In a bid to bolster tourism and attract business travellers, Kenya has announced the waiving of entry fees for passport holders from South Africa and six other nations.
This decision comes in response to widespread criticism of the recently introduced $30 fee, which was seen as potentially burdensome for travellers.
Previously, all foreign passport holders were subject to visa requirements, prompting backlash over increased travel costs and bureaucratic hurdles.
However, exemptions have now been granted to passport holders from South Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Mozambique, and members of the East African Community (EAC) regional bloc.
Notably, San Marino, Europe’s third-smallest nation, also finds itself on the exemption list.
According to a memorandum from Kenya’s interior ministry and immigration department, these countries have either entered into “visa abolition agreements or signed bilateral visa waiver agreements” with Kenya. Nonetheless, travellers from these exempted countries will still be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA) document, valid for a period of 90 days.
