Kenya recently decided to waive the entry fee for travelers from South Africa and six other countries, aiming to encourage tourism and business visits.
The government canceled the visa requirements for all foreign passport holders last month but later introduced a $30 entry fee, which caused controversy.
This move was initially made to promote Kenya as a tourist-friendly destination and to attract more business travelers.
However, the introduction of the entry fee received significant criticism.
Critics were concerned that it might lead to other countries implementing similar fees for Kenyan travelers, thus making travel more expensive and complicated.
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Previously, only travelers from the East African Community (EAC) were exempt from this fee.
Now, travelers from South Africa and five other African countries – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, and Mozambique – as well as San Marino in Europe, are exempt from paying the entry fee.
This decision was based on existing visa abolition agreements or bilateral visa waiver agreements between Kenya and these countries.
However, travelers from these exempted countries still need to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA) before entering Kenya.
This requires providing details such as flight information and proof of accommodation.
The ETA allows for single entry and remains valid for 90 days.
This streamlined process aims to facilitate entry for travelers while ensuring necessary documentation is in place.
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