The Kenya visa for Pakistani travellers is no longer a visa at all. Since January 2024 Kenya has replaced visas with an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), and Pakistani passport holders must have an approved eTA before they board a flight to Nairobi. The good news is that it is fully online, the official fee is US$30 and the standard decision time is three working days, with an expedited option when you are in a hurry. That makes Kenya one of the easier long-haul trips for Pakistanis, and it is why it sits on our list of visa-free and e-visa countries for Pakistan.
This guide explains how the eTA works, the exact fees, the documents Kenyan immigration asks for, a step-by-step application, validity and single-entry rules, the health certificates that catch many Pakistani travellers on the way home, and the basics of planning a safari. Every rule below was checked on the official Kenyan eTA portal and other official sources on 28 October 2026.
Kenya visa for Pakistani travellers: quick facts (checked 28 October 2026)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Travel document | Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied online before travel; no visa on arrival |
| Who needs it | Every Pakistani visitor, including infants and children; Pakistan is not on Kenya’s exemption lists |
| Official fee | Standard eTA US$30 (single entry); expedited processing costs US$100 extra; transit eTA US$20; fees are non-refundable |
| Processing | Usually within three working days (72 hours); expedited applications are processed immediately |
| Validity and stay | Enter Kenya within 90 days of issue; the length of stay is set by the immigration officer on arrival |
| Key documents | Passport valid at least six months after arrival with a blank page, photo, return itinerary, hotel booking, card payment |
| Health | Pakistan requires a yellow fever certificate from travellers aged one year and over coming back from Kenya; polio dose before leaving Pakistan |
| Easy Visa can help with | Checking your documents, preparing and submitting your eTA on the official portal, tracking it, and planning flights, hotels and health certificates |
Sources: the official Kenya eTA portal FAQs and eTA types and fees, Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services eTA page and the WHO yellow fever country list, checked 28 October 2026.
Want us to check your file before you apply? WhatsApp +92 331 1442249
Kenya Visa for Pakistani Passport Holders: How the eTA Works
When people search for a Kenya visa for Pakistani citizens, they usually find old pages about the Kenya e-visa or a visa on arrival. Both are out of date. Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services now runs the Electronic Travel Authorisation, and its official page says that all visitors, “including infants and children”, must have an approved eTA before the start of their journey.
The eTA works like a pre-screening. You fill in an online form with your passport details, travel dates and accommodation, upload a photo, pay the fee and wait for an email decision. Kenya calls the system semi-automated: it checks your eligibility before you fly, and the airline will ask to see the approved eTA at check-in.
Do Pakistanis need a visa for Kenya?
Pakistanis do not need a traditional visa sticker, but they do need an eTA. The official portal lists who is exempt under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Rules, 2025: citizens of East African Community states, a list of mostly African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (including Malaysia, Maldives and Singapore), holders of certain diplomatic passports and airside transit passengers. Pakistan is not on any of these lists, so every Pakistani ordinary passport holder needs an approved eTA, whatever the purpose of the trip.
This is why headlines about Kenya going “visa-free” confuse travellers. Kenya removed the visa, not the permission. For a Pakistani family the practical rule is simple: no approved eTA, no boarding.
An eTA is permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry
The portal’s general information page is clear that holding an eTA “is not the final authority” to enter Kenya. The immigration officer at the airport decides admissibility and how long you may stay. Carry the same documents you uploaded (return ticket, hotel booking, proof of funds) so your answers at the counter match your application. Our general guide to electronic travel authorisations explains how ETAs differ from visas in other countries too.
Kenya Visa Fee for Pakistani Applicants: Standard, Expedited and Transit
The Kenya visa fee for Pakistani applicants is the same as for most nationalities, because the eTA price depends on the type of eTA, not on your passport. These are the official prices shown on the eTA portal on 28 October 2026:
| eTA type | Official fee | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| Standard eTA | US$30 | One entry into Kenya (tourism, family visit, business meetings, medical visits) |
| Expedited processing | US$100 on top of the eTA fee | Immediate processing for urgent travel |
| Transit eTA | US$20 | Passing through Kenya on the way to another country, when you leave the airport transit area |
| One-year multi-entry eTA | US$300 | Multiple entries over one year for frequent visitors |
In short, the Kenya visa for Pakistani tourists costs US$30 per person, and someone who needs a same-day answer pays US$30 plus US$100. Fees are charged in US dollars on a credit or debit card, so your bank will convert to rupees at its own rate and may add a foreign transaction charge. Check that your card is enabled for international online payments before you start.
The fee is non-refundable
The portal’s terms state that once you submit an application, the fee is non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another person, even if the eTA is denied or your plans change. One wrong passport number or a blurry photo can cost you the fee and several days. This is the main reason many families ask us to check the file before they pay.
Watch out for lookalike websites
Search results for a Kenya visa for Pakistani applicants, or for “Kenya evisa”, include several private websites that look official and charge far more than US$30. The only official channels are the government portal at etakenya.go.ke and the official “Kenya Travel Authorisation” mobile app. If a site asks you for a large “service fee” in dollars and its address does not end in go.ke, it is not the government.
Documents Required for the Kenya eTA from Pakistan
The eTA form is short, but the documents for a Kenya visa for Pakistani applicants must be exact. According to the official portal, every traveller needs:
- A passport valid for at least six months after your planned arrival in Kenya, with at least one blank page. Renew early if your passport is close to that limit.
- A selfie or passport-type photo with a plain background, good light and no glasses glare.
- Contact details: an email address you check often and a working phone number.
- Your travel itinerary: arrival and departure dates and flights. A confirmed return or onward ticket is safest.
- Accommodation booking confirmation for your stay, such as hotel or safari lodge bookings.
- A card for payment.
Extra documents by purpose of visit
Depending on why you travel, the portal may also ask for:
- Family visit: an invitation letter from your host plus a copy of the host’s ID, passport, alien card or entry permit.
- Business: an invitation letter from the Kenyan company and a copy of its company registration.
- Medical treatment: a referral or appointment letter from the doctor or hospital.
- Conference: an invitation or participation letter.
- Health: vaccination or test certificates where relevant (see the health section below).
Pakistani applicants should also keep a recent bank statement and, for employees, a leave letter or NOC. The eTA form does not always ask for them, but immigration officers at the airport sometimes do. Our checklist of documents required for a visa from Pakistan shows how to prepare these papers so names and dates match across every document.
A common reason for delays is a mismatch: a hotel booking in one spelling, a passport in another, or travel dates that do not match the ticket. Make every document say the same thing as your passport.
How to Apply for the Kenya eTA Online, Step by Step
Here is how to get a Kenya visa for Pakistani applicants through the official eTA portal. Set aside about 30 minutes per person and have scans ready.
- Open the official portal at etakenya.go.ke (or the official Kenya Travel Authorisation app) and click “Apply Now”.
- Choose individual or group. Families can select “Apply as a Group”, but each person, including a baby, still gets a separate eTA and pays a separate fee.
- Enter passport details exactly as printed on the data page, including the full name order.
- Add travel details: purpose, arrival and departure dates, flight details and where you will stay.
- Upload your photo and documents in clear colour scans.
- Answer the eligibility questions honestly, including any previous refusals or criminal records.
- Pay the fee by card and choose standard or expedited processing.
- Watch your email. You receive a confirmation of receipt, a payment receipt and later the approval or refusal email.
- Save the approved eTA as a PDF, print one copy and keep it on your phone or in the app. You must show it at departure and on arrival.
You can track the application at any time with the “Check Status” button and the reference number from your email. The portal also allows someone to apply on behalf of another person, which is how a family member or a consultant can submit the form for you.
If your eTA is refused or delayed
If the application is denied, the portal advises that you cannot travel for now and should contact etakenya@immigration.go.ke for details. Kenya also runs an eTA helpline on WhatsApp (+254 110 922 064). Do not book non-refundable flights before approval unless you are comfortable with the risk.
Prefer not to do it alone? Easy Visa can check your documents, fill in and submit the eTA for you on the official portal, and track it until a decision. We cannot promise approval, because Kenyan immigration decides, but we make sure your file is complete and consistent. Send your travel dates on WhatsApp +92 331 1442249 or see all our visit visa services.
Processing Time, Validity and Single-Entry Rules
Kenya’s immigration directorate says eTA applications are processed within three working days, and the portal FAQ describes the standard service as up to 72 hours, adding that some files take longer because of verification checks. The expedited option is processed immediately for an extra US$100.
Even so, the portal recommends applying at least two weeks before travel. For a Kenya visa for Pakistani travellers that is sensible advice: weekends and Kenyan public holidays do not count as working days, and any request for extra information pauses your file.
How long is the Kenya eTA valid?
According to the official how-to-apply page, the eTA is valid for travel within 90 days from the date of issue. If you do not enter Kenya within those 90 days, it lapses and you need a new one. Once you arrive, the immigration officer stamps a visitor’s pass and decides how long you may stay.
Kenya’s missions explain that the visitor’s pass can be extended at an immigration office, up to 90 days at first and a further 90 days, with a maximum of 180 days in total. Most Pakistani tourists only need one to two weeks, so this rarely matters, but do not overstay the date written on your pass.
Single entry and side trips
The standard eTA is valid for a single entry. There is one useful exception: a short trip to an East African Community partner state (Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan or DR Congo) and back does not use up your entry. A trip to any other country, such as a stopover in Dubai between two Kenya visits, means you need a new eTA. Plan safari circuits that cross into Tanzania with this rule in mind, and remember that Tanzania has its own visa rules for Pakistanis.
If you only need a quick answer for another destination, compare Kenya with other fast online options for Pakistanis such as the Azerbaijan urgent e-visa.
Yellow Fever, Polio and Health Rules for Pakistani Travellers
This is the part most Kenya visa for Pakistani guides skip, and it is the one that causes trouble at Pakistani airports on the way home.
Yellow fever: needed to come back into Pakistan
The World Health Organization lists Kenya as a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission in parts of the country. The same WHO list shows that Pakistan requires proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged one year and over arriving from risk countries. In plain words: if you visit Kenya, you will need a valid yellow fever certificate when you return to Pakistan.
- Get the vaccine before you leave Pakistan, ideally at least 10 days before departure, because the certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination.
- Since 2016 a yellow fever certificate is valid for life, so if you already have one, carry it.
- In Pakistan, yellow fever and polio certificates are recorded through the NADRA-linked National Immunisation Management System set up by the National Institute of Health. Make sure the vaccination centre enters your dose into the system before you leave.
- Kenya itself asks for a yellow fever certificate from travellers arriving from risk countries, so a long layover in an African risk country can matter too. Ask us about your route.
The US CDC also recommends the yellow fever vaccine for most travellers to Kenya outside Nairobi city and the coast, which includes the Maasai Mara and other safari parks. See the CDC Kenya travel health page for details.
Polio: needed to leave Pakistan
Because Pakistan is still under the WHO polio emergency rules, residents of Pakistan of any age should receive a polio dose between four weeks and 12 months before international travel and carry the certificate, as explained by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The process for the NIMS certificate is the same one we describe in our vaccination requirements guide for Pakistani travellers.
Malaria and other health advice
Malaria is present in most of Kenya below 2,500 metres, including game parks, though rare in central Nairobi. Speak to your doctor about antimalarial tablets, pack insect repellent and long sleeves for evening game drives, and buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
Kenya Safari Trip Basics: Flights, Nairobi, Maasai Mara and Diani
Once your Kenya visa for Pakistani travel is sorted, the fun part is planning the trip. Kenya suits honeymoon couples, families and groups of friends who want a first African safari without a complicated visa process.
Flights from Pakistan to Nairobi
There are no non-stop flights between Pakistan and Kenya, so most travellers fly from Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad with one stop at a Gulf hub such as Dubai or Doha and land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, run by the Kenya Airports Authority. Kenya’s national carrier connects Nairobi with the Middle East and runs domestic flights to Mombasa; you can check Kenya Airways’ KQ code and Nairobi hub on IATA.co when you compare tickets that mix airlines. Stay airside during your Gulf connection if you do not hold a visa for that country; if you plan a Dubai stopover, read our Dubai visa from Pakistan guide.
Where to go
- Nairobi: the capital has Nairobi National Park on its edge, where you can see lions and giraffes with the city skyline behind them, plus the giraffe and elephant orphanage centres. The historic Jamia Mosque sits in the city centre, and halal food is easy to find.
- Maasai Mara: Kenya’s most famous reserve, in Narok County. The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra usually reaches the Mara between about July and October, though timing changes every year.
- Amboseli: elephant herds with views of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border on clear mornings.
- Diani Beach and Mombasa: white sand on the south coast and a historic Swahili port with a long Muslim heritage, a relaxing end to a safari.
Money, packing and a simple 7-day plan
Kenya uses the Kenyan shilling (KES); carry some US dollars in clean, recent notes, and use cards in cities. Park and conservancy fees are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service and county governments and change by season, so confirm them with your safari operator. Pack neutral-coloured clothes, a warm layer for early game drives, a hat and sunscreen.
A first trip often looks like this: two nights in Nairobi, three nights in the Maasai Mara, then two nights at Diani Beach before flying home. Kenya’s official tourism board, Magical Kenya, has ideas for longer routes. If you are deciding between beach holidays, our Maldives trip guide and Sri Lanka trip guide are good comparisons.
Kenya Visa for Pakistani: FAQs
Is there a Kenya visa on arrival for Pakistani citizens?
No. Kenya replaced visas, including visa on arrival, with the eTA. You must have an approved eTA before you start your journey, and airlines check it at boarding.
How much is the Kenya visa fee for Pakistani applicants?
The standard eTA costs US$30 per person. Expedited, immediate processing costs US$100 extra, and a transit eTA costs US$20. The fee is non-refundable.
How long does the Kenya eTA take?
Usually up to three working days. Apply at least two weeks before travel, or choose expedited processing if your trip is urgent.
Is the Kenya visa for Pakistani citizens free?
No. Kenya calls itself visa-free, but the Kenya visa for Pakistani citizens has simply become a paid eTA: US$30 for the standard single-entry authorisation.
What documents does a Kenya visa for Pakistani applicants need?
A passport valid at least six months after arrival with a blank page, a photo, contact details, your itinerary, a hotel booking and a payment card, plus purpose-based letters such as a host invitation.
Do children and babies need their own eTA?
Yes. Kenya requires an approved eTA for every visitor, including infants and children, each with its own fee.
Can I visit Tanzania and come back on the same eTA?
Yes, a short trip to an East African Community partner state such as Tanzania or Uganda and back does not use up your single entry. Travel to any other country requires a new eTA. You still need Tanzania’s own entry permission.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for Kenya?
For the trip home, yes in practice: Pakistan requires a yellow fever certificate from travellers aged one year and over arriving from risk countries such as Kenya. The vaccine is also recommended for safari areas.
Can Easy Visa guarantee my Kenya eTA?
No. Kenyan immigration decides every application, and an eTA does not guarantee entry at the border. Easy Visa checks your documents and submits a complete, consistent application on the official portal so it has the best chance the first time.
Need help with a Kenya visa for Pakistani family members or friends? Send your travel dates, departure city and the number of travellers on WhatsApp +92 331 1442249 and we will check whether your file is ready for the Kenya eTA. You can also visit our office in DHA Lahore, explore our visa services and tourist visa help, browse more visa-free and e-visa countries for Pakistan and other easy countries for Pakistani travellers, or start on the Easy Visa homepage.
