Kenya has issued new details today on the mandatory travel health insurance requirement that is set to become an entry requirement for foreign visitors.
In a clarification statement issued on August 7, 2026, regarding Gazette Notice No. 11492 dated July 30, 2026, Kenya’s Ministry of Health confirmed that travelers will be able to use insurance purchased in their home country, provided it meets the coverage levels set by Kenyan authorities.
For travelers required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), proof of insurance will have to be uploaded directly as part of the application before departure.
The statement, signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, also explains the role immigration authorities will play in enforcing the new requirement.
Mandatory travel health insurance for foreign visitors
The travel health insurance requirement did not originate solely with the July 30, 2026 notice.
It is established under the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023, whose Section 26 states that a non-Kenyan seeking to enter and remain in Kenya for less than 12 months must have travel health insurance under terms determined by the Health Cabinet Secretary.
The Social Health Insurance Regulations of 2024 also specify that anyone entering Kenya must have this coverage and, if necessary, may obtain it at the point of entry.
The government has been working for several months to put the system into operation. In May 2025, the Health and Immigration ministries held discussions on how foreign visitors’ insurance coverage would be verified.
Gazette Notice No. 11492, published on July 30, 2026, has now established the applicable minimum coverage levels.
At least $50,000 in total coverage
The program requires combined coverage of at least $50,000.
The administrative framework published by the Ministry of Health sets out several minimum benefits:
- $20,000 for medical expenses;
- $25,000 for emergency medical transportation;
- $5,000 for repatriation of remains in the event of death;
- $1,000 for mental health care;
- $300 for prescription medication.
The ministry notes that insurers may, of course, offer additional benefits.
These amounts are therefore minimum coverage limits, not the amount travelers will have to pay for their insurance policy.
Insurance purchased abroad will be accepted
This is one of the main points clarified in the latest statement.
Unlike Zanzibar, Kenya will not systematically require foreign visitors to purchase a new policy from a Kenyan insurance company.
The Ministry of Health says travelers who already have travel health insurance purchased in their home country will be able to use that policy as long as it meets the coverage levels prescribed by Gazette Notice No. 11492.
Travelers will therefore need to make sure their policy provides sufficient coverage for the individual risks specified by Kenyan authorities, rather than simply checking that it has an overall limit of $50,000 or more.
This clarification is particularly important for travelers who already have annual travel insurance, coverage provided through a credit card, or another international policy. Having existing insurance does not eliminate the need to make sure it meets Kenya’s specific coverage requirements.
Proof of insurance will have to be uploaded with the ETA
For travelers required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), the insurance check will take place before departure.
The ministry says applicants will have to provide proof of a valid travel health insurance policy as part of their ETA application so that it can be verified before travel.
Kenya’s Department of Immigration Services will be responsible for implementing the requirement through the ETA system and checking compliance at the country’s points of entry.
Insurance will therefore become one of the documents directly tied to the electronic travel authorization process, alongside the other supporting documents currently required.
At present, the official ETA portal, etakenya.go.ke, does not yet list travel insurance among the documents travelers need to prepare. It currently mentions requirements including a passport, photograph, contact details, travel itinerary and proof of accommodation.
The statement also does not specify when the insurance upload requirement will actually be activated in the ETA application.
What about travelers who are exempt from the ETA?
The insurance requirement has a broader scope than the ETA itself.
The Ministry of Health refers to all non-Kenyans entering the country for stays of less than 12 months, while several categories of travelers and nationals of certain countries are currently exempt from the Electronic Travel Authorization requirement. Kenya’s official ETA portal provides details of those exemptions.
The statement says immigration authorities will also check insurance coverage at points of entry, but it does not yet explain what procedure will apply to travelers who are exempt from the ETA.
They therefore remain subject to the mandatory insurance requirement, although the process for presenting proof of coverage before travel has yet to be clarified.
Insurance will also be available on arrival in Kenya
The ministry has also provided an option for travelers who arrive in Kenya without having purchased the required insurance in advance.
A compliant policy will be available at the point of entry from an insurer licensed under the Insurance Act and authorized to provide this type of coverage.
Immigration authorities will then have to verify the policy before allowing the traveler to enter Kenya.
This option is already provided for under Section 70(3) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024.
VisasNews Take
The Kenyan Ministry of Health’s clarification confirms an important point: travelers will not automatically be required to purchase insurance in Kenya. Coverage purchased in their home country can be used as long as it meets Kenya’s required benefits. Travelers subject to the ETA will, however, have to upload proof of coverage for verification before departure. The government has not yet announced when this new step will actually appear in the ETA application process.
