Kenya Visa Invitation Letter

If you plan on traveling to Kenya and your main purpose of travel is not for tourism, you'll most likely need an invitation letter. In this post, I'll cover everything you need to know about the invitation letter. This includes when you'll need an invitation letter and what information must be in the letter.

What Is A Visa Invitation Letter?

An invitation letter is proof of travel and is one of the Kenyan visa requirements. It helps the authorities verify if you have a legitimate reason for entering the country.

Fortunately, the letter of invitation is easy to get and fairly straightforward.

When Do I Need A Kenya Visa Invitation Letter?

You need a visa invitation letter if your purpose of travel is not primarily for tourism and is therefore applicable to the following 3 groups:

Business people.

Foreigners who are visiting family or friends in Kenya.h

Students on an educational trip.

Need Help With Getting Your Visa?

Everyone knows that visa applications and getting all the right documents can be time-consuming and challenging to do. Luckily, with Atlys, you can apply for your visa in minutes; best of all, the app helps you with your invitation letter. Atlys takes your hand and guides you through every step of the application process.

Who Must Send Me An Invitation Letter?

This depends on your main purpose of travel. As I've mentioned, if you're traveling for business purposes, the employer or sponsoring company in Kenya. On the other hand, if you're traveling to visit family, the invitation letter should be sent to you by your host family. Lastly, if you travel to Kenya for a school trip, you need a letter from the university or school you're traveling to.

What Does The Kenya Invitation Letter Look Like??

This is an example of a visa invitation letter:

Where Must I Submit My Kenya Visa Invitation Letter?

Given that an invitation letter is part of the Kenya visa requirements, you can submit your invitation along with your visa application form. In addition, since US citizens can apply for a Kenya electronic Visa, you can submit your invitation letter and visa application online.

Of course, there is also the option of doing this visa Atlys which is much quicker and easier.

The document should be uploaded in either PDF or JPG format. There are no size restrictions, but it is advised that the archive is no larger than 450kb.

You might also need to upload certain required documents like your passport, passport photo, return flight ticket, travel itinerary, and a credit card to pay the visa fee. Keep in mind that Atlys takes care of all these documents for you

Invitation Letters For Different Visas

There are different kinds of Kenya Visas that need specific requirements in an invitation letter. So in this section, we are going to take a look at three kinds of invitation letters.

Invitation Letter For Business Visa

Invitation Letter For Family Visit Visa

Invitation Letter For Educational Trips

Invitation Letter For Business Visa

The business invitation letter should be issued by the employer or sponsoring company in Kenya, where the visa applicant will work during their stay.

The letter should indicate the reason for the invite, such as a meeting or other company event, and the individual's position within the company.

The invitation should be printed on company letterhead and contain the following information to be considered valid:

Company name

Contact telephone number

Full company address

Arrival and departure dates

You must submit the letter electronically with a copy of the company registration when applying for the eVisa.

Invitation Letter For Family Visit Visa

Given that foreign citizens staying with family or friends don't need to book accommodation, it's impossible to provide a hotel booking as evidence of travel.

So, instead of submitting proof of a hotel booking, you need to submit an invitation letter from the host family. The invitation letter should have the following information:

Full name, residential address, and contact information (telephone number)

Their relationship with the invitee (family/relative is not specific enough)

Arrival and departure dates

Like the business invite, this document is to prove that you have somewhere to live while you're in the country. It is submitted with a copy of the host's passport/ID card/alien card or entry permit.

Invitation Letter For Educational Trips

The third group of people who need to submit an invitation letter to get an eVisa for Kenya is students traveling for educational activities in the African nation.

The letter should be from the school or university.

You should ask the school or other educational institution to provide them with the letter before beginning the eVisa application process.

What Information Must Be In The Invitation Letter?

It depends on your purpose of travel. For example, an invitation letter that a person needs to submit for doing business would be different from the letter attached to visiting friends or family.

Invitation Letter Requirements For Business Visa

Invitation Letter Requirements For Family Visit Visa

Invitation Letter Requirements For Educational Trips

Invitation Letter Requirements For Business Visa

For a Business eVisa, the invitation letter should meet the following requirements:

The Invitation letter should be forwarded by the employer or sponsoring company with which you'll work during the stay. Not to mention, the company should be located in Kenya.

The Invitation Letter must state the reason for the invitation to Kenya, such as any meeting or attending any other company event.

The letter must also mention your position or role within the company.

You should print the invitation on the company letterhead.

The invitation should contain the following information:

Company's Name

Telephone number

Full address of the company

Arrival and departure dates

When the Invitation Letter is ready, you need to upload it with your visa application. In addition, you may also need to upload the following documents to the application:

Registration certificate of the inviting company

STAFF ID of the person countersigning the invitation letter.

Invitation Letter Requirements For Family Visit Visa

If you're traveling to Kenya to visit friends or family residing in Kenya, you don't need to book accommodations. Instead, you must present an invitation letter from the host family in Kenya.

In the invitation letter, the respective relative or acquaintance has to provide the following details:

Host's Full Name

Contact Information (includes residential address and telephone number)

Host's relationship with you (Mentioning Family/relative is not specific enough)

Arrival and Departure dates

You should submit the host's passport, ID card, alien card, or entry permit along with the Invitation Letter.

Invitation Letter Requirements For Educational Trips

Suppose you want to go to Kenya to attend a Meeting, Workshop, Seminar, or Retreat. Then, you need to submit an invitation letter to achieve Kenya eVisa for the students participating in educational activities in Africa.

For this visa category, the invitation letter should be forwarded from the school or university. Invitation letter for educational trips should state the reason for the travel and also have the following information:

Contact Details of the Institute

Address

Like the invitation letter for a Kenya business visa, you should also attach documents of the company's registration and the staff ID of the individual who countersigned the letter.

That's it!

That covers everything there is to know about the Kenya visa invitation letter. Happy travels! Be sure to check out the FAQ section below for any more questions you may have.