Kenyan businessmen and students travelling to South Africa will from December 1 this year be able to receive multiple entry visas valid for up to 10 years.
This followed talks between Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, in Pretoria on Monday.
Immigration PS Gordon Kihalangwa and Kenya’s High Commissioner to South Africa Amb. Jean Kamau were also present.
Students studying in South Africa will be issued with study visas based on the duration of studies subject to renewal on need basis.
The deal also grants eligibility to frequent travellers for 3-year multiple entry visas.
A multiple entry visa means Kenyans travelling to South Africa will be able to enter the country as many times as they wish in the next 10 years from December 1.
Previously, South Africa had restricted Kenyans to single-entry visas which permitted one entry within a specified period of time.
"Government officials travelling on official business to South Africa will be granted three months free visa with immediate effect," a statement from the Interior Ministry said.
It said the agreement reflects the doctrine of reciprocity after Kenya set up a more responsive and straightforward online application process for short-term visas for visitors from all African countries.
Discussions with South Africa on visa restrictions have been ongoing and have seen both Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Cyril Ramaphosa discuss the issue extensively.
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Uhuru envisioned that the relaxation of visa restrictions by South Africa to its trade partners would foster Pan-Africanism.
Kenya set the ball rolling by relaxing visa requirements where Africans visiting Kenya for a period of less than 30 days do not require Kenyan visas.
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Those intending to stay longer are issued with visas on arrival at the point of entry or through the online e-visa platform.
This does not only make doing business with the country easier but also saves travellers time on rigorous visa applications.
The new development now presents South Africa with an opportunity to unlock its tourism and business potential courtesy of an enhanced people-to-people contact.
Currently, national carrier Kenya Airways has an average of three non-stop flights to South Africa.
Technical officers from both countries have also been given three months to find ways of completely removing the 180 days short-term travel restriction for travelers with ordinary passports from both countries.
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Kenya and South Africa have also agreed to work together to combat illegal immigrants by protecting the integrity of travel documents.
Kenya has already started digitizing immigration records, automating immigration services and establishing the e-passport system.
"The two governments are also in consultation on the strategies to mitigate transnational crimes, especially human trafficking and smuggling emanating from elsewhere in the continent and beyond," the Interior ministry said.