Our East Africa Trip is booked for September and our itinerary has us flying into NBO and on safari in Kenya for six days,then onward to Rwanda via NBO for four days,then back through NBO to same-day transfer to JRO-Tanzania for nine days,then back to Kenya-NBO,and a day room in Nairobi prior to our same day flight back through London to Canada.What do we need for Kenyan Visas?-single entry,double entry,transit??-please advise.Many Thanks

Single entry, which is good for travel over the period the Kenya visa is valid.

You are best to get a Multiple Entry Visa ask at your nearest Kenyan Embassy
each transit visa costs $US20 plus you would also need a Tourist visa for the 6 days US$50
so totally you would be up for US$90
US$50 for the tourist visa plus two transits visas @US$ 20 each
The Multiple entry visa would also save a few hassles at each border

I repeat, you only need a single entry visa.

OP is going to Rwanda though, so I think <i>technically</i> that would require another visa when re-entering Kenya, does it not? I believe you can depart and re-enter Kenya on the same single entry visa (within the validity period) if you stay within Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda or does that include Rwanda now too? Can anyone who has returned to Kenya from Rwanda confirm?

For your same day KGL-NBO-JRO transit, as long as you're not leaving NBO and your bags are through checked to JRO, you won't pass by Kenyan immigration at all. In that case, nothing is needed on that day regardless.

For you day room in Nairobi, <b>if</b> you require another visa, you can get a transit one for $20. You're coming back from Tanzania, so maybe they won't notice if you've been in Rwanda. I can't remember if the landing cards ask you to state which countries you've been in or simply which country you're arriving from.

To summarize, I <i>think</i> at most what you would need is one single entry ($50) and one transit ($20) visa and perhaps you could even get away with the one single entry. I'd be interested in further clarification on that myself.

In any case, I probably wouldn't bother getting a multi entry ($100) before hand and would just see how it goes.

BTW are you totally confused now?

I dont know about BTW BUT I am pretty confused and I got out of bed on the right side this morning

Thanks for the info-seems the answer to my question is as clear as mud!Sounds like the best thing to do is get a single entry visa and wing it from there!(no pun intended!) BTW I love this site,and have gleaned all sorts of great info from all of you veteran Fodorites-Thanks!!!

When I wasn't sure what to do with my Kenya visa situation, I emailed the Kenya High Commission (in Canada) for clarification. They emailed an answer within 24 hrs = peace of mind.

Yup. Patty is correct. When re-entering Kenya from Rwanda, a &quot;new&quot; visa is required (at least as of last August).

when i entered kenya at the airport this past june, i paid $50 and my passport stamp was good for unlimited re entry for a period of 3 months.

i am not sure what it is officially called, but why not get one of these?

kerikeri

I believe kerikeri is correct, that even if going to Rwanda, you'll be fine with the $50 single entry visa. Visa is good for the term of it's validity.

Of course, it may depend on the individual who processes your documents.

The visa is certainly good for the 6/days in Kenya; transiting at the airport returning from Rwanda on way to Tanzania; return to Kenya for last day in NBO before heading home. At most, they could charge $20 as a Transit Visa, but doubt it.

The following is copied from Wikipedia: &quot;The East African Community (EAC) is a customs union in East Africa, consisting of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania; Burundi and Rwanda will join on 1 July 2007.&quot; Because some posters on Trip Advisor wanted an answer, I specifically asked a Kenyan immigration official last August if I could use my entry visa (coming in from Heathrow) to re-enter Kenya after I traveled on to Rwanda. He explained that, because Rwanda is not an East African Union member, I could not.
Kenya being Kenya, different people may have different experiences; but the immigration guy was correct. We had to buy another visa for Kenya when we returned from Rwanda.

Thanks for all the ongoing info on this visa issue.While we're on this topic is their any word on the proposed East African Union tourist visa yet? I gather until this is in effect,we will still need single visit tourist visas for Kenya and Tanzania-correct?

According to an e-mail from Kennedy this week, the EAC visa is still in the talking stage...nothing yet. Yes, you will need a visa for both Kenya and Tanzania.

<b><font color="red">
Did anybody ever get a multi-entry Visa for Kenya?
</font></b>
Have bthey changed their policy??
some years ago all kinds of people have tried and failed
A Safari-company owner through a brother having an influential post within the Kenya Immigration failed ...
(for many years i used to come to Kenya a number of times every year. &amp; basically didn't want to waste my passport's pages &amp; time. I failed)

The governments of Kenya, Tanzania &amp; Uganda are working on a complete program including the Multi-country Visa, standards of lodging, pricing, park fees, etc. etc.

As it seems now, the effective date is 2010. Whether this date includes the total program undertaking (maybe the multi-visa will be sooner), beats me.

They initiated planning for this program in 1999. With a completion date of 2010. Pole pole!

Hey ToonTownDoc, your itinerary sounds identical to ours (except for the going to Canada bit) - and we're going in September.

What complicates my Visa query is that I'm also going to Tanzania in July - flying in and out of Nairobi.

I'd guess that multiple entry would be the best for that.

I just received the letter/forms from my TA suggesting a multi entry visa before we leave for Kenya/Rwanda. We have 3 separate ov-nights in NBO and since we have a consulate here in LA, I might just take our passports there-think someone else mentioned that they had used the Los Angeles consulate too?

I'm volunteering in Kenya with a gal who got a multiple entry visa at the New York consulate...so, yes they do happen. I just wish I had gotten one...I'm heading to Nairobi in a week to get a visa extension. For those of you have never been to Nyayo House (immigration), count yourselves lucky.

As others have covered, a single entry visa is fine for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. I've bounced from one to the other with ease.

I've never been to Rwanda (I hear good things), but Kenya and Tanzania are wonderful. I also highly recommend Uganda. Enjoy your trip toontowndoc!