File image of President William Ruto
Bacha Debele Buta, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, expressed gratitude for the decision to exempt its citizens from paying the USD30 fee when applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
The ambassador praised President William Ruto’s administration for such a move.
“My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Kenya for its prompt response and [the] kind decision to remove Ethiopian citizens from the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) related electronic payment requirement,” he stated.
The statement came amid concerns about the new visa regime and its consequences for Kenya and Ethiopia’s decades-long visa-free agreement, which allows nationals of both countries to travel without obtaining a visa. President Ruto announced Kenya’s transition to a “visa-free” arrangement on December 12, 2023, with the ETA requirement, which applies to all foreigners, taking effect on January 1, 2024.
The ETA protocol supports improved identification and vetting. The new visa regime saw its first wave of foreign arrivals on January 5 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok reported that the Immigration Department had received 5,000 ETA applications at the time. In support of this policy move, the government amended the Citizen and Immigration Regulations, 2023.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki published a special Gazette notice that substituted the term “visa” with “Electronic Travel Authorisation.”
The Gazette notice stated that travelers must apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation using the electronic portal before commencing their journey.
It further said that airlines will not be able to board passengers without a valid ETA. Any carrier or agent found in violation of the regulation would incur an administrative penalty of USD 10,000.
Before the implementation of the ETA system, nationals from 51 countries could visit Kenya without a visa, whilst travelers from 155 other countries had to pay a USD50 visa application fee.
Also Read: Government Issues Update On Electronic Travel Authorisation
