Foreign travellers planning to visit Kenya from the Middle East have been advised to obtain mandatory health insurance before departure, in a new advisory issued by the Kenyan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
The notice, issued on Thursday, October 22, comes after Kenya implemented the mandatory inbound travel health insurance requirement on October 5, 2026.
Under the rules, all non-Kenyan travellers entering and staying in Kenya for less than 12 months must have valid health insurance, with every traveller, including children, required to hold individual cover.
“All prospective travellers are advised to obtain the required insurance before departure to avoid travel disruptions,” the embassy stated in its public notice.
Cars going through security at the main entrance of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, October 2026.
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Kenya Police
The requirement applies to eligible foreign visitors generally and is not limited to travellers from the Middle East.
At the same time, the embassy clarified that exemptions will include Kenyan citizens, holders of valid Kenyan residence status, citizens of East African Community partner states, asylum seekers and holders of diplomatic, official or service passports.
Additionally, in its advisory, the embassy said that crew members and transit passengers who do not enter Kenya will also be exempt.
However, nationals of African countries outside the EAC who do not require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) will still be required to obtain insurance unless they qualify for another exemption.
In line with the advisory, Kenya has urged affected travellers to obtain the mandatory health insurance through the official eTA or eCitizen portal.
The embassy clarified that foreign travel health insurance policies will not be accepted, meaning travellers must purchase the cover through the designated Kenyan platforms.
Under the new requirements, each traveller, including minors, must have individual insurance coverage.
After payment, an electronic insurance policy is issued through the eCitizen platform. The policy is valid for 90 days and may allow multiple entries, provided it remains valid on each date of entry.
The embassy advised travellers to retain their insurance documents for verification during airline check-in and upon arrival in Kenya.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
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Trip Advisor