Foreigners Dissatisfied With Ruto’s New ETA After Visa Abolished
Non-citizens, the majority of whom come from 51 nations that previously had the privilege of entering Kenya without a Visa, have conveyed their discontent regarding President William Ruto’s choice to eliminate Visa prerequisites and substitute them with Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
The President made this move to enhance domestic tourism by enticing over 5 million visitors, and in doing so, abolished the need for Visas.
Nevertheless, the recently implemented ETA system mandates that all global travelers submit their details at least 72 hours before their journey and pay a fee of Ksh4,653 ($30).
Individuals from the 51 nations, including South Africa and Malawi, that previously benefited from visa-free travel to Kenya argued that while the new system may be appealing to others, it imposes additional expenses and requirements on them.
Jones Ntaukira, expressing his views on his X account, contended that he now has to spend more money and complete additional paperwork before traveling, a requirement that was previously unnecessary.
“So until 24 hours ago, as a Malawian, I could just wake up, buy a ticket and fly to Kenya in the afternoon, visa-free. Now Kenya has “removed visa” for everyone visiting Kenya, but now everyone has to pay $30 travel authorisation fee 72 hours before travel. What? Hectic,” he expressed.
Supporting this assertion, Sean Mendis, an airline executive, acknowledged that the additional paperwork increases wait times, as travelers are now required to provide details such as confirmed flights and booked hotels.
He also pointed out that the standard ETA is inflexible, meaning that even if a flight is canceled, the individual remains tied to the initially submitted flight itinerary.
If travelers wish to change their flight number, an extra fee will be imposed.
“Each ETA is single entry and you cannot apply for the next ETA until you exit the country, meaning that you cannot travel to Kenya more often than once every 72 hrs,” he argued.
“This system is not something to be commended. It is basically a cash grab rather than a means of opening borders. The old visa regime was far better than this “not a visa but ETA” system, especially for those who qualified for actual visa free entry in the past but now have to pay for this ‘not a visa’, or for frequent travelers who could get multiple entry visas but now have to reapply every single time.”
CNN correspondent Larry Madowo, renowned for his frequent travels across continents, echoed this observation.
In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Interior defended the necessity of ETA filing, emphasizing that it serves to keep the country informed on Kenya’s security and other strategic interests.
“Previously, travellers from 51 countries were not required to fill out any forms on personal and relevant travel details. There was therefore no means of obtaining data to inform critical decisions and plans around security, infrastructure and insurance needs,” read the statement in part.
“With the introduction of the ETA, we now have comprehensive data on all visitors, significantly improving our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of both our visitors and citizens.”
As of now, the ETA system has garnered a total of 9,787 applications, with 4,046 already successfully processed.
Interior Principal Secretary Julius Bitok additionally disclosed that the implementation of ETA has significantly decreased the application waiting time, reducing it from 14 days for visas to a mere 72 hours for the ETA.
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Foreigners Dissatisfied With Ruto’s New ETA After Visa Abolished
