirement of a bank statement for applicants.
“We are still developing the system. We are reviewing it every day depending on the feedback we get,” she said.
Bitok said to boost tourism and attract more foreign investments to Kenya, the government removed all visa requirements for all foreign nationals visiting and transiting through Kenya from January 2024.
This decision reflects the commitment to the promotion of an open, accessible, and inclusive tourism and investment environment.
The vacated visa requirements have been replaced by the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
This is designed for visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to or transiting through the country, especially by air.
“The introduction of ETA is premised on the need to have a fair, faster, and reliable system that also addresses Kenya’s security and other strategic interests,” he said.
The introduction of ETA is premised on the need to have a fair, faster, and reliable system that also addresses Kenya’s security and other strategic interests.
Before ETA, citizens from 51 countries enjoyed visa-free entry to Kenya, while travelers from 155 other countries
were subject to a visa application process at $50, he said.
Those coming from these countries are accorded priority services, said Bitok.
ETA has introduced significant changes to the travel and transit experience for foreign nationals visiting Kenya in four fundamental
ways.
They include equal Treatment and Reduced Fees.
The entry requirements and applicable payments for all foreign nationals, except for East African Community (EAC) citizens, will now be the same irrespective of the country of origin.
Kenya Rejects 110 Travelers’ Applications Via ETA System Over Security, Kenya Rejects 110 Travelers’ Applications Via ETA System Over Security
