Immigration Principal Secretary Julias Bitok has announced that the government has already collected Ksh159 million from the newly implemented Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
While speaking during an inspection visit at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday, January 11, Bitok also indicated that Kenya was also receiving double the number of tourists through the system.
He further noted that so far, the country had received 32,000 tourists through the new system which he said had great reception from the diaspora.
“I am happy to inform the country that through the ETA system, we have been able to collect one million dollars (Ksh 159,000,000). This is foreign exchange for the people of Kenya.
“That is where the world is going. The entire of Europe has also announced the introduction of ETA, in Africa, Kenya has taken the lead. That is where the world is going,” he stated.
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Why ETA Application Can be Rejected.
Additionally, PS Bitok clarified that the system only declines requests made by individuals flagged by international security watchlists including Interpol and others.
According to the PS, the immigration department had already rejected about 100 ETA applications because of national security and other reasons.
“We have rejected a few of them because of security reasons. As you are aware, we have a security watchlist where we look at those people who prohibited immigrants to Kenya.
“With the new system, we are able to tell those who are not allowed into the country for one reason or another like terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking and others,” he explained.
At the same time, Bitok detailed that applications were approved based on priority basis, adding that countries that were formerly allowed visa free visits to Kenya get priority with the new system.
“Applicants come in on priority basis. Within 24 hours they get their ETA. And for those who require further security check, it takes a maximum of 72 hours to complete the process.
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“Of the 51 countries who have been coming to Kenya on Visa free, the system has given them priority in that as soon as they apply for ETA, they are able to get it so there is no backlog,” Bitok added.
New Changes in the System
According to the officials, the new system continues to undergo changes to improve its use based on the feedback received from users.
Some of the feedback, has informed the removal of the need of an upload of a bank statement during application.
“We are developing the system and reviewing it every day based on the feedback that we are getting. One of the biggest concerns we were getting was the upload of the bank statement and we have already removed that and many others because we thought it was not very necessary.
“The next conversation we will be having will cater for the questions to do with customs and port health. As the system continues to be improved, we will include other things,” added the immigration officials.
