A Kenyan lady and her Mzungu lover have claimed that President William Ruto was not entirely honest about Kenya being a visa-free country after getting stuck at a United States airport....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The lady, whose TikTok handle is @i.am.chebitok, lamented how she, her partner and her kid were stranded at the John F. Kennedy International Airport after the Kenya-bound plane departed without them.
The duo had planned their journey based on President William Ruto’s announcement that Kenya was implementing a visa-free policy.
In December 2023, Ruto officially declared Kenya a visa-free country to relieve travellers of the burden of applying for visas manually.
However, the head of state noted that all visitors entering the country would be required to register on an electronic platform and obtain an electronic travel authorisation.
This information, it seems, did not reach the ears of the now-stranded couple.
The pair arrived at the airport and realised they were required to apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), which they argued was essentially a visa.
As they sat at the airport, Chebitok expressed regret for not delving deeper into the travel requirements.
She said:
The official Kenya eTA website describes it as a semi-automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to Kenya.
While it grants permission to travel, it requires applicants to submit biographic details and answer eligibility questions.
The process typically takes three days, with a recommendation to apply at least two weeks before travel to give ample time for processing.
Each eligible traveller is required to apply for an eTA before starting travel.
During application, tourists and foreign citizens must pay $30 (KSh 4,700) or $52 (KSh 8,000 for premium services).
Notably, there are a few exemptions to the eTA.
These include Kenyan citizens, holders of Kenya Permanent Residence, valid work permits, passes, United Nations Conventional Travel Documents issued by Kenya, diplomatic missions, international organizations accredited to Kenya, and citizens of East African Partner States for up to six months.
In this case, Chebitok was eligible to travel, but her partner and child were not, leading to the family’s collective decision to stay behind.
In January, most travellers raised concerns over the new eTA requirements, which might lead to them missing their flights.
For instance, CNN journalist Larry Madowo noted that the official website did not display the actual cost of an eTA until an applicant had submitted their application.
Another traveller also complained, saying the price of travel under the new program had actually gone up.
According to him, getting visas for four people previously cost $100 (about KSh 13,000) but now costs $120 (about KSh 15,600) with the eTA.
Other travellers and tourists even threatened to cancel their planned visits to the country in favour of cheaper destinations..<<CONTINUE READING>>
