Rwanda has made moves to do away with its Visa rule for all African countries and Kenya is no exception. Starting January 2013, Kenyans will be able to travel to the country without having to apply for a Visa.

According to Rwanda’s Visa Headquarters, Kenyans travelling to Rwanda currently do not need tourist Visas for a 90-day stay in the country.

The new initiative will enable more than 400 million Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries, as well as the entire African continent, to travel to Rwanda Visa-free.

Rwanda has left most African countries in the dust when it comes to immigration procedures. It is one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the continent in terms of international travel protocols. Rwanda uses biometric techniques, including fingerprints, to enable its citizens within the diaspora to identify themselves.

The country also employs the use of a credit card-like passport which can be swiped on a machine in order to save time on an otherwise time-consuming checking procedure. Using all these innovations, Rwanda has managed to eliminate the need for having to stamp passports.

Kenya, along with other COMESA countries, is in the process of developing similar strategies. COMESA intends to introduce a single Visa for all its member states.

The move could eliminate some of the bureaucratic hoops that people are often required to jump before they can visit certain countries. If the common Visa rule is passed, some travel expenses will be eliminated and COMESA member state citizens will be able to move freely throughout the trade block. This follows a similar move by Mauritius through which 29 nations are now able to travel to the country without the need for a Visa.

So much for holidaying there this Christmas.