Ethiopian citizens visiting Kenya will no longer need to pay the 30 dollars electronic travel authorization (ETA) fee, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya has announced.
President William Ruto of Kenya had declared last year that citizens of African countries would be granted visa-free entry to promote intra-African travel. However, Kenya later clarified that visitors still needed to apply for an ETA by submitting documents and paying the processing fee online.
This requirement applied even to countries like Ethiopia whose citizens previously did not need visas for Kenya. However, making international payments is banned in Ethiopia, forcing citizens to use unofficial means to pay visa fees abroad.
Acknowledging Ethiopia's unique situation, Ambassador Bacha Debele said the Kenyan government has now exempted Ethiopian citizens from the ETA payment requirement. In a social media post, the former army general thanked Kenya for its "prompt response and kind decision" on the issue.
The waiver provides relief to many Ethiopians who found it difficult to travel to Kenya due to the payment hurdle.
