Visas & Entry Rules · Saudi Arabia and Kenya
Saudi Arabia suspends visas and entry for travellers from Kenya over Ebola
Saudi Arabia has halted all visas for arrivals from Kenya and bars anyone who was there in the past 21 days, including Umrah pilgrims and transit passengers. Here is what it means and what to do.
By Roamie News Desk · Published · Updated
Photo: Bahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Saudi Arabia has suspended all visa categories for people arriving from Kenya and barred entry to anyone who has been in Kenya, or another country with an active Ebola outbreak, in the 21 days before arriving in the Kingdom. The measures were announced on Friday, 30 October 2026 (Saudi Press Agency; Asharq Al-Awsat). Saudi citizens have also been told not to travel to Kenya. No end date has been given.
For Kenyan Umrah pilgrims, migrant workers and students, and for anyone who has passed through Kenya recently, the change applies now.
What we know
- Visas: issuance of all visa categories for people arriving from Kenya is suspended (Asharq Al-Awsat; Citizen Digital).
- Entry ban and the 21-day rule: travellers are refused entry if they were in Kenya, or any other country with an active Ebola outbreak, during the 21 days before arrival. This applies whether they fly in directly or transit through a third country (Asharq Al-Awsat). Rerouting through another hub does not get round it (VisaVerge).
- Saudi citizens: travel to Kenya is suspended (Saudi Press Agency).
- Why: the Saudi Press Agency said the steps follow epidemiological assessments by national health authorities, and the Public Health Authority said the health situation inside the Kingdom remains reassuring and under monitoring (Citizen Digital).
- Background: Saudi Arabia has had preventive protocols for travellers from high-risk countries since July 2019, reinforced in May 2026. In June 2026 it suspended travel to and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Kenya's position. Kenya's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs sent a diplomatic note dated 30 October asking Riyadh to review and lift the measures, calling them disproportionate (The Star). Kenya says it has nine confirmed cases, all in a single cluster linked to one imported case, with no community transmission, and that the World Health Organization advised against travel and trade restrictions (The Star). Citizen Digital reports two deaths among those cases and 10 days without a new infection as of its 31 October report (Citizen Digital). Kenya asked for the measures to be reviewed within three months (The Star).
The two governments disagree on whether the restrictions are needed. Roamie reports both positions and takes no side.
What it means for travellers
- Umrah from Kenya is on hold. All visa categories are suspended, so new Umrah visas cannot be issued for travellers arriving from Kenya. Kenya's government said the measures will affect pilgrims, workers, students, trade and tourism (The Star).
- It is about where you have been, not only your passport. The 21-day rule covers anyone who has been in Kenya, including visitors and people on safari or business trips, if they are heading to Saudi Arabia within three weeks (Asharq Al-Awsat).
- Connections count. A trip from Nairobi to Jeddah via Dubai, Doha or Addis Ababa is still covered by the 21-day rule (Asharq Al-Awsat).
- Other outbreak countries are already restricted. Travel to and from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan has been suspended since June 2026 (Asharq Al-Awsat).
- Residents and exemptions are unclear. None of the reports we read mention exemptions, including for Saudi residence-permit holders (VisaVerge). Don't assume one applies to you.
What to do
- If you have Umrah or other travel booked from Kenya, contact your agent or airline before travelling. Ask in writing about refunds or rebooking, and keep the paperwork.
- If you have been in Kenya in the last 21 days, count the days carefully before any trip to Saudi Arabia, including transit. Allow 21 full days after you left Kenya before arriving in the Kingdom.
- Check the official visa platform at visa.mofa.gov.sa and your airline's travel notices before you book or fly.
- For health information, see the WHO Ebola fact sheet and Kenya's Ministry of Health updates.
- Planning a trip? Keep your bookings, visas and dates in one place with Roamie. Try Roamie free at roamietravel.com.
What happens next
No date has been set for lifting the restrictions (The Star). Kenya says it will raise the issue with the Africa CDC and asked Saudi Arabia to share its scientific justification with WHO under the International Health Regulations (The Star). In Kenya, 46 contacts were due to finish quarantine on 3 November if they stayed negative (The Star; Citizen Digital). We will update this story if the measures change.
Sources
- Saudi Arabia halts travel to and from Kenya as precaution against Ebola — Saudi Press Agency
- Saudi Arabia Suspends Travel to and from Kenya as Precaution against Ebola — Asharq Al-Awsat
- Saudi Arabia suspends visas for travellers from Kenya over Ebola — Citizen Digital
- Kenya calls out Saudi Arabia over 'punitive' Ebola travel restrictions — The Star (Kenya)
- Saudi Arabia Suspends Travel from Kenya and Halts Visas Amid Ebola Concerns — VisaVerge