Kenya’s Mandatory Travel Health Insurance

Dear Travel Partner,

 

As of 6th October 2026, inbound travellers applying for a Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) must provide proof of Mandatory Travel Health Insurance Cover before completing their ETA application. It’s important to note that this local cover does not replace your own international comprehensive travel and health insurance cover, and should rather be treated as an additional expense on your Kenya safari.

  • The ETA portal now requires mandatory travel health insurance before you can complete an application.
  • The insurance currently offered through the ETA system costs approximately USD 52 per traveller (that is USD 44 for the premium plus a USD 8 Convenience & Gateway Fee).
  • Travellers can also buy the insurance ahead of time on Kenya’s eCitizen portal. The ETA portal then recognises it automatically.
  • Travellers from ETA-exempt countries (for example, South Africa) are exempt from the insurance requirement for now.
  • Some of our guests have reported that a downloadable insurance policy is not issued, so we advise that you keep a screenshot of the reference number and the “Valid” status before you close the webpage. As the system is fully implemented, more guests are reporting that they have received a policy document, a welcome pack, and a copy of the cover’s FAQs; please keep copies of these with you when you travel to Kenya and while you are on safari.

As this is a new requirement by the Kenya Ministry of Health, we will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated via this page. We would like to reiterate that Kenya’s Mandatory Travel Health Insurance Cover, a (limited) medical-only policy, is not a replacement for your own international comprehensive travel and health insurance, which would provide broader coverage than this local policy. Find out more via the link below.

Mandatory Health Insurance Cover FAQs.