Kenya government has received a total of 9,787 applications from foreigners for its new Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) system under its new Visa-free travel policy.

Speaking on Sunday, Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the department had processed 4,046 of those applications as the others are being reviewed on a priority basis.

The new eTA system permits foreign travellers to enter Kenya for a visit or to transit through the country by air without having to obtain a visa as had been the case before.

Kenya says eTA is aimed at providing travelers from other countries with a faster, fair, and reliable service but at the same time enables Kenya to aptly deal with her security concerns.

PS Bitok revealed that 2,141 travellers were approved on the eTA system and the first group of international travellers utilizing the visa-free policy arrived in the country by air on Friday.

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“We are delighted to welcome the first group of visa-free travellers to Kenya. We hope they will enjoy their stay and explore the beauty and diversity of our country,” stated Bitok.

This comes barely a month after President William Ruto declared that Kenya will become a visa-free country from January 2024 in an effort to foster tourism and investment numbers.

Last week Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) urged travellers to verify their application status before travel saying the new eTA system was still in the process of development.

However, this comes amid complaints by a host of foreigners intending to travel to Kenya that the process is tedious, costly and marred with confusion and might discourage many tourists from visiting or transiting through Kenya if not handled well by the Government.

For one to apply for the eTA, hey must submit the following documents at least 72 hours before their intended date of travel or risk losing the $30 charged on their credit/debit card:

• A valid passport 

• Passport photographs

• Credit/Debit card information for eTA payment (USD30).

• Travel information including flight itinerary and number, and the departure date.

• Contact details including home address, telephone and email.

• Proof of hotel booking or invitation letter, if one is being hosted by a friend.

• Yellow fever vaccination certificate (if one originates from endemic countries).

It is important to note that an eTA application, including the USD30 payment, does not guarantee one permission to travel to Kenya.