Countries with most stringent entry laws

Global mobility is not created equal. While visa-free agreements multiply, a specific tier of nations continues to enforce entry protocols defined by suspicion and surveillance.

For Kenyan citizens, visiting these destinations involves navigating a complex web of invitation letters, biometric data collection, and state-mandated escorts.

These are the seven countries where entry is never guaranteed.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea enforces the absolute strictest border control on the planet.

Independent travel is a criminal offence here.

Every visitor must enter through a state-approved agency and remain under the constant supervision of government guides who dictate all movement, photography, and interaction.

As of November 25, 2025, the nation remains largely closed to general tourism, with a narrow exception recently carved out for Russian tour groups.

When accessible, the visa is issued on a separate card rather than the passport, and the mandatory all-inclusive tours often cost upwards of Sh260,000 for a short trip.

Turkmenistan rivals North Korea in opacity, rejecting more than half of all tourist visa applications.

The primary barrier is the Letter of Invitation (LOI), which must be approved by the State Migration Service in Ashgabat prior to arrival.

Approval is arbitrary, often denied without explanation, and ostensibly requires booking a full guided tour.

Even with a visa, travellers are prohibited from moving freely outside the capital and must be accompanied by a licensed minder.

While visa fees fluctuate around Sh7,100 (USD55), the mandatory logistics make this one of the most difficult and expensive Central Asian frontiers to cross.

The Kingdom of Bhutan restricts entry not through rejection, but through a unique 'high value, low volume' financial barrier.

All foreign visitors must pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF).

As of late 2025, this daily levy stands at Sh12,960 (USD100) per person, a rate valid until August 2027.

This fee does not cover accommodation, transport, or food, which must be arranged separately or through local operators.

When combined with the Sh5,180 (USD40) visa processing fee and mandatory travel insurance, a single day in Bhutan costs the average traveller over Sh25,000, filtering out all but the most determined visitors.

Often cited as the 'North Korea of Africa,' Eritrea imposes one of the continent's most rigid entry rules.

There is no visa-on-arrival or electronic system; Kenyans must apply in person at the embassy, a process plagued by undefined processing times and frequent arbitrary denials.

The stringency continues after entry.

Foreign nationals are confined to the capital, Asmara.

To travel anywhere else in the country, visitors must obtain specific internal travel permits from the government, which involves rigorous paperwork and police checks at various checkpoints.

The world’s least-visited island nation protects its borders through sheer administrative obsolescence and remoteness.

Nauru has no electronic portal.

Prospective visitors must email the Department of Justice and Border Control directly to request entry, attaching passport copies, confirmed hotel bookings, and employment certification.

The process is manual and slow.

Since flights primarily operate from Australia or Fiji on an infrequent schedule, a visa delay can result in the forfeiture of expensive flight tickets.

The application fee is approximately Sh4,200 (AUD 50), but the difficulty lies in the uncertainty of approval.

China enforces a comprehensive biometric and surveillance-heavy entry protocol.

Visa applications are scrutiny-intensive, requiring detailed day-by-day itineraries, round-trip flight bookings, and confirmed hotel reservations for the entire duration of the stay.

Applicants must submit biometric fingerprints in person at visa application centres.

Upon arrival, the monitoring is absolute.

Foreigners must register their residence with the local police within 24 hours of landing.

Digital surveillance is ubiquitous, and access to global communication platforms is blocked, necessitating a high degree of digital preparation before entry.

Entry into Iran is complicated by geopolitical friction and religious law.

Travellers must first obtain an authorisation code from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before a visa can even be issued, a step that can take weeks.

The country strictly bans entry to any individual holding an Israeli passport or showing evidence of prior travel to Israel.

Once inside, the laws are uncompromising: strict Islamic dress codes apply immediately upon disembarkation, and alcohol possession or consumption is illegal.