Kenya among world’s most welcoming countries as passport mobility reaches 75

Kenya has emerged as one of the world’s most welcoming countries to international travellers, ranking second globally in a new passport comparison covering 199 countries.

The ranking presents an interesting contrast for Kenyan travellers, whose passport is placed 120th globally, with a Mobility Score of 75 and visa-free or facilitated access to 37.9 per cent of destinations assessed.

According to Passport Reports, Kenya’s Mobility Score comprises 37 destinations accessible without a visa, 33 offering visa-on-arrival or other facilitated entry arrangements, and five accessible through electronic travel authorisation (eTA).

Kenyan passport holders, however, require visas to travel to 123 of the 199 destinations covered by the report.

Kenya remains open to global travellers

While Kenyan travellers face restrictions in many destinations, the country has adopted a significantly more open position towards visitors from abroad.

Passport Reports places Kenya second out of 199 countries in its welcoming ranking, based on inbound access for foreign passport holders.

The report identifies 123 countries whose citizens can enter Kenya either visa-free, through electronic authorisation or on arrival, while there are no countries listed in the reverse category where their citizens require a visa to enter Kenya while Kenyans can enter those countries under the same facilitated arrangements.

The figures highlight Kenya’s position as an increasingly accessible destination for international visitors, with implications for tourism, business, investment and regional mobility.

Africa offers Kenyans the widest travel access

For Kenyan passport holders, Africa remains the region offering the broadest access.

The report puts Kenya’s access within Africa at 71.7 per cent, comprising 19 visa-free destinations, 16 destinations offering visa-on-arrival or other facilitated entry and three accessible through eTA.

Fifteen African destinations still require Kenyan travellers to obtain a visa.

Kenya ranks 10th among Africa’s 54 countries in the continental passport comparison.

Beyond Africa, Kenyan passport holders have their strongest access in the Caribbean, where the report records coverage of 81.3 per cent.

Oceania follows at 57.1 per cent, while North America stands at 52.2 per cent.

Access falls considerably in Asia at 28 per cent, South America at 16.7 per cent, the Middle East at 5.9 per cent and Europe at just 2.1 per cent.

The report records zero access in its Gulf Countries and Central Asia groupings, with all six Gulf destinations and five Central Asian destinations classified as requiring visas.

Long stays available in selected destinations

The report also highlights several destinations where Kenyan travellers can enjoy relatively lengthy stays without obtaining a traditional visa beforehand.

Ethiopia, for instance, lists a stay of up to 360 days for Kenyan passport holders, while Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and Rwanda provide stays of up to 180 days under the report’s visa-free classification.

Fiji and Vanuatu allow stays of up to 120 days, while several destinations in Africa and the Caribbean offer 90-day stays.

Among facilitated-entry destinations, Nepal is listed with a 150-day stay and eVisa availability. India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Russia and Vietnam are among destinations where the report identifies eVisa options alongside their respective entry categories.

Kenya’s passport position in other groupings

In additional comparisons, Kenya ranks first among the four countries grouped under Swahili as an official language and 43rd among 60 English-language countries.

It is also ranked 40th among 56 Commonwealth countries, 67th among 132 G77 countries and 111th among 159 World Trade Organization members.

Passport Reports says its global passport ranking is primarily based on Mobility Score—the number of destinations a passport holder can access visa-free, through visa-on-arrival or equivalent facilitated arrangements, and through eTA.

Where passports have identical Mobility Scores, the report compares visa-free destinations, eTA access and facilitated-entry destinations to determine their ranking.