As of October 2026, Kenya requires travelers to hold government-mandated travel health insurance to enter. This is a government requirement, separate from the eTA, and it applies even if you already have your own travel insurance. Your existing or home-country insurance will not be accepted; you'll need to purchase the Kenyan policy through the official government portal.
What you need to do
Travelers can purchase the required insurance in one of two ways:
- Buy it directly through the official portal at insurance.ecitizen.go.ke, or
- Buy it during the eTA application as part of that process.
Use the same passport details on your insurance that you use for your eTA, so the two match.
Once your eTA is approved, you can download your insurance policy document from insurance.ecitizen.go.ke and keep it for your records.
Good to know
The insurance costs roughly USD 44 to 52, including fees, and is valid for about three months. As noted above, a home-country or existing travel policy won't count toward this requirement, so you'll need the government-issued one even if you're already covered elsewhere.
Traveling to Kenya and Tanzania?
Tanzania introduced a similar requirement in October 2026. If your trip includes both, see our combined guide: What you need to know about travel health insurance for Kenya and Tanzania.
Check your full travel requirements for Kenya here.
Need help?
If you have any questions, email support@joinsherpa.com and our team will be happy to help.
