Kenya is one of the most popular east-African countries. The country is known to have over 50 national parks and reserves, featuring all sorts of wild animals. It's also known as the "Land of Five" due to the wide range of lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalos.
Each year, millions of international travelers visit Kenya to explore the natural beauty of the country. However, before you enter Kenya, there are a few things you need, including a valid visa.
Kenya Visa Options For Bangladeshi Citizens
All Bangladeshi citizens are required to have a valid visa to enter Kenya. As the Kenyan government has stopped offering traditional paper or stamp visas, you can now get a travel document from the comfort of your home.
Kenya offers different types of e-visas for the citizens of Bangladesh, such as:
Tourist e-Visa
Let's start with the Kenya tourist visa. Travelers under 16 years of age are no longer required to have a tourist visa to enter Kenya. All they need is their parent's passport bio-data page.
Except for minors, all other Bangladeshi citizens are required to have a valid tourist visa to enter Kenya for tourism and leisure purposes, such as:
Spending holidays
Visiting relatives
Exploring the country
Kenya tourist e-visa is a single-entry travel document that allows you to stay in Kenya for 90 consecutive days.
Business e-Visa
For professional and commercial activities, applicants are required to have a Kenya business e-visa. Depending on the validity period, Kenya offers different types of business visas to Bangladeshi nationals, including single-entry visas, multiple-entry (1-year) visas, and multiple-entry (5-year) visas.
All of these travel documents allow you to stay in the country for 90 consecutive days for business purposes, such as:
Attending seminars and conferences
Enrolling in a training program
Meeting with business associates
Transit e-Visa
In case Bangladeshi passport holders want to transit through Kenya, there are required to have a transit e-visa. This single-entry travel document allows you to stay in the country for 3 consecutive days within a 90-day period.
Courtesy e-Visa
If a public institution invites you to enter Kenya to carry out activities for the state, you need to apply for a courtesy e-visa. Just like other travel documents, this one is also a single-entry electronic visa that stays valid for 90 days.
East-Africa e-Visa
An east-Africa visa allows you to enter multiple east-African countries, including Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. It's perfect for those who want to explore the natural beauty of all of the east-African nations.
Kenya's government offers multiple-entry east-African e-visa that comes with a validity period of 90 days.
How To Apply For Kenya Visa Online?
Unlike a traditional visa, you don't have to waste an entire day to apply for a Kenya e-visa. You don't have to visit the nearest Kenya embassy or schedule a visa interview. All you need is a laptop or mobile device and a stable internet connection.
Follow the following step-by-step guide to apply for a Kenya e-visa online:
Fill out the Kenyan visa application form.
Pay the visa service fee as well as the government fee.
Submit your application with supporting documents.
That's it! Afterward, you'll get your approved visa via email. Before you travel to Kenya, make sure to get a valid health declaration form within 72 hours prior to the intended date of entry. You can get the health declaration form online through VisaHQ within 24 hours.
Visa Application Form
You need to pay close attention while filling out the Kenya e-visa application form. This is because if there are errors or mistakes in your application, the embassy will most probably decline or delay your visa.
To fill out the Kenya online visa application form, you need to provide the following data:
Personal information - Name and surface, nationality, date of birth
Contact information - Phone number and email address
Passport information - Passport number, issue, and expiry date
Travel information - Proof of accommodation, invitation letter, travel date
You may also need to answer some security and personal questions as well, depending on the purpose of your visit.
Processing Time
As Kenya offers different types of travel documents to Bangladeshi citizens, the processing time varies as well. While you can get a tourist and business visa within 3-5 business days, the average processing time for an east-Africa e-visa is 6 business days.
Plus, if there are mistakes or errors in your application, your visa will most likely be delayed. Therefore, regardless of your purpose of visit, it's advised to apply for a Kenya e-visa at least 2 weeks prior to the intended entry date.