Kenyan citizens can travel visa-free and obtain a visa on arrival to 71 countries without visas out of a possible 218 according to the 2019 Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index.
In Africa, Kenya is ranked 8th behind Seychelles, South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.
In East Africa, it leads its peers where Tanzania is ranked 73rd with free access to 68 countries; South Sudan 97th with 41 visa-free destinations; Rwanda 84th with free access to 54 destinations. Burundi was 92nd with free access to 46 countries.
“As the world economy has become increasingly globalised, the need for greater visa-free access has grown steadily,” said the report released in January in partnership with IATA.
The 2019 ranking places Asian countries in best positions. Japan was number one with free access to 190 destinations. Singapore and South Korea were placed in second position with 189 visa-free destinations.
Dr. Christian H. Kalin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the Passport Index concept, says: “The general spread of open-door policies has the potential to contribute billions to the global economy, as well as create significant employment opportunities around the world.”
