Before you travel
Do you need a visa for Uganda?
Most visitors, including UK, US and Australian travellers, need a visa and must apply online before they travel. Uganda's single-entry tourist visa costs US$50 and allows a stay of up to three months, and your passport needs at least six months' validity. If your trip also takes in Rwanda or Kenya, the US$100 East Africa Tourist Visa covers all three for 90 days with multiple entries — apply through the country you enter first. Uganda announced on 2 October 2026 that a yellow fever certificate is no longer mandatory for entry, though several governments' travel advice still lists it, and Rwanda requires it from travellers arriving from Uganda.
Checked against official sources on . Sources
Uganda tourist visa
- Apply online before you travel, through Uganda's official immigration portal. The approval letter is emailed to you and the visa is issued at the border when you arrive.
- US$50, single entry, for a stay of up to three months, extendable by 60 days. The fee is non-refundable.
- Apply at least ten days before travelling. Immigration aims to decide within two to three days.
- The approval letter is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued, so do not apply too early.
- Your passport needs at least six months' validity.
- Citizens of some countries do not need a visa, including Ireland, Cyprus and Malta among EU states. Check the official visa-exempt list.
East Africa Tourist Visa
- Covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only — not Tanzania.
- US$100, valid for 90 days, with multiple entries between the three countries.
- Apply through the country you will enter first.
- It cannot be renewed when it expires or once you leave the three countries.
- Uganda's application page asks for a return ticket and still lists a yellow fever certificate.
Kenya's own eTA portal lists an East African Tourist eTA as coming soon, so if Kenya is on your route, check that portal for whether a Kenyan eTA is also needed.
Yellow fever
Uganda's immigration service announced on 2 October 2026 that a yellow fever vaccination certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry. The World Health Organization's country list, GOV.UK and several other governments still describe it as required from travellers aged one and over, so the official sources disagree for now. If you have a certificate, carry it.
Rwanda and Tanzania only require the certificate from travellers arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever — and Uganda and Kenya count, so a trip that goes on from Uganda to Tanzania needs it there too. A certificate is valid for life.
Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania
If your safari crosses a border, this is what each country asks of UK, US and Australian visitors.
| Country | What you need | Fee | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rwanda | Visa on arrival, available to all nationalities | Free for 30 days for Commonwealth (including UK and Australia), African Union and Francophonie citizens; otherwise $50 single entry or $70 multiple entry | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is needed if arriving from a risk country such as Uganda |
| Kenya | Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online | $30 standard single entry | Apply at least two weeks ahead; usually processed in three days |
| Tanzania | Visa, online or on arrival | $50 for up to 90 days; US citizens must take the $100 one-year multiple-entry visa | Show a return ticket on arrival; Zanzibar requires compulsory insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation |
Common questions
- Can I get a visa on arrival in Uganda?
- Apply online before you travel. Uganda's immigration directorate requires visa-requiring travellers to have an approval letter before they fly; the visa itself is then issued at the border.
- How much is a Uganda tourist visa?
- US$50 for a single-entry tourist visa, allowing a stay of up to three months. The East Africa Tourist Visa, covering Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, is US$100.
- Does the East Africa Tourist Visa cover Tanzania?
- No. It covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. Tanzania needs its own visa.
- Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Uganda?
- Uganda's immigration service said on 2 October 2026 that it is no longer mandatory for entry. The World Health Organization's list and GOV.UK still describe it as required, and Rwanda requires it from travellers arriving from Uganda, so carry it if you have one.
- Do I need a visa to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda from Uganda?
- Yes — either the East Africa Tourist Visa, which covers both, or Rwanda's visa on arrival, which is free for 30 days for UK and Australian citizens and US$50 for US citizens.
- How long does my passport need to be valid for?
- At least six months from arrival for Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Safaris to start from
7-Day Uganda Amazing Safari
A seven-day Uganda safari through Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi national parks, with chimpanzee tracking, game drives, a Kazinga Channel boat cruise and mountain gorilla trekking.
11 Day Uganda Safari
An eleven-day Uganda safari covering Ziwa rhinos, Kibale chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi gorillas, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo. It begins and ends at Entebbe with a stop at the Equator.
16 Day Uganda Rwanda Safari
A sixteen-day journey across Uganda and Rwanda combining gorilla and chimpanzee tracking with savanna game drives, the Nile, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe Forest and Akagera. The route ends in Kigali with a city tour and Genocide Memorial visit.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked on against these sources. Visa rules and fees change, sometimes at short notice. Apply through the official government portals linked here, and check them again before you apply.
- Uganda Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control — Tourist visa
- Uganda Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control — Mandatory online visa applications
- Uganda Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control — East African Tourist Visa
- Uganda Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control — Visa-exempt countries
- Uganda National Citizenship and Immigration Control — Official notice: yellow fever certificate no longer mandatory, 2 October 2026
- GOV.UK — Uganda entry requirements
- World Health Organization — Countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and vaccination requirements (PDF)
- TravelHealthPro (UK National Travel Health Network and Centre) — Uganda
- Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration — Visa on arrival
- Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration — Visitor visa
- GOV.UK — Rwanda entry requirements
- Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation — Eligibility and fees
- Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation — General information
- Tanzania Immigration — Visa guidelines
- GOV.UK — Tanzania entry requirements
Planning questions
Crossing more than one border?
Tell us the countries on your route and we will point you to the visas that cover it, in the order you will need them.