Kenya

Översikt

Core risks in Kenya include terrorism, crime and occasional bouts of violent ethnic and communal unrest. The primary risk for both travellers and local nationals, however, is road traffic safety. Meanwhile, violent criminal activity is a major threat in all urban areas and can target foreign nationals, who are typically perceived as wealthy. Militant activity and terrorist attacks are also a significant concern, as al-Shabaab seeks to punish Kenya for the involvement of its military in the conflict in Somalia.

Hälsa, sjukdomar och vaccination

Travellers are advised to consult a travel health specialist or general practitioner (GP) to obtain the latest information with regards to what vaccines are recommended about 4-8 weeks prior to departing for Kenya. Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before your trip to Kenya. The following vaccinations are recommended: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, polio and influenza. Travellers might also consider the vaccinations for Hepatitis B and rabies, according to the specifics of their travel.

Risk of malaria is present throughout Kenya, including urban areas and preventative medicine is recommended in the form of Lariam, Malarone or Doxycycline. 

Dengue is endemic year-round in Kenya with peak transmission during the rainy season, from April to October.

Outbreaks of Chikungunya have been reported in the country, with the recent confirmed cases in Mombasa.

Cholera outbreaks have been reported in Kenya every year with large cyclical epidemics every five to seven years. The current cholera outbreak is active in two counties, namely Garissa and Nairobi.

Schistosomiasis is endemic in Kenya, particularly in the irrigated agricultural zones and densely populated urban and suburban areas around Lake Victoria, adjacent islands, and on the Kano Plain. Avoid swimming in fresh water, such as lakes, rivers, ponds, and wetlands and eating raw foods which have not been washed with purified water.

Kenya has the joint world fourth-largest HIV epidemic in the world, with 1.4 million people living with HIV. Kenya’s HIV epidemic is driven by sexual transmission and affects all sections of the population. Robust precautions should be followed to avoid transmission of the virus.

In addition to these health risks, travellers diarrhoea is the most common travel-related medical problem affecting travellers to Kenya. It is advisable to bring anti-diarrhoea medication and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration. Travellers must take all necessary precautions when drinking water or eating food within the country and only drink water from sealed bottles obtained from a reputable source or water that has been boiled.

Tuberculosis is highly endemic and a major public health problem in Kenya.

Medical facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa are deemed adequate, but health insurance is always essential. There is a “Flying Doctors Society” that works directly with parks and reserves for emergency medical evacuation. Travellers are also advised to bring along all prescription medicine with them. Sanitary conditions are only satisfactory within game parks and reserves, better hotels and restaurants (mainly in Nairobi and Mombasa). Bottled drinks should always be preferred and only ice made from mineral water should be consumed.

Pass

For entry, passports must be valid for up to 6 months after the intended departure date. Passports must have at least two blank pages in them.

Visum

Nationals of most countries require a visa including Australia, Canada, EU (except Cyprus), the UK and the US. British nationals can apply for a single-entry and transit visa on the e-visas website, or for other visas through a Kenyan High Commission or Embassy. Although visas can be obtained by many nationalities upon arrival, this may lead to delays and extra costs. Where possible you should attempt to get a visa in advance from your nearest Kenyan Embassy or High Commission. To minimise time spent queuing at the airport, get a visa before you travel.

Visitors of the following nationalities do not need a visa to enter Kenya: Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei-Darussalam, Cyprus, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Some nationalities should apply three months before planned date of travel as their applications are sent to Nairobi before approval. These are: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Tajikistan and Yemen.

Business travellers must complete Application Form V1 and hold a business letter of invitation. Applications in person are usually processed within around three days, whilst postal applications can take over one week. Business visas are classed into a number of different classes dependent on the nature of activity being undertaken.