The Ministry of Health has clarified that foreign visitors travelling to Kenya will not be forced to buy a new travel health insurance policy if they already have valid cover that meets the country’s minimum requirements.
The clarification follows concerns raised after the government gazetted new rules making travel health insurance mandatory for non-Kenyan visitors entering the country.
In a statement issued on Friday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said travellers with qualifying health insurance from their home countries will simply be required to upload proof of their policy when applying for Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
“Any traveller who possesses travel health insurance from their country of origin, provided it meets the insurable value as per Gazette Notice No. 11492 dated 30th July 2026, should upload it in the Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system,” the ministry said.
The Health Ministry stressed that the requirement is not a new policy but one that is already provided for under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, and the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024.
Under the law, all non-Kenyan visitors staying in the country for less than 12 months must have travel health insurance that meets the standards set by the government.
The Department of Immigration Services will verify proof of insurance through the eTA platform before a traveller is cleared to travel. Where necessary, the documents may also be checked again at Kenya’s points of entry before visitors are allowed into the country.
For travellers who do not have a qualifying policy before departure, the government says they will still be able to purchase compliant health insurance on arrival from insurers licensed to operate in Kenya.
The gazetted guidelines also spell out the minimum benefits every policy must provide.
The insurance should include medical cover of up to US$20,000 (about Ksh2.59 million), emergency medical evacuation worth US$25,000 (Ksh3.23 million), prescription medication worth US$300 (about Ksh38,800), mental health treatment of up to US$1,000 (about Ksh129,000) and up to US$5,000 (around Ksh646,000) to cover the repatriation of mortal remains.
Overall, the policy must provide benefits of at least US$50,000, or about Ksh6.46 million.
This comes amid growing concerns surrounding the new mandatory insurance cover program.
COFEK has taken legal action challenging the move stating that the program was put in place without adequate public participation and that the program may benefit a few insurance companies only.
The challenge is also being discussed by the tourism sector players who are worried that the new mandatory insurance policy requirements may scare away tourists.
Humanize Text
For now, the government maintains that travellers with valid health insurance that meets Kenya’s standards will not need to take out another policy. They will only be required to upload proof of their cover as part of their eTA application before travelling.
