Kenya Drops IMEI Declaration for Tourists, Focuses on Residents and Importers

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has reversed its requirement for tourists and short-term visitors to declare their mobile devices’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers when entering the country. The IMEI system, which functions as a digital biometric identifier for mobile devices, creates unique digital fingerprints that enable device authentication and tracking within telecommunications networks.

The Enterprise API Integration (EAPI) project, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, will now focus primarily on commercial importers and Kenyan residents. According to KRA officials, devices using foreign roaming numbers will be automatically exempt from the declaration process, while visitors purchasing local SIM cards will have access to a dedicated support system for device compliance.

For Kenyan residents, the regulations maintain specific exemptions. Individuals returning from abroad can bring mobile devices valued under $2,000 (approximately Kes. 257,994) without paying additional taxes, provided they declare the IMEI numbers and the devices are for personal use rather than commercial purposes.

The IMEI system, which assigns a unique 15-digit identifier to each mobile device, functions similarly to a digital fingerprint. The CA will use these identifiers to track and verify legitimate devices within Kenya’s telecommunications network, addressing both security concerns and revenue losses from counterfeit devices, which comprise approximately 30-40% of mobile phones currently in circulation.

“All devices on roaming numbers will not be subjected to any declaration process,” the KRA stated in its announcement. “Visitors buying local SIM cards will have a support process to facilitate their device compliance to access the network.”

The implementation involves collaboration between the KRA and the Communications Authority of Kenya, with the KRA managing tax collection while the CA oversees communication services regulation. Both agencies have confirmed that data protection measures are in place to secure IMEI information in accordance with Kenya’s Data Protection Act.

For commercial importers, the KRA maintains strict enforcement measures. “On importation, for devices which have not paid taxes, they will be deposited until such payment is done,” the authority explained. The system includes provisions for identifying and addressing cases of cloned or misused IMEI numbers while protecting legitimate users.

The KRA plans to release detailed guidelines on the system process and IMEI capture methods for different user categories ahead of the January 2025 implementation date.

Source: Communications Authority of Kenya

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November 8, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team