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Uganda Visa Policy

Familiarize yourself with the Ugandan visa policy and discover the requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for Uganda

Uganda’s visa policy is made up of a set of laws, regulations, and requirements that determines what a foreign citizen needs to travel to the country.

There are only around 10 visa-exempt nationalities for Uganda, as the majority of foreign citizens need a visa to travel to the East African country.

However, the majority of passport holders around the world are able to obtain an electronic visa online for Uganda, eliminating the need to obtain a visa in person at an embassy or consulate, or queue at the border to obtain a visa on arrival.

Although a visa on arrival is available for the majority of nationalities, it is only required for citizens of 11 countries who are not eligible to apply for the Uganda e-Visa.

Obtaining the eVisa is a much more efficient option for eligible citizens, as it eliminates the need to wait in long border queues to submit a visa on arrival application.

An approved Ugandan e-Visa permits passport holders from almost every nationality to enter the country for purposes of tourism, family visits, business, medical treatment, or to study.

It may be issued as either a multiple entry or single entry visa online, allowing a stay of 30 days per entry, and with a period of validity of 3, 6, 12, or 24 months depending on the needs of the applicant.

Once the visa online for Uganda is approved, a copy is sent to the traveler’s email address, which must then be printed to present upon arrival at Ugandan border control.

The visa requirements for Uganda state that all visitors, visa-free or visa-required, must travel with a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months upon entry.

The only entry ban for Uganda currently in place is against nationals of Somalia who do not have a valid biometric passport.

Below you will find a complete list of Ugandan visa regulations to travel from your country of residence.

Tourist Visa Policy for Uganda

The tourist visa policy for Uganda states that there are currently approximately 10 nationalities who do not need a visa for tourism in the country, as long as the stay does not exceed 90 days.

All other foreign passport holders are required to obtain a Ugandan tourist visa to visit the country for leisure purposes, whether a visa on arrival or an electronic visa through an online application

The tourist eVisa for Uganda is available to travelers of almost every nationality in the world and has been implemented by the Ugandan government specifically to facilitate entry to the country for tourism and gradually replace the mostly defunct visa on arrival system.

Eligible applicants are able to complete the Uganda eVisa application in a matter of minutes, to receive an approved tourist visa sent by email. They can then print a copy to present upon arrival at Ugandan border control.
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Nevertheless, a small number of nationalities, roughly 10, are still required to obtain a tourist visa on arrival for Uganda, by waiting in line at a border checkpoint to submit an application.

Find below further information about Uganda tourist visa requirements for your nationality.

Uganda e-Visa

Introduced by the Ugandan government in 2016 to expedite the process of applying for a visa for a variety of purposes, the e-Visa for Uganda can be obtained exclusively online through an online application.

The Ugandan e-Visa system allows eligible citizens to submit a simple electronic application to receive an approved online visa sent by email.

With the exception of the roughly 10 nationalities that must obtain a visa on arrival, the online visa for Uganda is available to all foreign passport holders who are not visa-free for the country.

A Uganda e-Visa may be issued as either a single or multiple entry visa online, and allows a total stay of up to 30 days per entry.

A basic online tourist visa for Uganda is valid for 3 months from approval, while a multiple entry visa type may be issued with a validity of 6, 12, or 24 months depending on the applicant’s requirements.

Applicants can complete the easy online form for the eVisa in just a few minutes. It is also necessary to upload proof of varying supporting documents, depending on nationality, in order to successfully submit an application.

An approved eVisa permits the holder to visit Uganda for purposes of tourism, business, medical treatment, to study, to visit family, or for transit to an onward destination.

To visit the country for other purposes, it will be necessary for all travelers to apply for a visa from the nearest Ugandan diplomatic government office.

Find below a comprehensive list of all nationalities eligible for an eVisa for Uganda.

Get Embassy Info

Uganda eVisa Requirements for Somalians

The majority of nationalities are eligible to apply for an eVisa for Uganda are required to have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended entry date to so so. It is not specified whether this must be a biometric passport or other ordinary passport type.

However, Somalian citizens are required to have a biometric passport to submit an eVisa application, even if they are intending only to transit through Uganda and are not leaving the aircraft and proceeding to their next destination on the same flight.

This is because entry to Uganda and transit through the country is refused to Somalian nationals if they are not holders of a valid biometric passport.

Visa on Arrival

Although the eVisa for Uganda has been introduced to eventually phase out the visa on arrival facilities for the country, this visa type is still available at Ugandan border checkpoints for the time being.

There are roughly 10 nationalities who are required to obtain a visa on arrival, as they are not currently eligible to apply for a Ugandan eVisa.

Ugandan immigration laws state that visa on arrival required citizens must go directly to a border checkpoint upon arrival in the country, to wait in a queue to be handed an application by an immigration officer.

It will be necessary to complete this form and pay the Uganda visa on arrival fee before the travel document can be issued. It may also be necessary to supply supporting documentation, such as a yellow fever vaccination certificate, depending on the applicant’s nationality.

No matter the nationality of the applicant, it is necessary to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Uganda for a visa on arrival to be issued.

However, visa on arrival nationalities who are also eligible for the eVisa are advised to apply for this visa type instead, as applying online removes the need to stand in border lines when entering Uganda, which can involve a lengthy wait.

See the below for the list of nationalities that require a visa on arrival for Uganda.

Visa on Arrival: Country list

Click on the links below to find out more about each country
Get Embassy Info

Visa not Required

In accordance with Uganda’s visa policy, citizens of up to 10 countries and territories around the world are exempt from a visa for short stays.

Ugandan visa laws state that passport holders of these select nations can travel to Uganda visa-free for a maximum stay of 90 days, for purposes including tourism, business, or to transit to a third destination.

However, visa-exempt entry to Uganda is conditional on the traveler having an eligible passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of arrival in the country.

It is possible that visa-exempt travelers may also be asked to present supporting documentation depending on nationality, such as proof of vaccination yellow fever, before they can gain entry at Uganda’s borders.

Nevertheless, if these travelers wish to visit Uganda traveler wants to visit the country of Uganda for a different purpose or for stays longer than 3 months, the visitor must go to an embassy or consulate to obtain a travel permit in advance of travel.

Find below a full list of the countries whose citizens do not require a visa to travel to Uganda for short visits.

Visa not Required: Country list

Click on the links below to find out more about each country
Get Embassy Info

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