Gov’t Clarifies Travel Health Insurance Rules for Foreign Visitors

The Ministry of Health has clarified the legal framework governing the mandatory travel health insurance requirement for non-Kenyan travellers entering the country.

In a statement on Friday, August 7, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the requirement applies to all non-Kenyans intending to stay in Kenya for less than 12 months and is aimed at ensuring visitors have adequate health insurance coverage during their stay. 

He added that Regulation 70(1) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, further provides that any person travelling into Kenya must have travel health insurance in line with the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.

"In implementation of the above mentioned provisions, the Cabinet Secretary has, through Gazette Notice No. 11492 dated 30th July 2026, prescribed the travel health insurance benefit limits and tariff applicable to non-Kenyan travellers entering Kenya.

"Accordingly, every non-Kenyan intending to enter and remain in Kenya for a period of less than twelve months is required to possess a valid travel health insurance policy that complies with the benefit limits and tariff prescribed by the Cabinet Secretary," the statement read.

Duale noted the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, allows travellers to obtain the required travel health insurance at Kenya's points of entry if they do not already have compliant cover before travelling.

"Any traveller who possesses travel health insurance from their country of origin, provided it meets the insurable value as per the Gazette Notice no. 11492 dated 30th July 2026, should upload it in the Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) system," the statement added.

Duale explained that travellers without the required insurance before departure will still be able to purchase a compliant policy upon arrival from approved insurers licensed under Kenyan law.

"However, where a traveller has not obtained the required travel health insurance before travelling to Kenya, the traveller may obtain a compliant travel health insurance policy at the point of entry from an insurer licensed under the Insurance Act and approved to provide the requisite travel health insurance cover, in accordance with regulation 70(3) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024," the statement explained.

Duale also announced that proof of valid travel health insurance will become a mandatory requirement during the electronic travel authorization application process.

"To facilitate compliance, applicants for a Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) shall be required to upload proof of a valid travel health insurance policy as part of the eTA application process for verification before travel," the statement further read.

Duale added that the Department of Immigration Services will be responsible for enforcing the requirement through the eTA platform and at all official entry points into the country.

He further stated that travellers who purchase insurance after arriving in Kenya will have their policies verified before they are allowed into the country.

"The Department of Immigration Services shall implement this requirement through the Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) system and at all designated points of entry by verifying compliance with the travel health insurance requirement.

"Where a traveller obtains the required travel health insurance at the point of entry, the Department shall verify the policy before granting entry into the Republic of Kenya," the statement concluded.

This comes a day after Duale defended the service fee charged on claims processed through the national digital health system.

In a statement on Tuesday, August 4, he responded to a report published by a local newspaper, saying it had created a misleading impression about the legal framework governing the fee.

Duale said the government had undertaken an unprecedented reform by placing the country's entire health financing system on a single digital platform.

He explained that the 2 percent charge is provided for under Regulation 11(2) of the Digital Health (Data Exchange Component) Regulations, 2025. 

Duale said the regulation requires users of the Health Information Management Service (HIMS) to pay a service fee, with the Third Schedule capping the amount at Ksh5,000 regardless of the value of the claim.

"It is therefore a capped fee for the use of a system. It is not an open-ended share of any hospital's earnings," the statement added.

According to Duale, the fee is paid directly to the Digital Health Agency (DHA) which was established under the Digital Health Act, 2023. 

He said the agency is legally mandated to operate the Comprehensive Integrated Health Information System and is authorised by law to collect levy fees for services it provides.

"This is a charge by a public body, for a public system, authorised by statute," the statement further read.

Duale also rejected suggestions that private entities control or receive healthcare funds intended for hospitals. 

He said only Social Health Authority (SHA) has the legal mandate to review, process and pay claims to contracted healthcare providers, adding that all money received by the DHA is public money subject to statutory oversight and auditing.

"There is no parallel account and no hidden ledger. There is the ordinary constitutional process of public audit, and it applies here exactly as it applies to every other State agency," the statement explained.