Do visitors to Kenya need travel insurance?
Yes. Since 5 October 2026 every non-Kenyan visitor staying less than three months must hold Kenya's Inbound Travel Health Insurance, bought on the government eCitizen portal or inside the eTA application before boarding. It costs up to USD 44 per person for up to three months and covers up to USD 50,000 of emergency care. Kenyan citizens, Kenyan residents and citizens of East African Community states are exempt, and a travel policy from home does not replace it.
The rule in brief
Under Gazette Notice No. 11492 of 30 July 2026, made under section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act 2023, every non-Kenyan visitor must hold Kenyan Inbound Travel Health Insurance issued under the Insurance Regulatory Authority.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
The government portal states the cover is required from 5 October 2026, and that it must be bought before boarding.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
On 7 October 2026 the High Court at Marsabit (Justice Francis Rayola Olel) dismissed the petition against the rule, finding Gazette Notice 11492 lawfully issued and that immigration officers may check that visitors hold the cover. An interim order of 24 August 2026 had suspended it while the case was heard.
Source: Court Helicopter, 9 October 2026
Non-Kenyan visitors staying less than three months, for tourism, business, conferences or family visits, each need their own policy, including children. Africans from outside the East African Community need it even when they do not need an eTA.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
Who must buy it, and who is exempt
| Traveller | Needs Kenya's inbound cover? |
|---|---|
| Tourists, business and conference visitors | Yes, each person, for stays under three months |
| Family visiting relatives in Kenya | Yes, including children |
| Africans from outside the EAC with no eTA | Yes |
| Kenyan citizens | No |
| Holders of Kenyan residence status (work or residence permits) | No |
| Citizens of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DR Congo or Somalia (EAC) | No |
| Diplomatic, official and service passport holders | No |
| Asylum seekers | No |
| Airline and ship crew covered by their employer, or staying in port | No |
| Transit passengers who do not enter Kenya | No |
| Refugees and stateless people | Not exempt on that basis alone: check the portal |
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- Yes, each person, for stays under three months
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- Yes, including children
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- Yes
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- No
- Needs Kenya's inbound cover?
- Not exempt on that basis alone: check the portal
What USD 44 buys
One price, per person, for up to three months with multiple entries, levies and stamp duty included.
| Benefit | Limit per traveller |
|---|---|
| Total cover | USD 50,000 |
| Medical expenses, including personal accident | USD 20,000 |
| Emergency medical transport and evacuation | USD 25,000 |
| Repatriation of remains | USD 5,000 |
| Mental illness | USD 1,000 |
| Prescribed medicines | USD 300 |
- Limit per traveller
- USD 50,000
- Limit per traveller
- USD 20,000
- Limit per traveller
- USD 25,000
- Limit per traveller
- USD 5,000
- Limit per traveller
- USD 1,000
- Limit per traveller
- USD 300
How to buy it
- Open the eCitizen insurance portal Go to insurance.ecitizen.go.ke and choose Inbound Travel Health Insurance, or buy it as part of the eTA application.
- Enter the trip details Nationality, passport details, contacts, travel dates and purpose, and a live selfie that is matched to the passport photo.
- Pay Up to USD 44 per person, plus a small access fee, by card.
- Keep the reference Save the policy reference and check that Search Status shows it as valid; the eTA system finds it by passport number.
Cover, claims and changes
The portal treats the cover as a separate statutory requirement: a home-country travel policy does not replace it, although visitors may keep both. It is fully refunded if cancelled before travel, and the dates can be changed within the three-month window.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
Claims go through the scheme's claims administrator on the 24-hour line +254 719 044 777; visitors can find a hospital by dialling *202*15# from a Kenyan line.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
The portal lists the participating insurers as AAR, Britam, CIC Group, First Assurance, Pioneer, Fidelity and Star Discover General, under the Insurance Regulatory Authority's oversight.
Source: Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
A Kenya Tourism Board FAQ circulated on 13 October 2026 lists children under three as exempt, while the eCitizen portal says every traveller, minors included, needs a policy.
Source: ATTA, citing the Kenya Tourism Board, 13 October 2026
The Ministry of Health's framework expects international private medical insurance for non-Kenyans staying more than 60 days and up to 12 months; the eCitizen product itself covers stays of up to three months.
Source: Clyde & Co, 5 August 2026
Statutory visitor cover or a full travel policy?
| Kenya's statutory cover | A full inbound travel plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Required? | Yes, for every non-exempt visitor | Optional, on top |
| Medical limit | USD 20,000 | USD 65,000 – 130,000 on Kenyan insurers' plans |
| Evacuation | USD 25,000 | Higher, on the larger plans |
| Cancellation, delays and baggage | No | Yes, on most plans |
| Length | Up to 3 months | Per trip, or a year |
| Where you buy it | eCitizen or the eTA | From an insurer, or through us |
- Kenya's statutory cover
- Yes, for every non-exempt visitor
- A full inbound travel plan
- Optional, on top
- Kenya's statutory cover
- USD 20,000
- A full inbound travel plan
- USD 65,000 – 130,000 on Kenyan insurers' plans
- Kenya's statutory cover
- USD 25,000
- A full inbound travel plan
- Higher, on the larger plans
- Kenya's statutory cover
- No
- A full inbound travel plan
- Yes, on most plans
- Kenya's statutory cover
- Up to 3 months
- A full inbound travel plan
- Per trip, or a year
- Kenya's statutory cover
- eCitizen or the eTA
- A full inbound travel plan
- From an insurer, or through us
A full plan does not replace the statutory cover; visitors who want more cover hold both.
If you are hosting visitors from abroad
Tell them early
Every non-exempt guest, children included, needs their own policy before they board, so send them the eCitizen link with the invitation.
They complete it themselves
The portal takes a live selfie matched to the passport, so the traveller normally fills it in on their own phone.
Relatives from the EAC are exempt
Family from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and the other EAC states do not need it.
Long stays need other cover
For a stay of more than three months, look at international health insurance instead.
Who the rule affects
Kenya received about 2.7 million international visitors in 2025, and one in five came to visit friends or relatives.
Source: Citizen Digital, citing the Ministry of Tourism, 3 April 2026
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
Frequently asked questions
Who must buy Kenya's inbound travel health insurance?
Every non-Kenyan visitor staying less than three months, for tourism, business, a conference or a family visit, each with their own policy, children included. Africans from outside the East African Community need it too, even without an eTA.
Do Kenyans need the new travel insurance?
No. Kenyan citizens are exempt, and so are holders of valid Kenyan residence status. The rule is for visitors coming into Kenya. Kenyans travelling abroad need whatever their destination's visa asks for, such as Schengen cover.
Do Ugandans, Tanzanians and other EAC citizens need it?
No. Citizens of East African Community partner states are exempt. Note the reverse is not true everywhere: Zanzibar charges Kenyans USD 22 for its own compulsory visitor cover.
How much does Kenya's visitor travel insurance cost?
Up to USD 44 per person for up to three months, including levies and stamp duty, with multiple entries allowed in that time. A small portal access fee is added at checkout; one reported test came to about USD 52 in total.
Do children visiting Kenya need their own policy?
The eCitizen portal says every traveller, minors included, needs an individual policy. A Kenya Tourism Board FAQ of 13 October 2026 lists children under three as exempt. Until the two agree, check the portal when you buy for a small child.
Does a visitor's own travel insurance count?
No. The portal treats Kenya's cover as a separate statutory requirement, so a policy from home does not replace it. Visitors can and often should keep both: the statutory cover is capped at USD 50,000, with USD 20,000 for medical care.
Can Naveah sell me the statutory visitor cover?
No. The statutory policy is sold only on the government eCitizen portal, by its participating insurers. What we can arrange is extra cover on top: higher medical and evacuation limits, cancellation and baggage cover, or international health insurance for stays longer than three months.
Is the rule still in force after the court case?
Yes. A High Court order suspended it on 24 August 2026, but on 7 October 2026 the High Court at Marsabit dismissed the petition and found the Gazette Notice lawfully issued. Separate petitions over how insurers were chosen were reported in August and September 2026; we found no order stopping the requirement when we checked on 19 October 2026.
What if a visitor stays longer than three months?
The eCitizen product covers up to three months. For longer stays the Ministry of Health's framework expects international private medical insurance, and someone moving to Kenya on a residence permit is exempt from the visitors' rule altogether.
How does a visitor claim on the statutory cover?
Call the scheme's 24-hour line on +254 719 044 777, which also finds an accredited hospital (or dial *202*15# from a Kenyan line). The cover runs at accredited hospitals in all 47 counties.
Can a visitor cancel or change the dates?
Yes. The portal gives a full refund if the policy is cancelled before travel, and the dates can be changed within the three-month window.
We are flying on to Zanzibar. Is one policy enough?
No. Zanzibar runs its own compulsory visitor insurance through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (USD 44 for most adults, USD 22 for EAC and SADC travellers and children), and mainland Tanzania has its own scheme from 1 October 2026.
Hosting visitors, or coming yourself?
The statutory cover is bought on eCitizen. If you want more than its USD 50,000 limit, cancellation and baggage cover, or cover for a longer stay, we compare the options.
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Sources (8)
- Kenya eCitizen Inbound Travel Health Insurance portal (IRA)
- Court Helicopter, 9 October 2026
- VisasNews, 7 October 2026
- ATTA, citing the Kenya Tourism Board, 13 October 2026
- Clyde & Co, 5 August 2026
- Citizen Digital, citing the Ministry of Tourism, 3 April 2026
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation public notice, 7 October 2026
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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