Kenya visa for South African citizens
Kenya visa for South African citizensWhat South African citizens need to enter Kenya, with the official source for every fact.
Visa-freeMaximum stay: 90 days
Verified Oct 7, 2026 · Source: etakenya.go.ke (opens in a new tab) · Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) RulesHow to apply
No visa application is needed for a short visit.
What entry costs
- Air Passenger Service Charge50 USD
- Total50 USD
Compulsory government charges only. Service fees and anything optional are excluded, which is what makes the figure comparable.
Yellow fever certificate
Arriving from South Africa, no yellow fever certificate is required: WHO does not list South Africa as a transmission risk. It can still be demanded if you have been in a risk country shortly before arriving.
Driving on a South Africa license
Kenya and South Africa are both party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, so an International Driving Permit issued in South Africa is one Kenya is bound to recognize.
Whether a permit is required alongside your national license is set by national road law, which we have not checked for this pair.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Other entry requirements
- Passport validity — The eTA portal lists a valid passport (minimum 6 months validity with at least one blank page) among the documents to have before starting an application.
- Travel insurance — Required
- Staying past your permitted stay — Penalties in Kenya, compared with every country
No official source states a rule on: onward or return ticket and proof of funds.
Full wording and sources of these rules: All Kenya entry requirements
The other way round
Kenyan citizens travelling to South Africa: Visa-free. Up to 90 days.
Compare this across every country
Each of these tables states one rule for all 199 destinations, with the government source behind every row. Kenya has a row in each.
- What staying past your permitted stay costs, country by country
- Compulsory government charges beyond the visa, country by country
- How long your passport must be valid, country by country
- Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Vaccination certificates required at the border
- How many blank passport pages each country requires
- Which International Driving Permit each country recognizes
- What a tourist visa costs, country by country
- Where you must show a return or onward ticket
- How much cash you can carry before you must declare it
All Kenya entry requirements · Everywhere South African citizens can travel
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for Kenya?
No. South African citizens can enter Kenya without a visa for up to 90 days.
How long can South African citizens stay in Kenya?
Up to 90 days per entry.
How much does entering Kenya cost South African citizens?
Compulsory government charges come to 50 USD.
Sources & verification
- Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services — eTA application, Notices step (Ministry of Health notice: Mandatory Inbound Travel Health Insurance Requirement) (opens in a new tab)
Gazette Notice No. 11492, Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXVIII, No. 129 (30 July 2026)
- Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services — eTA: How to Apply (opens in a new tab)
Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Rules, 2025
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna, 8 November 1968 (UNTS vol. 1042, p. 17)
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Travelers' health: Kenya (opens in a new tab)
- WHO — International Travel and Health: country list of vaccination requirements (2022, revised 2023) (opens in a new tab)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source