๐ Visa & Entry
Check visa-free entry, K-ETA requirements, the e-Arrival Card, customs allowances and other essentials before you fly.
K-ETA temporary exemption (active through Dec 31, 2026): Citizens of about 67 countries and territories (including the US, UK, Japan, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, etc.) do not need to apply for K-ETA. All foreign visitors without a K-ETA must complete the free online e-Arrival card within 3 days before arrival.
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Kenya
Region: Middle East & AfricaCountry code: KE
Visa Required
Maximum Stay
30-90 Days
Tourism & Short Business
K-ETA Requirement
Visa Required
Apply for a visa at an embassy
e-Arrival Card
Required
Free, online, within 3 days before arrival
Entry Policy Overview
Kenyan citizens need a Korean visa from the Korean Embassy in Nairobi before traveling.
Key Entry Requirements:
- Valid Passport
- Visa Grant Notice
- Bank statements
Traveler Tip: Direct and one-stop flights connect Nairobi to Seoul.
Visa Options for Kenya
Tourism and family visits
A visa is required before you travel. For a tourist trip the usual choice is the C-3-9 short-term tourism visa, normally valid for a stay of up to 90 days. Apply at a Korean embassy, consulate or authorized visa application center, and follow the application on the Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr).
Business meetings
Business visitors normally apply for a C-3-4 short-term business visa, supported by an invitation letter from the Korean company and a copy of its business registration certificate. The visa does not allow paid work; any paid or for-profit activity needs a C-4 short-term employment visa instead.
Study, work or a longer stay
If you plan to study, work or stay beyond the short-term limit, you need the matching long-stay visa, for example D-2 or D-4 for study, an E-series visa for work or an F-series visa for family. Arrange it before you travel; entering visa-free is not a substitute.
Programs and rules that may apply to Kenya
- Jeju: Kenya passport holders can enter Jeju Province visa-free for up to 30 days when they arrive directly by flight or ship. This permission does not cover the rest of Korea.
- Transit: if you connect through Incheon with a confirmed onward ticket, you may be able to leave the airport for up to 3 days without a visa under the transfer program, including the free transit tour.
These notes summarize official rules and may change. Confirm them on the Korea Visa Portal before you book.
Official Korean Government Portals:
Customs Allowances & Prohibited Items
Duty-Free Limit
$800 USD
General Goods
Alcohol Allowance
2 Liters
Total value up to $400 (age 19+)
Tobacco Allowance
200 Sticks
1 Carton
Cash Declaration
> $10,000 USD
Must Declare
Prohibited or Restricted Items: All meats (beef jerky, sausages, pork), fresh fruit, seeds/plants, and any cannabis/CBD products (even legal elsewhere, strictly criminalized under Korean narcotics law).
Entry guides
- Before you goK-ETA Explained: Who Needs It and How to Apply
What the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) is, who must apply, the temporary exemption for many nationalities, fees, timing and common mistakes.
Read the guide - Before you goKorea e-Arrival Card: Who Needs It and How to Submit
How the free online e-Arrival card works: who must fill it in, the three-day window, the 72-hour validity, children, K-ETA holders and mistakes to avoid.
Read the guide - Before you goKorea Customs Guide: Allowances, Declaring and Penalties
Duty-free allowances for goods, alcohol, cigarettes and perfume, when to declare, the cash limit and how the mobile declaration works.
Read the guide - Before you goWhat Can I Bring to Korea? Prohibited and Restricted Items
A plain list of what you cannot bring, what you can bring with limits, and what to keep in your carry-on: food, plants, medicines, cash, batteries and liquids.
Read the guide
Korean Visa Types by Purpose
The visa you need depends on why you are going, how long you will stay and which passport you hold. Short trips for tourism or business meetings are covered by visa-free entry or a short-term (C) visa. Anything that involves pay, study or living in Korea needs a different visa that you arrange before you travel.
Quick reference
| Purpose | Visa or status | Typical stay | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourism or visiting friends and family | Visa-free entry (B-1 or B-2), or C-3-9 short-term tourism visa | Visa-free: 30 to 180 days depending on nationality. C-3-9: up to 90 days | Visa-free: no application, but K-ETA unless exempt. C-3-9: apply at a Korean embassy, consulate or visa application center |
| Group tour | C-3-2 group tourist visa, or a visa-free group program for some nationalities | Short stay; the visa-free group programs allow up to 15 days | Booked through an accredited Korean travel agency |
| Business meetings, conferences and trade shows | Visa-free entry, or C-3-4 short-term business visa | Up to 90 days | C-3-4: invitation letter and business registration certificate from the Korean host company |
| Paid work for under 90 days (installation, repair, short contracts) | C-4 short-term employment visa | Up to 90 days | Needed even for visa-free nationalities; apply before you travel |
| Medical treatment | C-3-3 medical tourist visa (the G-1 category covers longer treatment) | Under 90 days for C-3-3 | Invitation from a registered medical institution, medical records and proof of funds; a close family member can accompany as a caregiver |
| Korean language course or other non-degree training | D-4 general training visa | Length of the course | Admission documents from the school; apply at a Korean embassy or consulate |
| Degree study | D-2 student visa | Length of the program | Certificate of Admission and proof of funds; apply at a Korean embassy or consulate |
| Working holiday for young adults | H-1 working holiday visa | About one year (longer for a few countries) | Only for citizens of partner countries; apply in your home country |
| Remote work while living in Korea | F-1-D workation visa | Long stay, extendable | Remote work for a company outside Korea, a minimum income and private medical insurance; check the current rules with the Ministry of Justice |
| Employment in Korea | E-series visas, for example E-2 language instructor, E-7 specialty occupations, E-9 non-professional employment | Usually one year or more, renewable | Sponsored by the Korean employer, who normally starts the process in Korea |
| Family and long-term residence | F-1 visiting or joining family, F-3 accompanying family, F-6 spouse of a Korean citizen, F-4 overseas Koreans, F-5 permanent residence | Long-term; F-4 is first issued for up to three years | Proof of the family relationship or Korean descent; apply at an embassy or a Korean immigration office |
| Layover or transit | Visa-free transit, or a B-2 landing permit for the transfer program | Under 24 hours inside the Incheon transit area, or up to 3 days with a permit | No application when the conditions are met; some nationalities are excluded |
How to apply for a Korean visa
- 1Find out what you need. Check your nationality and purpose on the Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr), which has an English version and a visa navigator.
- 2Gather your documents. A passport valid for at least six months, the application form with a passport photo on a white background, proof of your purpose (invitation letter, booking, admission letter or contract), proof of funds and, for tourists, a return ticket and accommodation details. Employment or student status letters are often requested too.
- 3Apply. Most visas are submitted at the Korean embassy, consulate or authorized visa application center that serves your place of residence. Some categories, such as certain work, graduate study, family and group tourist visas, can be applied for online as an e-visa through the Korea Visa Portal.
- 4For long stays, ask your sponsor to start in Korea. A Korean employer, school or relative can obtain a visa issuance confirmation from a Korean immigration office through HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr), which usually shortens the embassy step.
- 5Pay the fee and wait. Processing time depends on the embassy and visa type; embassy pages report anywhere from about one week to four weeks. Track the status on the Korea Visa Portal.
- 6Check the validity before you fly. A single-entry visa is generally valid for three months after issue, a double-entry visa for six months, and a multiple-entry visa can be valid for up to five years at the embassyโs discretion.
- 7After arrival, register if you stay long. If you will stay longer than 90 days, register for an Alien Registration Card at a Korean immigration office. Book the appointment on HiKorea, and ask your school or employer about their deadline.
Fees
- Standard embassy fees are US$40 for a single-entry visa of up to 90 days, US$60 for a single-entry visa of 91 days or more, US$70 for double entry and US$90 for multiple entry.
- Some nationalities pay different amounts or nothing at all, depending on agreements between countries, so check the fee list on your embassyโs website. Payment methods also vary by embassy.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming visa-free entry allows paid work. Any paid or for-profit activity, even a few days of installation or repair paid by your foreign employer, needs a C-4 visa.
- Confusing K-ETA with a visa. K-ETA is an online travel authorization for visa-free nationalities. If it is refused, you can apply for a visa instead.
- Applying too late. Visa decisions can take weeks, and some documents, such as a Certificate of Admission or an invitation, take time to prepare.
- Forgetting the e-Arrival card. It is a separate free online form for people who do not hold a K-ETA.
- Relying on a travel agentโs claims. Check requirements on the official portals before paying anyone.
Special programs at a glance
- Jeju visa-free entry: most nationalities can stay in Jeju Province for up to 30 days without a visa when they arrive directly by flight or ship. Citizens of 23 countries are excluded, and the permission does not cover the rest of Korea.
- Group tourist programs: through December 31, 2026 the visa fee is waived for group tourists from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Cambodia who travel with accredited agencies. Chinese groups of three or more can also enter visa-free for up to 15 days until December 31, 2026, and Indonesian groups of three or more, organized by designated agencies, can do so between May 28 and December 31, 2026.
- Transit and layovers: passengers connecting at Incheon can leave the airport for up to 3 days without a visa under the transfer program, and the airport runs a free transit tour. Citizens of 23 countries are not eligible.
- Working holiday: Korea has agreements with about 30 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Age limits and rules differ by country.
Official sources and further reading
- Korea Visa Portal (official)
- HiKorea: Korea immigration services (official)
- Working Holiday Info Center (official)
- Visit Korea: visa and travel requirements
- Korea Immigration Service: e-visa center
- Korean embassy: visa application fees by nationality
- Korean embassy example: C-3-9 tourism visa requirements
- Korean embassy example: C-3-4 business visa requirements
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Jeju visa-free entry notice
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa-free entry for transfer passengers
Rules, fees and processing times change and can differ by embassy, so confirm them on the official portals and with the embassy that will handle your application.