South Africans travelling to Kenya are required to purchase mandatory Inbound Travel Health Insurance before departure, under a new requirement that took effect on October 5.
Although South Africans are exempt from Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), this does not exempt them from the mandatory insurance. They are required to purchase standalone cover through Kenya’s eCitizen government portal (https://insurance.ecitizen.go.ke/dashboard).
Travellers who require an ETA will be prompted to purchase the insurance as part of the application process.
The following categories must purchase the inbound policy:
- A non-Kenyan visiting for less than 12 months (tourism, business, conference, or family short-stay).
- Travelling as a family or organised group (each child above 3 years needs their own individual policy).
- A national of an African country outside the East African Community (EAC), even if entering Kenya without an ETA.
According to a circular by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), all non-exempt travellers, including those who already hold foreign travel health insurance, must obtain the mandatory insurance as there is no procedure for verifying or accepting foreign travel health insurance certificates for this requirement.
The mandatory insurance provides cover for 90 days at accredited hospitals, with a policy benefit limit of up to US$50 000 (R826 220). A policy may be used for multiple entries into Kenya within its 90-day validity period, provided the cover remains valid at the time of each entry.
