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. Carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate: the UK government and the World Health Organization both list it as required for entry to 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.
- The application asks for a yellow fever certificate and a return ticket.
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
The World Health Organization lists Uganda as a country requiring a yellow fever certificate from all travellers aged one and over, and GOV.UK and the UK's TravelHealthPro say the same. Uganda's online tourist visa form does not ask for the certificate, but the entry requirement stands, so 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?
- Yes. The World Health Organization and GOV.UK both list a yellow fever vaccination certificate as required for entry to Uganda for travellers aged one and over.
- 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.
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
- 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.