Kenya - Clearance
Kenya Pre-Arrival Procedures for Yachts
A Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) must be applied for in advance – go to https://www.etakenya.go.ke/en
This replaces the e-Visa. See Immigration for more details.
If clearing into the country at Kilifi, please advise the boatyard of your intended arrival. See Kilifi Clearance for more details.
Ports of Entry
Clear in to Kenya in either Shimoni or Kilifi, as they are geared to facilitate yachts. Do not attempt to clear in at Mombasa as this is consistently problematic. Kilifi Boatyard (owner Peter Bateman) are extremely helpful to visiting cruisers.
Kenya Arrival Procedures for Yachts
On approach, call Port Control on VHF channel 16. Fly the yellow Q flag.
In all ports report first to Port Health and do not get off the boat until given free practique by Port Health.
You will also need to see Kenya Revenue Authority (Customs) and then lastly Immigration.
Submit your exit documents from your previous port (Transhire if coming from Tanzania).
Wait for officials to visit the boat first.
Remember: It is no longer possible to apply for a visa on arrival. All visas must be applied for and secured prior to arrival in Kenya. See Immigration for details.
Domestic Cruising in Kenya
In order to move around in East Africa from port to port and between member states of East Africa, you need to move with a Transhire document (C27 or C31). This can be obtained from Customs (Kenya Revenue Services – KRS) on arrival – and must be handed in before departing for another port so another Transhire can be issued. If you don’t get one, you will have problems as you visit other ports within the country. The Transhire, however, is not a requirement when traveling within the same county jurisdiction (i.e between Watamu and Kilifi) as they are both in Kilifi county. Sailing from Lamu south without a Transhire is an invitation for problems.
Kenya Departure Procedures for Yachts
Visit first Customs, Immigration followed by Port Health. Customs will issue a Transhire for your next international port.
Port Health will issue a ships port health clearance certificate.
Due to concerns over a multi-country outbreak of Cholera in Indian Ocean countries, Madagscar has closed to foreign yachts coming from Kenya until further notice (August 2024).
Last updated: August 2024
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Trusted Travel Codes
As of Monday, January 11, all travellers entering or departing Kenya must present a digitally-verified negative COVID-19 test.
Departing travellers: Starting on January 11, 2020, outgoing travellers must obtain a negative COVID-19 certificate in accordance with the trusted Traveller (TT) Initiative (www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel) and the PanaBios system (www.panabios.org).
Travellers who intend to depart Kenya must first visit an authorised laboratory (according to the government of Kenya, all PCR COVID-19 testing laboratories are now part of the TT system), obtain a PCR COVID-19 test with a negative result, and be issued a TT code that be verified by airlines and immigration authorities. The traveller will receive a text message (SMS) from PanaBios as well as an email from the testing laboratory and/or from admin@panabios.org with a link to guide the traveller on how to generate a Travel Code at trustedtravel.panabios.org. If the test results meets Kenya’s exit requirements, a Travel Code is issued to the traveller online.
All COVID-19 testing laboratories, starting on Saturday, January 9, 2021, must use the TT process when issuing COVID-19 testing certificates.
Arriving travelers: The government of Kenya also announced that, starting on January 11, 2021 this new TT electronic verification system will also apply to the negative COVID-19 certificates that are already required for travelers who are entering Kenya; however, details are not available at this time. The Embassy is seeking clarification of this new requirement for incoming travelers and will report any additional information to the U.S. citizen community.
No More Kenya Visa on Arrival to Kenya
Effective January 1, 2021, Kenya has banned all visas on arrival.
You must apply for your visa wall in advance of your intended travel to Kenya. Fortunately you can apply for your visa to Kenya online and the Kenya e-visa costs only US $51 in total to get in about 48 hours.
Click here to apply and create your eCitizen account: http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html