Kenya Visa
 

I am traveling to Tanzania this Sept. I will have a layover (4 hrs) in Nairobi on my way home. I already have a Tanzania visa. I have been told that I only need a Kenya visa if I leave the transit area (I don't know what that is) or if I go through immigration when I pick up my checked baggage. Does anyone have any experience with this??

I just went through this in June. As you say, as long as you don't go through immigration you won't have to pay for a visa. If you need to get your luggage at NBO after the trip from Tanzania to NBO, you'll need to go through immigration and pay $10 (if you're a US citizen) for a transit visa. If it is possible to get your luggage checked all the way through from Tanzania to your final destination you can just stay in the terminal, with no need to get a visa.

I had flown Kenya Air from DAR to NBO and then was scheduled from NBO to the US via KLM. Although Kenya and KLM partner the agent in DAR didn't route my bags all the way through (probably not her fault because the entire itinerary was not on one ticket), so I needed to claim the luggage (and pay for a transit visa) at NBO and then check back in for the KLM flights. It cost me the $10 and some time waiting on the visa line (I was 6 hrs early for the KLM flights so there was no line and the check-in went very quickly). Just a small hassle really, but I should have tried harder to get my bags checked all the way through.

I doubt that I will be able to route my bags all the way - I'm traveling with Precision Air, then Kenya Airways, then Delta and since I have already paid a service to get my Tanzania visa I don't want to pay them again. So I will probably get the visa when I get there. Do you need to bring a filled out application, photos? Do they take U.S. dollars or how do you pay?
Thanks alot for your input.

Precision Air have code shares with Kenya Airways so they might be able to check your bags through.

If not, getting a transit visa is as simple as handing over a $10 note. No photos required. I guess you could pre-fill out a form but since you have 4 hours you won't be in any hurry- there are plenty of forms available to fill in on arrival. You may find that you can't check in for your next flight until 3 hours before departure, so I wouldn't be in any hurry to get through immigration as you'll only have to hang around on the other side waiting to check in.

As stokeygirl says, getting the visa is as easy as handing over a nice new $10 bill, your passport and visa form. They'll use a machine to scan your hand. As I mentioned, my experience was that check-in was open at least 6 hrs before my flight out of NBO. I'm guessing you'll be able to check right back in after getting your luggage and going through security to get back into the departure area again.

Have done this as long as you are in transit

you do not need a visa.

However be aware that Tanzania

may require a yellow fever certificate or waiver

from Kenya even though you did not actually enter Kenya

as you transited through Kenya a YF country.

If you enter the visa for ashort time

you will need it for sure

mdtravelhealth.com Kenya Tanzania

So might check on that happened to me on the way to Kili.

Happy Travels!

If arriving NBO on PW from JRO, then connecting to KQ to Europe and DL from there... these bags should be tagged thru to final destination.

If NOT, once at NBO, go to transit desk for them to assist in collecting bag off PW, so you can recheck onto KQ and also DL. You will not have to pay for a Visa, Transit or other.

Reminder - NOW ALL visitors to Tanzania regardless from where arriving require a Yellow Fever inoculation and proof of same for entry.

The Transit Desk is definitely worth a try. When I was there and stopped at the desk, they told me they were swamped and if I waited a few hours, they'd try to get my luggage and route it on. I wanted to go home with my luggage so I paid the $10 to get the transit visa and claim my luggage.

Thanks everyone! It sounds like it will be easy enough to get the visa there if I need it. Hakuna Mata!