The government of Kenya is set to replace conventional visa use for travellers with an electronic authorisation pass.
This was disclosed by President William Ruto earlier this week when he said visitors will no longer be required to secure a visa beforehand.
The new move is scheduled to begin by January 2024.
According to Ruto, his government has created a digital platform that guarantees every guest will obtain an electronic travel authorisation ahead of time, negating the need for them to apply for a visa.
“It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya,” he affirmed in Kenya’s capital Nairobi at an event to mark the nation’s 60-year independence from Britain.
Ruto has long voiced his support for a visa-free requirement for entry into Africa.
During a meeting held in the Republic of Congo in October, he declared that by the end of 2023, citizens of African nations would not need a visa to enter Kenya.
Kenya’s economy is heavily reliant on the tourism sector, which provides both inland game safaris and beach vacations along the Indian Ocean coastline.
“Kenya has a simple message to humanity: Welcome Home!” Ruto said.
