Uganda Visa

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Uganda Visa

Visa & Entry Requirements into Uganda have not changed much for the last decade, but now we’ve been forced to change the way we travel to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and yet enjoy our destinations with confidence.

We all want to get out there alive a bit, get wild and stretch our minds. An African savanna is a great place for that. Open wide spaces, clean air, new cultures, and quiet noise. All we needed before the Covid pandemic hit us was a passport, a visa, an air ticket, and a few bucks, and that’s it!.

A few star gazing nights under the African sky are suitable for everyone. Now, you will have to tolerate a couple of things to have a marvellous safari trip to Uganda, like many other destinations are doing it. To keep you and everyone, including the animals, protected.

Uganda Visa Requirements

Nationals of most countries require a visa to enter Uganda. You can buy the visa in advance electronically online https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ (to reduce human contact during your safari trip) or at any Ugandan embassy or high commission abroad. Still, usually, it’s simpler to buy the visa upon arrival. On arrival is a straightforward procedure that takes a few minutes at Entebbe International Airport or any overland border.

Though some queuing and social distancing are inevitably involved, most people will still find it more convenient, not to mention cheaper, than travelling twice into the middle of London (for example) to submit and later collect their visas.

Visa rulings are prone to change, so all visitors must check the current situation with their travel agent or a Ugandan diplomatic mission before they travel.

The following are the requirements for Uganda visa entry:

  • You must be in possession of a valid passport issued by your government. Your passport must be valid past the date of your expected departure from Uganda, (6 months)
  • Green card holders must provide a copy of their green card
  • Dully filled Visa Application Form
  • You must have an international Inoculation Certificate against Yellow Fever.
  • You must obtain a Uganda Government VISA before entry into Uganda.
  • To obtain a Uganda Government VISA, the following are required:
    (a). Applications forms are available online. Visa Application Form
    (b). Submit your passport and one (1) recent passport – size photographs.
    (c). Pay applicable Fees below, by money order or (cashier’s cheque) only.
    (d). In a secure envelope, enclose your passport, the one photographs, the money order (or cashier cheque) to Uganda Mission.
    (e). * Allow five (5) working days for your visa application to be processed. for an application submitted by mail or in person.
  • Applications for Visas may be submitted by mail, in person or by E-visa. Applications by post must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed USPSExpress Overnight envelope only, for shipping your document(s) back to you.
    Any other courier service with traceable delivery methods like FEDEX and DHL are recommended.
  • Visa applications should be submitted 1 month before travel, at the earliest and not later than four days before travel.
  • Correct visa fee ( USD 50 for single entry visa). All fees should be paid online.
  • Letter of invitation/introduction, if travelling on business.
  • Applicants may be requested to submit additional supporting documentation.

For more information on Visa Requirements, visit the official Uganda Immigration page.

Uganda Visa Exempt Countries

List of countries whose national do not require to pay for a visa to enter Uganda includes Angola, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Burundi, Comoros, Cyprus, Eritrea, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Italy (Diplomatic Passport holders only), Jamaica, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Vanuatu, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Valid Passport

Check well in advance that you have a valid passport and that it won’t expire within six months of the date you intend to leave Uganda. Should your passport be lost or stolen, it will generally be easier to get a replacement if you have a photocopy of the important pages.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Card

At the border or international airport, the immigration officer will ask you for an international health certificate showing you’ve had a yellow fever shot.

Cost of a Uganda Visa

A standard Uganda single-entry visa, valid for three months, costs USD 50. Student visas cost USD 20. Multiple-entry visa valid for 12 months, costs USD 100, 24 months visa costs USD 150, and 24-36-months visa costs USD 200.

Travellers with a single-entry visa intending to leave and return to Uganda (e.g., to trekking gorillas in Rwanda or visiting nearby Kenya) may find it more helpful to apply for an East African Visa (cross-border joint visa).

The East African visa allows entry into all three countries (Kenya, Uganda & Rwanda) on a single visa which costs USD 100.

If, however, you intend to spend less than seven days in Uganda before leaving again, you can purchase an inland transit visa for only USD 15.

Uganda Visa Extension

Immigration authorities now generally only stamp your passport for a maximum of one month upon arrival. Immigration can extend your visa without charge to three months at any immigration office. You’ll be charged USD 100 per day if you overstay your visa.

In Kampala, you may be asked to provide an official letter from a sponsor or the hotel where you are staying. In Jinja and Mbarara, recent reports suggest you are more likely to have your stay extended to three months without any paperwork.