Kenya eTA vs Old eVisa and Visa on Arrival: What US Travelers Should Use

Short answer: Kenya’s Visa Free Regime still requires an approved eTA before travel for typical U.S. passport holders — the United States is not on the Embassy Washington exemption list. Travel.State.Gov lists Tourist Visa Required: Yes and says all visitors must obtain an electronic travel authorization before entering Kenya. Apply on the current official eTA portal (it replaced evisa.go.ke on 5 January 2024). Plan on eTA before you fly. Embassy and State.gov pages used for this guide do not publish a visa-on-arrival apply path or fee table for typical U.S. tourism — confirm live on official channels. Start Kenya eTA help on my-evisas.com. Stand: 19 August 2026.

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Two paths at a glance

Kenya eTA before you fly

Kenya Embassy Washington D.C.: the Government of Kenya implemented Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) under the Visa Free Regime directive and Gazette Supplement No. 1 of 2 January 2024. All visitors, including infants and children, must have an approved eTA before the start of their journey (unless a listed exemption applies).

The Embassy names etakenya.go.ke as the portal that replaced www.evisa.go.ke effective 5 January 2024. Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services likewise says visitors must have an approved eTA before travel and to apply on the eTA website. Processing is typically three working days (Embassy: may take longer).

An approved eTA is valid for travel within 90 days from issuance; how long you may stay is decided at entry.

How to apply, fees, and documents: Kenya eTA guide. Assisted filing: https://my-evisas.com/visas/kenya.

Old eVisa, visa on arrival, and “visa free”

Visa Free Regime is the policy name on the Embassy eTA page. For U.S. travelers it means apply online for an eTA — not “arrive with no authorization.” Travel.State.Gov still lists Tourist Visa Required: Yes.

evisa.go.ke is the previous platform. The Embassy states it was replaced on 5 January 2024. Use the current eTA portal named above.

Visa on arrival: Travel.State.Gov and the Embassy pages used here tell U.S. travelers to obtain an electronic travel authorization before entry / before the journey. They do not publish a VoA fee or airport-counter apply table for typical U.S. tourism. Confirm the live rule on official Kenyan channels before you fly.

Embassy sticker and East Africa Tourist Visa paths, if they apply to your itinerary, are DIY on official channels.

Which path fits your trip?

For a typical U.S. tourism or short business visit: Kenya eTA before you fly. That is the path Travel.State.Gov and Kenya Embassy Washington describe, and the product my-evisas.com can help with.

If you clearly fit a published Embassy exemption (for example East African Community citizenship, or another listed category), follow that exemption on the live Embassy / Immigration pages — that is not the same as “visa free, skip the form” for a U.S. passport.

If older itineraries still mention visa on arrival or evisa.go.ke, confirm the live Embassy eTA page before you book.

Shared entry notes

• Travel.State.Gov: passport with at least two blank pages, six months’ validity, and a Kenyan electronic travel authorization.
• Embassy eTA page: passport valid six months after planned arrival, with at least one blank page. Leave margin in the passport and confirm both statements on the live pages.
• Yellow fever (State.gov): proof of immunization if arriving from an endemic country, or you may be denied entry.
• Stay length: decided at the point of entry (Embassy).

FAQ

Do US citizens still need an eTA if Kenya is visa free?

Yes for typical U.S. passport travel. The Embassy implemented eTA in line with the Visa Free Regime; United States nationality is not on the published exemption list. Travel.State.Gov: Tourist Visa Required: Yes, and all visitors need an electronic travel authorization before entering Kenya.

Can I get a Kenya visa on arrival?

Plan on an approved eTA before you fly. The Embassy, Immigration Directorate, and Travel.State.Gov pages used here require authorization before the journey / before entry. They do not publish a VoA apply table for typical U.S. tourism. Confirm live official rules if your itinerary is unusual.

What happened to evisa.go.ke?

Kenya Embassy Washington D.C.: the current official eTA portal replaced evisa.go.ke effective 5 January 2024. Use that portal (or assisted filing), not the retired domain.

Which path can my-evisas.com help with?

Kenya eTA assisted filing → https://my-evisas.com/visas/kenya. Old eVisa portal, visa-on-arrival counters, and embassy sticker appointments are not offered.

How my-evisas.com can help

my-evisas.com can help you start a Kenya eTA application — electronic support linked from https://my-evisas.com/visas/kenya.

• Provided: Kenya eTA assisted filing → https://my-evisas.com/visas/kenya
• Not provided: visa-on-arrival counter services; retired evisa.go.ke filing; embassy/consulate sticker appointments

→ Start on my-evisas.com · Kenya eTA guide · Kenya hub

Sources

1. Kenya Embassy Washington D.C. — Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) (accessed 19 August 2026)
2. U.S. Department of State — Kenya (accessed 19 August 2026)
3. Directorate of Immigration Services — Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) (accessed 19 August 2026)

Important Notice

The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. my-evisas.com is a private service provider and not a government authority, embassy, or consulate.

Visa requirements and entry regulations can change at short notice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. Only the official regulations in force at the time of your application are authoritative.

As of: 19 August 2026

Binding and up-to-date information is provided exclusively by the relevant official authorities. Please verify the currently applicable requirements before your application or travel: https://www.etakenya.go.ke/