For travelers
Kenya eTA for transit: when you need one
The answer
Verified 30 October 2026Do I need a Kenya eTA for transit?
You need a Kenya eTA for transit only if you leave the airport. Passengers transferring to another flight without leaving the airport precincts are exempt. If you pass through immigration, even for a few hours, you need one. An eTA is valid for travel within 90 days of issue.
TL;DR
- Staying in the airport to change planes: no eTA needed.
- Passing immigration, for any length of time: you need one.
- What matters is immigration, not how long the layover is.
On this page3
The rule
Kenya's rules exempt passengers in transit who arrive and leave on the same aircraft, or transfer to another aircraft, without leaving the airport precincts. In practice: if you stay in the international transit area and never go through immigration, you don't need an eTA.
If you leave the airport, for example to stay overnight in a hotel or to see Nairobi between flights, you go through immigration and you need one, unless your nationality is exempt. Check that first in who needs a Kenya eTA.
Checks before you fly
- Separate tickets? If your flights aren't on one booking, you may have to collect bags and check in again, which can mean passing immigration. Ask your airline.
- Overnight connection? If the airline puts you in a hotel outside the airport, you'll need an eTA.
- Changing airports? Moving between airports means leaving one, so you need an eTA.
If you do need one
The eTA is valid for travel within 90 days of being issued, so apply once your dates are fixed. The step-by-step walkthrough explains the application, and you can build your checklist before you start.