If you’re a South African wanting to visit Kenya, new visa rules apply to you. 

The Kenyan High Commission announced the new rule would come into effect on 1 July, 2014 on its website. Previously South African passport holders were exempt from the visa requirement when travel was for 30 days or less.

With the new rule, South Africans are required to pay a R750 visa fee and visas will no longer be issued on arrival in Kenya. 

The High Commission said all Visa Service Fees payments should be made at the Kenya High Commission or Embassy premises and that visa processing can be expected to take about 5 working days. 

All applicants will be required to produce the following documents:

1. Return Air Ticket

2. Invitation letter from the host in the Republic of Kenya

3. Letter from employer/Institution/College/School

4. Proof of funds (bank statement)

5. Applicants must appear in Person for Biometrics

6. Two Passport Photographs.  

Holders of Official or Diplomatic Passports travelling on Government business will not be affected by these changes and will continue to get visitor’s Passes on arrival at the ports of entry. 

Countries allowed to travel into Kenya without a visa include Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Samozo, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tobago, Tonga, Trinidad, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The move follows the recent rigorous overhaul of South Africa's immigration and visa requirements, which have been called unconstitutional and xenophobic by certain experts. The SA government however defended the move saying it was in the best interest of the country and allowed for the effective management of immigration. 

Credit: news24.com