Obtain Visas upon arrival?

PDT

We are on the June 2015 trip to Kenya and Tanzania and are wondering if anyone has experience with simply obtaining travel visas upon arrival at the airports in Nairobi and Arusha. From reading various forums online it sounds like many people choose to do this and generally have no problems.

Thank You!
Patrick T.

British

I would not advise it, there will definitely be long lines, if you can even do this and quite frankly, if I was on the same flight as you and waiting around for you to get on the same Tauck transport as me after a long and tiring flight, you would not be my favorite person either. I don't think I have ever read about anyone on this Tauck forum obtaining visas in this way. also, when you get to the Tanzania/Kenya, border you will probably be the only people on the trip that so not have a visa, are you going to hold up everyone else on the bus? The tour guide usually is able to leave everyone on the bus and deal with the passports in bulk. The border crossing is quite tricky. Especially Nairobi airport, you want to avoid hanging around there too long, and handing my passport over there, no way.
I would call Tauck and ask about this. It's a great trip, why complicate it.

[Deleted User]

We're just back from this trip. Can't inform you about Kenya (Nairobi) airport process, but on arrival in Arusha (at 2AM!) there were "Have Visa" and "Need Visa" lines. Few (us and, as it turned out the other two Tauck couples on the same flight) in the "Have Visa" line and quite a few in the other line. Couldn't judge how long it was taking those folks as we were through and out of the airport quickly.

There was also a late-booking individual on our safari who was the only one in the group without a Kenya visa, but he had no problem nor delay in getting the visa on the day we crossed the border from Tanzania into Kenya. Our fantastic TD (Debra) knew the ropes and got him through the rather chaotic crossing in short order.

All this said, I agree with British that doing this in advance is the way to go. We got real visas (not eVisas) because we like having the record in our passports. Of course, living 20 miles outside Washington makes personally taking them to the embassies easy.

Also, perhaps a change from when British took this trip, everyone had to personally get off the bus and process through the Tanzania/Kenya border.

travelingteacher

The people at Visa Central are so knowledgeable. I just spent an hour with Andrea, who walked me through the process for both countries.....I'm mailing everything out tomorrow confident that nothing was overlooked. Well worth doing here in the states, rather than worrying (on a long fight overseas) about long lines or complications on entry or waiting to enter Kenya.

Shelley Ketchum Dickerson

We too are booked for June 27 tour. We went through Visa Central and it was made even easier with the help from Melissa. I mailed everything off last Monday and all is well so far. My brother and sister are doing the same thing and I walked them through the form fill,as I had all info already in hand. Tauck makes life pretty darn easy and we choose to take their lead and follow recommendations. Good luck. not sure I would risk getting a visa once there.

50joanie

Those of you who have returned from this trip, can you help me with which vaccinations you got prior to travel? I know that yellow fever and tetanus is definitely needed. possibly malaria. Can you tell me if we need to get any other vaccinations??? polio? menengitis, hepatitis, typhoid. Thank you...

travelingteacher

Shelley- I hope you received your visas as quickly as I had my returned. How simple Visa Central made it all!

AlanS

50joanie wrote:

Those of you who have returned from this trip, can you help me with which vaccinations you got prior to travel? I know that yellow fever and tetanus is definitely needed. possibly malaria. Can you tell me if we need to get any other vaccinations??? polio? menengitis, hepatitis, typhoid. Thank you...

50joanie- look at the replies by British, ndvb, travelingteacher, and me in the "Mozzy" thread. It comes down to what your doctor recommends and how safe you want to be.

Patrick T.- If you are on the 13 June K&T trip and arriving in Arusha at 1255 on 12 June on Ethiopian Airlines, please get your visas before you go.