Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-02-22 01:46:10
Kenya has recently announced that it will waive the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) fees for nationals from seven countries starting February 15, 2024. This decision was communicated through an internal memo issued by the Ministry of Interior and signed by Dan Opon, the Director General in the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services.
The countries exempted from paying ETA-related fees include Comoros, The Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique, San Marino, and South Africa. The memo highlighted that nationals from these countries will no longer be required to pay the ETA fees after submitting their applications through the digital platform www.etakenya.go.ke.
The decision to exempt these countries from ETA fees comes after objections from the affected nations, citing previous treaties with Kenya that abolished visa fees. It was argued that the introduction of ETA, which replaced the traditional visa system, went against the reciprocity agreements previously established.
According to the memo, the exempted countries had previously concluded visa abolition agreements or signed bilateral visa waiver agreements with Kenya. The introduction of ETA was seen as a violation of these agreements, prompting the affected countries to protest the imposition of ETA fees.
Before the introduction of ETA on January 1, 2024, a total of 51 countries were already exempted from paying visa fees when traveling to Kenya. With the recent decision, only members of the East Africa Community and the seven aforementioned countries will be exempt from ETA fees.
It should be noted that the exemption of these seven countries from ETA fees follows visa waivers that were granted after President William Ruto assumed power in September 2022. This decision acknowledges the diplomatic relationships and agreements between Kenya and the affected nations.
The Ministry of Interior did not specify whether other countries would be exempted from ETA fees in the future, leaving room for further developments in the country’s visa and travel policies.
Overall, the exemption of these seven countries from ETA fees demonstrates Kenya’s commitment to honoring international agreements and fostering positive diplomatic relations with its counterparts. This decision is expected to streamline the travel process for nationals from the affected countries and strengthen the ties between Kenya and its international partners.
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