Kenya is an exciting place to plan a trip, this East African country is famous with wildlife safari, beaches of turquoise color and colorful culture. However, the Kenya Visa Requirements should be properly understood before you prepare to go out, particularly those points that tourists miss. Being with your family or sightseeing in the country with the first sight, being informed about the basic things will save you some time, inconvenience, and unwanted time wastage. Most of the travelers who are using Kenya Visitor visa to see the family are also missing important steps to make the process easier.

Go Kite Tours, in this comprehensive guide describes the minor yet significant factors in the Kenya visa processing process to enable you to travel without worries.

The importance of learning the Kenya Visa Requirements

The Kenya visa is relatively easy to apply, but most of the travelers fail in the process due to the assumption that the visas are administered in the same way as in other nations. But Kenya has certain regulations based on the nationality, the reason you want to visit Kenya, and the number of days you are going to spend there. Lack of any of the requirements will cause the delays or rejection of the visa.

This is to prevent delays, particularly when you are travelling due to some family affair, scheduled safari or business conference. You can get to know what tourists usually miss and you will be able to prepare all your documents correctly in the first time.

1. Passport Validity: Not Negotiated

Passport validity is one of the most popular mistakes made when going through Kenya Visa Requirements. Your passport must be:

• Using your travel date as the time frame, at least a period of six months valid.
• No damage, tears or absent pages.
• Has two or more blank pages with visa stamps.

Most of the people who travel only know that their passport is about to go out of date when they have completed their online application and thus have to delay their travel. This should be checked first before proceeding to do anything.

2. New Passport-Sized Photographs Requirement

The immigration department in Kenya is very strict on photo guidelines. Your digital photo should be:

• Taken within the last 6 months
• Against a white background
• Properly lit (no shadows)
• Being able to see your entire face.

Blurry pictures, erroneous crop, and pictures made using mobile selfies are prone to rejection. This is a basic need yet most people who are traveling forget to pack it right.

3. Evidence of Accommodation and Travel Itinerary

Although Kenya does not necessarily demand a detailed itinerary, the authorities still demand evidence that you are going to stay somewhere. One of the errors most people travelling commit is temporary bookings that are not confirmed. Instead, ensure you have:

• Confirmation of hotel reservation.
• Or invitation letter of your host.
• Onward or return flight reservation.

In case you are staying with family or friends, they should be very clear in terms of the address, contact information, and ties with the family or friends in the invitation letter. This is particularly imperative in case you are applying to the family visit visa.

4. Proof and Intention of Financial Prove

Kenya would like to see that people travelling to the country are able to sustain themselves financially. You may be asked to submit:

• Bank account statements (typically 3 months)
• Proof of employment
• Proof of business ownership
• Proof of return travel

Return intent is an underestimated phenomenon in many people. Failure to provide convincing evidence can cause your approval to be put on hold particularly when you are requesting lengthy tourist permits.

5. Misleading or missing Travel Purpose

Kenya has various visa categories and the incorrect use of any of the types may lead to a hustle. For example:

• Tourist Visa is essential in case of tourist activities.
• Travelling to family demand Visitor Visa.
• Business Visa is required in the short business trips.

Even when traveling to a family wedding or business conference, travelers tend to take up the option of tourism. This can be flagged by the immigration department in case the records indicate the opposite. It is important to always select the purpose which matches your actual visit.

6. The confusion of Yellow Fever Certificate

Most tourists are of the opinion that all people entering Kenya require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. This is not always true. You will just need the certificate by arriving to, or passing through, a Yellow Fever-risk country.

Nevertheless, in case you travel a lot, it is a good practice to renew the vaccination, save time and avoid stress before the departure.

7. Ignoring Processing Time

The visa processing in Kenya is generally convenient and online yet there are delays that are likely to occur during the peak periods. Most passengers want immediate acceptance, it can take:

• 1-3 working days to process normally.
• Extended in case of documents needing additional verification.

It is best to apply at least one week prior to travelling. Stress can be avoided by creating a buffer at Go Kite Tours.

8. Failure to Carry a Digital and Printed Version of Your Visa.

There is a time when you will always want to download several copies of your visa once it is approved. Keep them:

• In your email
• Saved on your phone
• Printed along with your travel documents.

Your online approval letter may be requested by the immigration officials. In case you are unable to demonstrate it, you might suffer delays in the airport.

9. Ignoring Stay Duration Regulations

The majority of Kenya tourist and visitor visas have a stay of up to 90 days. Most tourists think they can make it indefinitely, but they require extensions to be applied in Kenya which is not guaranteed. Exceeding the permitted day can attract fines or subsequent visa problems. You should never overstep the allowed time in traveling.

Conclusion: How to pack the perfect Kenya travel bag

Knowing the Kenya Visa Requirements has been known to make the traveling process a lot easier. Vital issues as passport validity and adequate accommodation documentation may be a big difference in determining the success of your application. You should cross-check everything before you put in your papers, make copies and decide on the type of visa to take depending on your intention.

When applying in the near future, remember to have you Kenya visa application form downloaded and duly filled in order to save time. To have an easy time planning, professional advice, and quicker authorizations, Go Kite Tours will be here to assist you with all the details.