Kenya has decided to waive the USD30 fee for Ethiopians applying for Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter the country, exempting them from the requirement imposed on other foreign nationals.
Expressing appreciation for the decision, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Bacha Debele Buta, commended President William Ruto’s administration for the prompt response and kind gesture. “My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Kenya for its prompt response and [the] kind decision to remove Ethiopian citizens from the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) related electronic payment requirement,” he stated on Monday.
The move comes amidst concerns regarding the implications of the new visa regime on the long-standing visa-free arrangement between Kenya and Ethiopia, which previously allowed citizens of both nations to travel without the need for a visa.
President Ruto had announced Kenya’s transition to a “visa-free” arrangement on December 12, 2023, with the eTA requirement for all foreigners taking effect on January 1, 2024. The eTA protocol aims to enhance advanced identification and vetting procedures.
The implementation of the new visa regime witnessed its first wave of foreign arrivals on January 5 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the Immigration Department had already received 5,000 eTA applications by that time.
