Kenya has rejected some 110 travelers’ applications through the new Electronic Travelers Authorization (ETA).
They were part of more than 32,000 travelers’ applications made through the system.
Of these, 25,000 were approved in the past weeks.
This has enabled the immigration officials collect over USD1 million, Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed Thursday
Some of the affected travelers who were rejected were on Interpol, other watchlists.
“They were found to be in the watchlist, others have issues to do with terrorism, drug trafficking and other issues. We have a system to enable us detect this,” said Bitok.
He made the remarks when he visited the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday to inspect the progress of the new system.
He was accompanied by senior immigration officials.
He said they have been able to make the form of application as simple as possible.
“There should be nobody complaining that it’s taking so long. It’s very efficient,” he said.
He added the number of visitors using the system has increased in the period.
“We believe we are going to double the number of tourists coming to Kenya in the coming days.”
Immigration Director General Evelyn Cheluget said the new system enables them to get all needed data on travelers.
She said ETA is the only way for now and Kenya is the first one to embrace it in Arica.
She added they had removed the requirement of a bank statement for applicants.
“We are still developing the system. We are reviewing it everyday depending on the feedback we get,” she said.
Bitok said to boost tourism and attract more foreign investments to Kenya, the government removed all visa requirements for all foreign nationals visiting and transiting through Kenya from January 2024.
This decision reflects the commitment to the promotion of an open, accessible and inclusive tourism and investment environment.
The vacated visa requirements have been replaced by the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
This is designed for visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to or transiting through the country, especially by air.
“The introduction of ETA is premised on the need to have a fair, faster and reliable system that also addresses Kenya’s security and other strategic interests,” he said.
The introduction of ETA is premised on the need to have a fair, faster and reliable system that also addresses Kenya’s security and other strategic interests.
Before ETA, citizens from 51 countries enjoyed visa-free entry to Kenya, while travellers from 155 other countries were subject to a visa application process at a cost of $50, he said.
Those coming from these countries are accorded priority services, said Bitok.
ETA has introduced significant changes to the travel and transit experience for foreign nationals visiting Kenya in four fundamental ways.
They include equal Treatment and Reduced Fees.
The entry requirements and applicable payments for all foreign nationals, except for East African Community (EAC) citizens, will now be the same irrespective of the country of origin.
The visa fee was $50 while the ETA fee for all is $30, thereby ensuring fairness and equality.
There is also an advance passengers’ information, he said.
Previously, he added, travelers from 51 countries were not required to fill out any forms on personal and relevant travel details.
“There was therefore no means of obtaining data to inform critical decisions and plans around security, infrastructure and insurance needs.”
“With the introduction of the ETA, we now have comprehensive data on all visitors, significantly improving our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of both our visitors and citizens,” he said.
He added there is reduced processing time.
Compared to visa application, ETA provides for a simple and faster process.
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