COVID-19 Information

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COVID-19 Information

Last updated: 12/11/2020

Country-Specific Information:

  • As of December 10, 2020 there are 90,305 confirmed cases of COVID-19 throughout Kenya, with 71,254 recovered patients and 1,568 related deaths.
  • Bars, restaurants and other establishments must close by 9pm effective November 04, 2020
  • Mandatory wearing of masks in in public remains in effect.  The government will not provide services to individuals not wearing a mask.
  • Places of worship may begin phased re-opening in conformity with applicable guidelines developed by the Inter-Faith Council. The permitted maximum size of religious gatherings is increased to one third (1/3) of its normal sitting capacity. The maximum number of persons permitted to attend funerals and weddings is reviewed upwards to 200, with all in attendance abiding with Ministry of Health Protocols.
  • Domestic air travel resumed on July 15th under Ministry of Health and Transport guidelines. International flights resumed on August 1st. 
  • Some grade levels – Examination Classes – have resumed in person learning under heightened health safety measures.  All other basic learning classes plan to resume in person January 2021. University and colleges opened in September 2020 after meeting strict COVID-19 regulations.
  • There is no inland border crossings except for commercial trucks.

Entry and Exit Requirements:

  • Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes
    • Arriving U.S. passengers are permitted to enter if the conditions are met: 1) The passenger does not have a body temperature above 37.5°C (99.5°F); 2) The passenger does not have a persistent cough, difficulty breathing or other flu-like symptoms; 3) The passenger has a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test conducted within 96 hours prior to travel. Visit the Kenyan Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website or call the COVID 19 hotline at 719 for updated information. Visit the Kenyan Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website or call the COVID 19 hotline at 719 for updated information.
  • Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? Yes
    • All passengers arriving an transiting Kenya must have a PCR Covid-19 negative certificate for a test conducted 96 hours prior to travel. U.S. citizens who do not have such a test may be refused boarding or denied entry to Kenya.
  • Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes
    • Port Health forms can be found at ly/covid19moh or the Jitenge MoH Kenya app.
    • The Government of Kenya established an online portal to extend visitor and resident visas.
    • Please see: https://fns.immigration.go.ke Please note that the Directorate of Immigration Services has lifted an earlier amnesty on stay in Kenya over the 6 months stipulated visa period. Visitors on overstayed visas from the 14th of September are required to make arrangements to depart within 14 days or apply for residency (permit or pass).

Movement Restrictions:

  • Is a curfew in place? Yes
    • Nightly curfew hours are from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am, in effect up to January 3rd, 2021

Quarantine Information:

  • Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? No
     – U.S citizens coming from the United States are exempted from quarantine. Please call the COVID-19 hotline at 719 or contact the Kenyan Embassy in Washington D.C. athttp://kenyaembassydc.org/ for more information.    .

COVID-19 Testing:

  • Testing is available at the country’s major hospitals (Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital). The charge for the test is approximately USD 100 (KES10,000) at private health facilities and USD50 (KES 5,000) at government hospitals. Test results are available within 48 – 96 hours.

COVID-19 Vaccination

  • The United States Government does not plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to private U.S. citizens overseas.  Please follow host country developments and guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination.

Transportation Options:

  • Are commercial flights operating? Yes
  • Is public transportation operating? Yes
    • Users of public or private transport are required to wear a protective mask.

Fines for Non-Compliance:

  • Those violating the curfew may be arrested and put in mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

Consular Operations:

  • Routine American Citizen Services are suspended. To submit a request for an emergency service please email Kenya_acs@state.gov
  • The United States Embassy in Kenya remains unable to resume routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services at this time. If you have an urgent need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ke/niv/information/niv to request an emergency appointment
  • Please be advised that all entrants to the U.S. Embassy are subject to body temperature screening, and may be refused entry if displaying an elevated temperature.
  • The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi covers Somalia’s consular district.  For COVID-19 related information in Somalia please consult the U.S. Embassy Somalia’s COVID-19 website found here

Local Resources:

By | 11 December, 2020 | Categories: Alert, Messages for U.S. Citizens, U.S. Citizen Services | Tags: ,

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