Which countries require travel insurance for Kenyans?
The Schengen area and Russia require at least EUR 30,000 of travel medical insurance; Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Zanzibar make visitors buy their own schemes; Canada's super visa and US J-1 exchange visas set their own minimums. The UK, India and US visitor visas have no insurance rule, but medical bills there make cover wise. Kenya itself now requires visitors coming in to hold Kenyan inbound cover.
Does your destination require travel insurance?
Choose a destination to see what its visa asks for. Rules checked 19 October 2026; embassies can change them, so confirm on your checklist.
| Destination | What is required | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen area (France, Germany, Italy and others) | Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay | Required for the visa |
| United Kingdom (visit of up to 6 months) | No insurance rule; visas over 6 months pay the Immigration Health Surcharge | Not required, advised |
| United Kingdom (study or work over 6 months) | Immigration Health Surcharge: GBP 1,035 a year, GBP 776 for students | Health surcharge instead |
| USA (B1/B2 visitor visa) | No insurance rule for the visa; US medical and evacuation costs are among the highest anywhere | Not required, strongly advised |
| USA (J-1 exchange visitor) | At least USD 100,000 medical, USD 50,000 evacuation, USD 25,000 repatriation | Required |
| Canada (super visa for parents and grandparents) | At least CAD 100,000 from a Canadian or approved insurer, for a year | Required (Canadian or approved insurer) |
| Qatar (visitors who need a visa in advance) | Qatar's own visitors' health insurance, QAR 50 a month | Required (local scheme) |
| Saudi Arabia (Umrah, Hajj) | Compulsory insurance included in the visa fee; covers emergencies inside Saudi Arabia only | Included in the visa |
| United Arab Emirates (tourist visa) | Reported for multiple-entry tourist visas; not on the official visit-visa page | Check with your visa provider |
| Zanzibar | Zanzibar Insurance Corporation cover, USD 22 for Kenyans | Required (local scheme) |
| Mainland Tanzania | Inbound cover from 1 October 2026, but EAC and SADC travellers are exempt | Not required for Kenyans |
| Russia | Medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid in Russia | Required for the visa |
| India (e-Visa) | No insurance requirement | Not required, advised |
| Thailand | Only for long-stay visas (USD 100,000); none for tourists | Not required for tourists |
| Australia (student visa) | Overseas Student Health Cover for the whole stay | Required (Australian OSHC) |
| Kenya (visitors coming to Kenya) | Kenya's Inbound Travel Health Insurance, up to USD 44 per person | Required for non-Kenyans |
Travel insurance rules for Kenyan travellers by destination (October 2026)
- What is required
- Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay
- Status
- Required for the visa
- What is required
- No insurance rule; visas over 6 months pay the Immigration Health Surcharge
- Status
- Not required, advised
- What is required
- Immigration Health Surcharge: GBP 1,035 a year, GBP 776 for students
- Status
- Health surcharge instead
- What is required
- No insurance rule for the visa; US medical and evacuation costs are among the highest anywhere
- Status
- Not required, strongly advised
- What is required
- At least USD 100,000 medical, USD 50,000 evacuation, USD 25,000 repatriation
- Status
- Required
- What is required
- At least CAD 100,000 from a Canadian or approved insurer, for a year
- Status
- Required (Canadian or approved insurer)
- What is required
- Qatar's own visitors' health insurance, QAR 50 a month
- Status
- Required (local scheme)
- What is required
- Compulsory insurance included in the visa fee; covers emergencies inside Saudi Arabia only
- Status
- Included in the visa
- What is required
- Reported for multiple-entry tourist visas; not on the official visit-visa page
- Status
- Check with your visa provider
- What is required
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation cover, USD 22 for Kenyans
- Status
- Required (local scheme)
- What is required
- Inbound cover from 1 October 2026, but EAC and SADC travellers are exempt
- Status
- Not required for Kenyans
- What is required
- Medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid in Russia
- Status
- Required for the visa
- What is required
- No insurance requirement
- Status
- Not required, advised
- What is required
- Only for long-stay visas (USD 100,000); none for tourists
- Status
- Not required for tourists
- What is required
- Overseas Student Health Cover for the whole stay
- Status
- Required (Australian OSHC)
- What is required
- Kenya's Inbound Travel Health Insurance, up to USD 44 per person
- Status
- Required for non-Kenyans
Checked 19 Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
The rules that catch Kenyans out
A Schengen visa must be refused if you cannot show adequate, valid travel medical insurance, and the EUR 90 visa fee (EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11) is not refunded.
Zanzibar requires every foreign visitor, Kenyans included, to buy Zanzibar Insurance Corporation inbound cover: USD 22 for travellers from EAC and SADC states, USD 44 for other adults and USD 22 for children, for up to 92 days.
Source: Zanzibar Insurance Corporation
Visitors to Qatar who need a visa in advance must buy Qatar's own visitors' health insurance before the visa is issued: QAR 50 a month for emergency treatment up to QAR 150,000.
Source: Qatar Ministry of Public Health
UK visas of more than six months carry the Immigration Health Surcharge: GBP 1,035 a year, or GBP 776 for students and under-18s.
What an embassy wants to see on the certificate
- Your name and passport number, exactly as on the visa form.
- Start and end dates covering the whole stay.
- The area covered (for Schengen: all member states).
- The medical limit, in euros or dollars.
- Cover for emergency treatment, repatriation and death.
- The insurer's 24-hour assistance number.
Not required? Reasons to buy anyway
US hospital bills
An evacuation alone can cost USD 20,000 to 200,000.
UK visitors pay for hospital care
The NHS charges visitors who do not hold the health surcharge.
SHA stays at home
SHA pays only pre-approved listed procedures abroad, not emergencies.
Lost bags and delays
Airlines rarely pay for the hotel, the clothes or the missed connection.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries require travel insurance for Kenyans?
The Schengen area (EUR 30,000), Russia (EUR 30,000), Qatar for visitors who need a visa in advance (its own scheme), Saudi Arabia (included in pilgrim and tourist visas), Zanzibar (its own scheme), Canada's super visa and US J-1 exchange visas. The UK, India and US visitor visas do not require it.
Do Kenyans need travel insurance for a UK visa?
No. The UK Standard Visitor visa has no insurance requirement. Visas longer than six months carry the Immigration Health Surcharge instead. Insurance is still wise: you pay for NHS hospital care as a visitor.
Do I need travel insurance for a US visa?
Not for a B1/B2 visitor visa, but US hospital and evacuation costs are among the highest in the world, so choose a plan with high medical limits. J-1 exchange visitors must hold at least USD 100,000 of medical cover.
Is travel insurance required for Dubai?
Reports say UAE tourist visas, especially multiple-entry ones, need approved health insurance for the stay, but the official page does not list it. Confirm with whoever files your visa; a Kenyan worldwide plan covers the UAE.
What proof do embassies want?
A certificate from the insurer in your name, with your passport number, the dates, the area covered, the medical limit and the 24-hour assistance number. For Schengen visas the insurer must be on the Nairobi list.
Should I buy insurance before the visa is approved?
Yes, if the visa needs it: you submit the certificate with the application. Choose a policy that can be refunded or moved to new dates if the visa is refused.
Applying for a visa?
Tell us the destination and dates. We check the embassy's rule and send a certificate that meets it.
Licensed by IRA · No obligation · We reply within 1 hour
Sources (20)
- Regulation (EC) 810/2009, EU Visa Code (EUR-Lex)
- VFS Global, Russia visa checklist
- Qatar Ministry of Public Health
- Arab News, 17 January 2023
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation
- GOV.UK, Standard Visitor visa
- Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
- GOV.UK, Immigration Health Surcharge
- US Department of State, Your Health Abroad
- 22 CFR 62.14 (Cornell LII)
- Government of Canada (IRCC), super visa documents
- Khaleej Times
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation public notice, 7 October 2026
- Government of India e-Visa
- Royal Thai Embassy
- Australian Government, privatehealth.gov.au
- Citizen Digital, 29 January 2026
- EU Delegation to Kenya: approved Schengen medical travel insurers, 2025
- Embassy of Denmark, Nairobi
- EU Delegation to Kenya, Schengen MTI listing form
Facts and published prices checked 19 Oct 2026; last reviewed October 2026 by Naveah Capital. Prices shown are published rates and market estimates in US dollars, before any levies an insurer adds; they are not a quote. Naveah Capital Insurance Agency is an IRA-licensed insurance agency in Nairobi; this page is general information, and your policy wording decides your cover.
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