Kenyan Business and Student Travellers Receive Extended Visas to South Africa

Kenya-South Africa Visa Review
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and South Africa Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba

Travelling between African countries has always been a hard task with multiple calls from people for the scrapping of visa requirement for Africans travelling within Africa. Albeit at a snail’s pace, things have been changing and recently Kenya announced that Africans visiting the country for less than 30 days do not require visas while those intending to stay longer are issued with visas on arrival at the point of entry or through the online e-visa platform.

A new breakthrough has been reached as South Africa has eased up its visa requirements for Kenyans, especially business travellers and students. The two governments, Kenya and South Africa have been in talks, through Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Dr Fred Matiang’i and South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba.

As from December 1 2018, Kenyan business travellers and students visiting South Africa will be issued with multiple entry visas valid for up to 10 years while frequent travellers will be eligible for 3-year multiple entry visas. Government officials travelling on official business to South Africa will
be granted 3 months free VISA, this takes effect immediately. On top of this, study visas will be issued based on the duration of studies and will be renewable when the need arises.

This move has been termed as a win for Kenyans but the two governments are not slowing down. A team of technical officers from both countries were tasked with finding ways of reducing travel restrictions, with a view of completely removing short-term (180 days) and transit visa requirements for nationals from the two countries with ordinary passports.