Kenya's passport has risen to 68th globally in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, up five places from 73rd in October 2025. Holders can now access 69 destinations without a visa in advance. The improvement places Kenya among Africa's top 10 strongest passports.
Kenya's passport has staged a comeback on the global stage, climbing five places in the latest Henley Passport Index to secure 68th position worldwide. This marks a turnaround after months of decline, when it dropped to 73rd in October 2025, with holders accessing only 70 destinations visa-free or on arrival.
According to the 2026 ranking, Kenyan passport holders can now travel to 69 destinations without a visa in advance, indicating a modest but significant recovery in international mobility following a prolonged downturn. The Henley Passport Index draws on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the world's largest travel database, to rank 199 passports against 227 destinations.
Updated monthly, the index tracks real-time changes in visa policies, new diplomatic ties, and shifting global relations, serving as a trusted gauge of a country's travel freedom.
Over the past two decades, Kenya's passport has experienced ups and downs, peaking in the mid-50s in the early 2000s before hitting a historic low of 77th in 2021. This January uptick signals an upward trend.
Analysts link the rise partly to worldwide shifts in mobility, where minor adjustments in other nations' visa rules can reorder rankings and boost Kenya's relative standing. In Africa, Kenya now ranks among the continent's top 10 strongest passports, trailing Seychelles, Mauritius, and South Africa but leading many East African neighbors.
Kenya earned a perfect 100% on the Henley Openness Index, welcoming visitors from every country without prior visas, though it restricts travelers from Libya and Somalia for security reasons. President Ruto's visa waiver stemmed from the scientific finding that Turkana County is humanity's cradle.
Yet, this openness is not reciprocated for Kenyans abroad. Many spots, particularly in Europe's Schengen zone, still demand advance visas, curbing the ranking gain's real-world impact. The government has pursued reforms to bolster Kenya's travel and diplomatic profile, such as scrapping the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for most African visitors and upgrading immigration systems for regional unity.
