Many people are traveling to Africa for safaris, experiences that require extensive time spent outside of major cities. More and more individuals are choosing countries such as Rwanda or Tanzania over other popular safari destinations because they have shorter visa processing times than other nations!
This article will talk about how long it takes to process your visa in Kenya, what can affect this timing, and some potential issues you may run into. We will also look at some tips for staying organized while you wait for your visa and how best to spend your time in the country.
Most major international airlines have an embassy or consulate where you can apply for a visa. These are usually listed on their website or via phone calls or emails.
Some countries only offer visa services at certain times, so make sure to check these out as well!
For example, The United States of America offers visa service during regular business hours. This is typically from 9 AM-5 PM EST, every day.
But what if you want to visit at another time? Or perhaps there’s no open window during those hours?
You would be stuck waiting until the next possible time slot which may not work with your schedule.
This could also mean missing part of your trip due to delays.
Many people begin planning their vacations months before they even consider leaving for vacation. But what about when you’re already there? You have to think about how long it will take to process your visa!
Most international airlines offer some sort of rewards program that gives you points or credit towards future flights if you buy certain products from their store. Most airline stores include at least one type of passport card (like VISA, MASTERCARD, etc.) so buying one of those can help you earn flight credits or even free tickets.
But how much time do you have to wait while using these cards during your stay? And how expensive is this reward item anyway?! It can add up quickly!
Fortunately, most major tourist attractions are known and tourists usually don’t face too many issues getting into the country. So, staying for a few days should be enough time to get everything done.
There are several factors that can contribute to visa process time here. First, like any country, the United States has limited resources so there is only one office per region where visas are processed.
Second, some countries require additional documents or information be sent from your home country which could take longer than expected.
Third, certain documents must be scanned and transmitted via an internet-based system which can sometimes go slower due to low bandwidth.
Fourth, unlike most other offices that have staff members who work around normal hours, the US Embassy’s staffing schedule is mostly night and weekend shifts with very little coverage during the day.
These gaps in coverage can become significant when you run into an unexpected delay since nothing can happen until after business hours. And because of this, it can take much longer for someone to respond to your e-mail or phone call.
This is particularly difficult if you need to contact someone immediately about something related to your visit.
Many times, after submitting all of your documents and answering all questions, you will be notified that your application is not accepted or cannot be processed at this time.
This can happen for several reasons. The main one being lack of confirmation from another country that you have visited during the past two years. Another reason could be that you failed to include enough proof of employment or sufficient money to stay in Kenya.
Another common cause of denial is when an employee from your current employer does not confirm that they know who you are and where you live. This person may work with you directly or under you, so make sure to ask if anyone else knows about your trip!
If you are informed of your rejection then within 90 days you must apply for exit visas for Kenya. These cost more but it is worth the price as most people are able to return home once they have them.
The sixth major factor that can affect visa processing times is whether or not they require you to have an invitee for your trip. If they do, then this has to be submitted with your visa application.
This is very common at high-level tourist destinations where there are always international events happening. For example, if you’re going to visit Paris for one month, then you would need an invitee who can verify that you plan to return after your stay. This person does not have to live in France, but only need to be able to prove residence outside of Africa!
However, it should be noted that most nations waive this requirement when applying for a visa online. It is best to apply via their website as opposed here and backtracking because of this may cost you time and money.
Many countries require only one piece of proof that you’ll be leaving their country within a set time frame. This is called a short-term visa. A second document confirms that you will return to the same country at some point.
A common example is an ETO (employment authorization) form which most employers ask candidates to have before starting work. An employer can verify if this form has already been signed by the government in his or her home country as proof of employment there. If it does not, then he or she cannot hire the candidate!
So what about when you are traveling? You would need to bring your short-term visa along with you, since you could potentially go somewhere new every day.
But how long do they actually take to process? And how much more paperwork do they make you submit after processing?
We asked some expert sources to give us their tips for navigating the visa process in various countries.
Even though it is not mentioned as such, there are some significant holidays where the embassy will close for the day! This includes national days like when The United States celebrated its Independence Day or Remembrance Day, which happens every November.
Other reasons to expect the visa centre to be closed include during winter season or if it is snowing outside, just because of weather conditions.
The last step of visa processing is talking with officials at the Kenyan Embassy or Consulate. This can take anywhere from hours to days depending on how many people are being interviewed, how quickly they get through the line, and whether there’s an open window you can watch the snowstorm outside.
In my experience, the longer you have to wait for your interview, the more anxious you will get. It’s totally natural!
I remember one time when I was leaving town, and it took me almost a full day to find out if I had secured enough visas in advance. Luckily, everything worked out okay, but it could easily have gone either way.
That said, most times things go much faster than expected, which helps calm down some of the nervousness. But then other times, it takes far longer than anticipated, and that can make you feel even worse.
