Kenya is one of the most visited countries in Africa. The country is a tourist haven filled with a wide range of modern attractions, herds of wildlife, vast savannahs and snow-capped mountains. The locals are friendly and they bring colour and soul to the beauty of the country.The Kenyan borders have become transparent with more people travelling from different parts of the world to explore the East African country with ease. But, if you don’t abide by their immigration rules like overstaying your visa, it could lead to a serious problem. Today, many travellers are being banned or fined for overstaying in Kenya.
Besides, overstaying your visa can have major consequences if you want to visit Kenya again for any reason in the future.
To check if you're a foreign national not affected by visas when visiting Kenya read our post 41 Countries That Don’t Need a Visa to Visit Kenya
What Happens When I Overstay My Visa In Kenya?
A Kenyan tourist visa is valid for only 90 days from the date of issuance. But sometimes, it is the Immigration Officer who decides how long you will stay. You may end up with a month or three months if you applied for a two-week vacation. However, you should ensure that your visa has enough days to take care of your stay in the country. If three months is not enough for you, you can extend your visa by another three months to avoid overstaying your visa in the country. If you overstay your visa, you will probably be heavily fined, deported or at worse be imprisoned.
What Should I Do If I Overstay My Visa?
It can be a nerve-racking situation after you have overstayed your Kenyan visa and you don’t know what to do next. A tourist visa renewal is easier and can be renewed for another 3 months if you are not working in the country. If you have overstayed your visa, call your home country’s embassy and they will help you with reputable companies that will help you renew it. On the other hand, you can visit the Nyayo house in "CBD" to get your visa renewed. Every visitor is allowed to renew tourist visa once. If you’re in the country and your visa will be expiring soon, you can quickly renew before your present visa expires. It’s important to contact the immigration department immediately your visa expires.
Can I still travel on an expired Kenyan Visa?
You are advised not to travel on an expired Kenyan Visa. The immigration and Kenyan Police do not take it lightly with people with expired visas. At the point of entry, you may be arrested for imprisonment or be heavily fined.
Fines for an Overstaying Your Visa
Tourists who overstayed the Kenyan visas are often faced with various punishments such as fines, which vary from one region to the other. There is no specific fine for defaulters but, deportation or getting arrested may be among the penalty list.
Being Declared an Undesirable Person
You can be declared an undesirable person if you overstay your visa in the country. It only means that you are banned from Kenya. Visitors can also be at risk of being declared undesirable in the country if they commit a crime punishable by law, or has been ordered to depart regarding the Immigration Act. If you’re declared undesirable, you may not be granted entry into Kenya, nor be qualified for any visa.
What To Do If You've Been Declared an Undesirable Person?
An undesirable person may apply to the Director of Immigration service for visa waiver provided that good cause exists. You can also make use of a good immigration lawyer to help you return to Kenya again.
