Kenya visa also good for Tanzania now???
 

I was reading the Tripadvisor forum and there's a poster there who says that his Kenya visa allowed him entry into Tanzania as well and that he didn't have to purchase a separate Tanzania visa at the Namanga border in August. This is the first I've ever heard of such a policy, and I tend to think that there was something else about his particular situation that allowed him entry into Tanzania (perhaps nationality?) but thought I'd check with anyone here to see if maybe regulations have changed???

Here's the thread -

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...one-Kenya.html

Patty just returned from Kenya and Tanzania last week. We definitely had to purchase separate visas. Hope this helps.

Thanks, SiestaLinda. That's why I thought there might be some specific reason why he was allowed to enter without a Tanzania visa. Hmmm... still a mystery :?

BTW will you be posting a trip report?

A strange one to me. Maybe he was afflicated with altitude sickness. Oh, no, this was before the Kili climb. Maybe just daft. But I'm verifying. Will advise.

Patty will post trip report, but upon my arrival home I had scheduled dental surgery----4 hours--I know nuts--but wanted to get it over with. I am still mucking along. I do have my photos on the computer at least, but have to delete some. I have over 1500--we did have an amazing trip--saw every single animal we wanted to see plus more.

Our first time so not sure if great or not, but we were sure happy

SiestaLinda,
Looking forward to your report and photos after your recovery from dental surgery. 4 hours, yikes!

sandi,
Thanks for offering to check.

SiestaLinda, if YOU thought it was great, then it was great. Good luck with the dental work and welcome home.

Patty, this visa thing: I'd hate to be standing there at the Namanga border without my crisp $50, expecting to cruise right in. Yikes!

Patty -

How did this guy get into Kenya without a VISA unless from a country where one isn't required? Believe, he's a bit daft!

Both countries require their own Visas for those who require Visas. There is, however, a "transit" Visa (maybe $15 or $20, my guess) if being in Kenya for a short period (few hours) going to Uganda or Rwanda or Tanzania, but you cannot return to Kenya with one of these - you'd need a full-Visa for back-n-forth travel.

That's the info I've received.

sandi,
Thanks for verifying. Unfortunately anyone reading that tripadvisor thread might get the impression that you don't need separate visas.

A couple of weeks ago, Namanga immigration were definitely requiring Tanzania visas to enter the country. You can get a 7 day transit visa ($20)on arrival in Kenya (Nairobi airport).
Coming back from Tanzania to Kenya I got a transit visa (again $20) but this time only valid for 12 hours as I was told immigration that I was flying out that evening back to the UK. You might get longer if you ask.
However, if you are going out of Kenya and returning later then it may be better to get a visitors visa which should be valid for 3 months and allows for re-entry to Kenya within that period if you leave to go to Tanzania - it will cost $50.
Our guide in Tanzania did mention that there were plans for an East Africa visa (along with other links between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda) but I suspect that may be sometime away.

Re-read above - doesn't make much sense ... must be too much of the vino. Meant you can get a 7 day Kenyan transit visa at Nairobi airport for $20 which will allow time to recover in Nairobi and then transfer to Tanzania at your leisure.
But you'll still need to pick up a Tanzania visa at Namanga.
Hope it makes a bit more sense.
Have a great trip.

Does Tanzania also offer a transit visa? Does anyone know how long the maximum stay is? We're flying into JRO and will fly out 4 days later.

For anyone interested, the poster on that Tripadvisor thread did come back and reply again. It's all so strange.

Did you find anything out about a transit visa?

Not yet. I'll ask about it on arrival in case I don't find out before we leave.

Patty -

This is what the guy said: >> for Visa into Tanzania and then a further $50.00 to return to Kenya, meaning an extra $100.00 just to go out of Kenya and then to come back. We were quite prepared to pay the extra 100 dollars each for the two of my party members. But no, the Tanzanian Immigration Officer at Namanga border said that the regulations had just changed a month or two ago whereby a Kenya Visa holder can enter, once only, Tanzania and Uganda and then return to Kenya without getting or paying for any other or extra Visas. <<

I'm glad you pushed him for an explanation, which he cleared up with the fact that he was Kenyan, so that was not his issue. Believe they can pass with little if any problem. He was incorrect in assuming that the Brits would have to pay ($100 total - $50 x 2) to return to Kenya after being in Tanzania... that's not the case, as the 3-mo or 6-mo Kenya Visa (that they initially paid $50 on arrival in NBO) allows the return trip.

There is a Transit Visa (US$20)and Visitors Pass (US$10) listed on the Kenyan Tourism site, but contained no specific details. So I sent an email to clarify how, forms, for how long, to/from passage, etc. If/when I get a reply, I'll post.

sandi,
I read and re-read his latest reply a few times, and in combination with his earlier posts, it seems to me that he's saying even his traveling companions who held British passports did NOT buy any Tanzania visas whatsoever (only Kenya ones) -

"But no, the Tanzanian Immigration Officer at Namanga border said that the regulations had just changed a month or two ago whereby a Kenya Visa holder can enter, once only, Tanzania and Uganda and then return to Kenya without getting or paying for ANY other or extra Visas. This also applied to people entering Kenya from Tanzania or Uganda and holding the Visas of that country. So we never paid the extra 100 dollars and my two companions were able to enter Tanzania freely and then return to Kenya without any problem. this was our experience and we were quite happy about it. We 3 holding the Kenya Passports had NO effect on the two British Passport holders and there was no preferential treatment to them because of us."

(special emphasis on the ANY by me)

That's the way I interpreted his post especially in light of his earlier post where he said -

"Like I said earlier, your single entry Kenya Visa is also valid for one single journey into Tanzania. The cost for this Visa is US $ 50.00. The Arusha shuttle will wait for everybody at the Namanga border so that people can get their Visas and the cost for this Tanzania Visa is also another US $50.00. But you will NOT require a Tanzania Visa. If you want to waste your US $50.00 by getting another Visa, then it is up to you."

Still :?

Anyway, on a separate topic, the transit visa I asked about would be for Tanzania. I'll be in Kenya for 15 days so I definitely wouldn't qualify for a transit visa there.

I LOVE "wasting $50" to get a visa that I need to enter the country I'm visiting, don't you? :)

HI PATTY!

Could you please tell us what CATAMARAN you travelled on when you were in the GALAPAGOS?

Thank you,

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