How to Apply for a Journalist Visa in Kenya

How to Apply for a Journalist Visa in Kenya Visa application form; To apply for a visa you need the following; Processing time of the … Submit your visa application at a mission or visa centre in person.

Procedure on How to Apply for a Journalist Visa in Kenya

The procedure is divided into two stages:Stage 1 (before arrival)

• You need to visit the nearest Kenyan Embassy and apply for journalist visa. Nearly all applications are approved without any difficulties.
• The embassy then requests the “approval” from the Foreign Media Department in Nairobi.
• The Foreign Media Department then sends the approval to the embassy, together with the customs clearance (for the equipment to be brought into the country).
• Then you need to re-visit the embassy to provide a list of all the equipment to be brought into Kenya.
• Finally the embassy issues the visa stamp and the customs clearance for the equipment.

Stage 2 (after arrival)

• With the visa stamp in your passport you travel to Kenya.
• After arrival in Kenya, your first point of contact is the FMD (Foreign Media Department) in Nairobi, to provide them with a full list of all the sites you would like to visit or film.
• Finally, the Foreign Media Department will issue the necessary paper work: ‘permission’ to film the listed sites, and an ‘ID’, which you must with you at all times.

Apply online.

• Print out of a Completed visa application form available on the website of the Kenyan Immigration Service http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.html
• All supporting documents and letters (listed above) must be provided on the relevant organizations letter-head paper and in addition, documents must be provided and addressed to: Hon Minister of Information and Communications:

Required Documents

• Scanned Valid National Passport (minimum period validity 6 months at the time of travel)or any acceptable Travel document;
• Printed copy of a completed Online Visa Application Form(with one passport size photograph attached), and a copy of Payment Confirmed page;
• A letter of invitation from local contact(s) in Kenya;
• A letter of introduction from the organisation(s) that journalists work for or represent;
• A copy of itinerary while on duty in Kenya;
• List of equipment accompanying applicant(s);
• Scanned copy of your passport’s bio data page (the page with your photo).
• Your profession.
• Estimated date of arrival.
• Payment.Visa Fee (cash only)Paid in advance
• Application form
• A valid Passport.
• Two recent passport photos.
• Visa reference number (from Kenya).
• Letter from employer.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Information and Communication

Address: Telposta Towers, Kenyatta Ave.

Koinange Street

P.O Box 30025-00100,Nairobi Kenya

Telephone: (+254) 4920000 / 1

E-Mail: info@information.go.keMinistry of Information & Broadcasting

The Permanent Secretary

PO Box 30025 Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: 00254 2 217475/228411/222073Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons

Nyayo House 20th floor, Kenyatta Avenue/Uhuru Highway

P.O Box 30191,00100 Nairobi.

Tel: +254-20-2222022, +254-20-2217544, +254-20-2218833

Email; infomirp@kenya.go.keDepartment of Immigration Services

Nyayo House 9th floor, Kenyatta Avenue/Uhuru Highway

P.O Box 30191,00100 Nairobi.

Tel: +254-20-2222022, +254-20-2217544, +254-20-2218833

Email; dis@immigration.go.ke

Eligibility

One must be a journalist visiting Kenya on the mission of gathering news or capturing news or Filming sites in Kenya on behalf of the foreign organization. This Visa is granted to the following category of people.

• Professional journalist,
• Columnist, cartoonist/editor,
• Photographer,
• Film producer or director (other than of commercial films),
• A representative of a radio and/or television organisation,
• Travel writer/travel promotion photographer etc or any
• Professional journalist/owner working for an association or
• A company engaged in the production or
• Broadcast of audio visual news or
• Current affairs programmes through the print, electronic or any other electronic form or any other mode of mass communication

Fees

Fee is dependent on the nationality of the passport on which the applicant is traveling and it is subject to changes without notice. So please check. One visa single entry $100. The fee for each applicant is 70.00* (Seventy Pounds payable on-line to the Nigeria Immigration Service.(http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.html). There is an additional charge of 20.00 (Twenty Pounds) processing fee payable to the Kenyan High Commission, Postal Orders. Please note that the High Commission does NOT accept CASH payments. The weekly filming fee is $150 payable on arrival to the Accreditation Section,

Validity

This journalist visa is valid for 3 months only with a single entry. Regardless of the entry status, it can be renewed upon request

Processing Time

Processing time take less than a one month but because of the complexity it can exceed that time. Visas for journalists cannot be fast-tracked and may take longer than five (5) working days to process;

Instructions

• If you intend to visit or film sites in Kenya, then you need to obtain a journalist Visa which include those sites in the list of the sites you intend to film.

• If you secure permission from the Foreign Affairs Media Department for the whole list (as of the above procedure) then you can visit and film in all the sites approved in list.
• It is therefore necessary to include all the sites you intend to visit in the list before you submit it to the Foreign Affairs media Department.

Required Information

• Documents customs clearance for the equipments to be brought into the country.
• A list of all the equipment to be brought into Kenya.
• A valid passport for less than 6 months to expire

Need for the Document

Journalist visa is issued to professional journalists and photographers for up to three months stay in Kenya. Some countries require for people in that journalist occupation when traveling for their respective filming and news organizations. Countries which insist on this include but not limited to Libya , Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United States (I-visa) and Zimbabwe. Journalist Visitors to Kenya must obtain a journalist visa from one of the Kenyan diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

External Links

http://www.kenyaembassy.com/visa.html

http://www.information.go.ke/

Kenya warns unaccredited foreign journalists