--- title: "Kenya Visa-free stay (6 months) requirements 2026" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/kenya/visa-free-180d/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Kenya # Kenya Visa-free stay (6 months) **First stay:** 6 mo Visa-free stay of up to 180 days (East African Partner State citizens) Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 6 mo (Up to 180 days) - **Who can apply:** 6 nationalities (Citizens of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.) ## Key facts Visa-free stay (6 months) is a long-stay route for Kenya. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source. - **First stay:** 6 mo ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Only for passports from 6 countries ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - Be a citizen of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda. #### Steps 1. No eTA is required for these citizens. #### After you arrive - The exemption covers a period not exceeding 180 days. ## When you become tax resident How Kenya decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **6 months at first** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in a year of income** Individual with no permanent home in Kenya is resident if present 183 days or more in the year of income. - **More than 122 days in a year of income and each of the two preceding years (average)** Alternative test for an individual with no permanent home in Kenya: present in the year and averaging more than 122 days per year over the three years. - **Foreign-source income:** **Territorial** Kenya charges income tax on all income, of residents and non-residents, that accrued in or was derived from Kenya, at progressive rates from 10% to 35%; income arising wholly outside Kenya is outside that charge, except employment or service pay to a resident, which is deemed Kenyan-source wherever the work is done. [All tax rules for Kenya](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/kenya/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Citizens of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda are exempt from the Kenya eTA for stays of up to 180 days. (source 1) #### Requirements - Be a citizen of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda. (source 1) - No eTA is required for these citizens. (source 1) - The exemption covers a period not exceeding 180 days. (source 1) #### Stay - Up to 180 days - Initial permitted stay: 6 months. #### Nationality Citizens of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Open to: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda. #### Fine print Kenya's eTA page names six East African partner states for the 180-day exemption: Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Somalia, an East African Community partner state since 2024, is not on that list. The page does not state work rights. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [General Information: eTA exemptions under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Rules, 2025](https://etakenya.go.ke/general-information) · Directorate of Immigration Services, Republic of Kenya · checked 2026-10-12 ## Visa-free stay (6 months) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Visa-free stay (6 months) | – | 6 mo | – | | [East African free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/kenya/free-movement-eac/) | – | – | – | | [ECOWAS free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/free-movement-ecowas/) Nigeria | – | – | – | | [East African free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/rwanda/free-movement-eac/) Rwanda | – | 6 mo | No | | [ECOWAS free movement](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/ghana/free-movement-ecowas/) Ghana | – | – | – | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Visa-free stay (6 months)? Up to 180 days ### Who can apply for the Visa-free stay (6 months)? Citizens of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Open to: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda. ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-12 against 1 official source.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [General Information: eTA exemptions under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Rules, 2025](https://etakenya.go.ke/general-information) · Directorate of Immigration Services, Republic of Kenya · checked 2026-10-12 Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.