Online visa application
Most travellers to Uganda must apply for their visa online before arriving in the country. However, some nationalities are exempt from the visa requirement, so it is worth checking this before you apply.
For those who do need a visa, the application and payment are completed online. The visa fee is US$50 per person, plus a 3% commission, and payment is made by credit card. Once your application has been approved, you will receive a visa approval letter. You should print this letter and carry it with your passport, as you will need to present it when you enter Uganda. Each traveller must submit a separate application.
Please keep in mind that the visa approval authorisation is valid for 90 days from the date of approval. This means you must enter Uganda within that period. It is therefore best not to apply too far in advance. At the same time, do not leave your application until just a few days before departure, as processing can sometimes take time. Applying about one month before your trip is usually a good idea.
The validity of your visa, meaning how long you are allowed to stay in Uganda, begins when you enter the country. The period granted will be indicated when your visa is issued.
Personal responsibility
As a traveller, you are responsible for making sure you have all the correct and required travel documents before your journey. Any costs or financial consequences resulting from missing or incorrect documents are your responsibility.
UGANDA Visa Types and Costs
Visa for Uganda only
If you are travelling only to Uganda, you can apply for a single-entry tourist visa online. The visa can be granted for up to three months, and the Visa Approval Authorisation is valid for 90 days from the date of approval. Once your application has been approved, you will receive an approval letter by email. Print it and carry it with your passport, as you will need to present it when you enter Uganda.
Visa for East Africa with a Start in Uganda
If your trip starts in Uganda and you plan to continue to Rwanda and/or Kenya, you can apply for an East Africa Tourist Visa. This joint visa allows you to travel between Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya for tourism and is valid for 90 days. The important thing is that you apply through the country where your trip begins. So, if Uganda is your first destination, you apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa through Uganda. If your trip starts in Kenya or Rwanda, you apply through the respective country’s immigration authorities. The visa must be issued by your first point of entry. Once your application has been approved, you will receive an approval letter. If you are entering Uganda first, you should carry this letter with your passport and present it at the Ugandan point of entry.
- Apply for the visa no more than 90 days before your trip, as the visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
- One application is required per traveller.
- Your first entry must be the country that issued the visa. If you apply through Uganda, Uganda must be your first point of entry.
- The visa covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. If you leave these three countries and later want to return, you will need to meet the relevant visa requirements again.
- The East Africa Tourist Visa is for tourism only and does not allow you to work in any of the three countries.
Visa costs
- Uganda Single-Entry Tourist Visa: US$50 per person + 3% commission. Valid for up to 3 months.
- East Africa Tourist Visa: US$100 per person + 3% commission. Valid for 90 days and allows multiple entry between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, provided you remain within these three countries.
Valid passport
To travel to Uganda, you need a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date you enter the country. Make sure your passport also has enough blank pages for the visa and any necessary immigration stamps.
Other obligations
- You must have a return or onward ticket showing that you plan to leave Uganda at the end of your stay.
- You should be able to show proof of sufficient funds for your stay in Uganda if requested. This can include cash, a credit card or other evidence of available funds.
Traveling with minor children
Children must have their own valid travel documents when travelling to Uganda. An entry in a parent’s passport is generally not accepted as a substitute for the child’s own passport.
If you are travelling with a minor, especially when only one parent is travelling, you may need additional documents such as a birth certificate or a letter of consent from the other parent. Requirements can vary depending on your nationality, the countries you are travelling through and your airline. It is therefore important to check the current requirements for both Uganda and any countries you will transit before your trip.
Comments from the Ugandan immigration service
- Please enter all information correctly. This includes all your names as they appear on your passport, dates, number of days for the visa, passport number, date of birth, etc.
- Check it carefully one more time before you press the send button at the end.
- If it turns out afterwards that you made a mistake, you may have to resubmit the application and pay again (unfortunately, no refund of previously incurred costs is possible in that case).
- The application will only be processed after payment of the Application Fee. Payment does not guarantee that your visa application will be approved. You must continue to check your status to see if anything needs to be adjusted or added.
Applying for a Uganda visa - A step-by-step plan
Important addition
Uganda’s visa applications are currently handled online, and embassies are no longer issuing visas directly. As a result, the online visa system can sometimes be slow or experience technical problems. Applications may take longer than expected, and approval letters or other confirmations may sometimes be delayed.
We can do our best to assist you with the application process, but the processing and final decision are handled by Uganda’s immigration authorities, so we are also dependent on their system.
For this reason, make sure you apply well in advance of your trip. The website may occasionally be slow or temporarily unavailable, in which case you may need to try again later. Also, keep a close eye on your application using your Application ID, date of birth and passport number, rather than relying only on receiving an email confirmation.
Here Is How to Proceed
- On the homepage, you will see “Welcome to Uganda Electronic Visa/Permit Application System.”
- Click “Start new application.”
- Read the disclaimer and click “Accept.”
- A menu will appear asking you to select the Visa or Permit Type. Choose “Visa.”
- Under Category, select “Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa” if you are only visiting Uganda.
- If you are travelling to Uganda, Rwanda and/or Kenya, select “East Africa Tourist Visa.”
- Under Subcategory, “Single Entry” will appear automatically when you select the Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa.
- For the East Africa Tourist Visa, “East Africa Tourist Visa” will appear automatically.
The system will then show you which documents you need to complete your application. You will need to upload these documents later in the application process. You can scan them or take clear photos with your smartphone. The system accepts PDF, JPEG, PNG and BMP files.
Please note: the maximum file size for each document is 250 KB, so make sure your files are small enough before you begin the application.
Required Documents
The documents you need depend on the type of visa you are applying for. The online application system will tell you which documents to upload. It is best to have them ready before you begin.
Passport
For all visa applications: Upload a clear copy of the biographical page of your passport, showing your photo and personal details. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you enter Uganda.
Passport Photo
For all visa applications: Upload a recent passport-size photograph.
Return or Onward Ticket
For the East Africa Tourist Visa: Upload a copy of your return or onward ticket showing your planned departure from the region. For a Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa, you may also be asked to provide proof of your onward travel during the application process.
Itinerary or Tour Plan
You may be asked to provide a travel itinerary or tour plan, particularly when applying for an East Africa Tourist Visa. If you already have an itinerary from your safari or other travel arrangements, you can save it as a separate PDF and upload it.
Hotel Booking or Accommodation Details
For a Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa, you may be asked to provide your hotel booking or accommodation details. If you are staying with friends, family or another host, you may instead need to provide the relevant address.
Parental Consent Letter for Minors
If you are travelling to Uganda with a child under 18, you may be asked to provide a parental consent letter in English, particularly when the child is travelling with only one parent or another accompanying adult. The letter should include the travel dates and the child’s full name, passport number, place of birth and date of birth, as well as the corresponding details of the parents. It is a good idea to prepare this document before starting your application, so you have it ready if the immigration system requests it.
Please note: Uganda Immigration may request additional documents depending on your visa type and individual circumstances.
Complete Your Application
Once you have selected your visa type and provided the required information, you can continue with the application. Keep your valid passport beside you, as you will need the information exactly as it appears in the document. Complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*). Take your time and check every detail carefully before moving on.
- Given names: Enter your first and other given names exactly as they appear in your passport.
- Surname: Enter your family name exactly as it appears in your passport.
- Contact in Uganda: Enter the details of your hotel, tour operator, host or other contact in Uganda.
- Name spelling: Make sure every name is spelled correctly. If your passport contains letters such as Ö, check the spelling shown in the machine-readable lines at the bottom of your passport and use that version.
- Travelling with a minor: If you are travelling with a child under 18, check whether the application requires any additional documents, such as a parental consent letter.
Point of Entry
You will also need to indicate where you plan to enter Uganda. If you are arriving by air, this will normally be Entebbe International Airport. If you are travelling overland from Rwanda into Uganda, for example on your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you may enter through Cyanika Border Post. If you are entering Uganda through another border crossing, select the correct point of entry from the options provided.
Check this information carefully. A mistake in your personal details or point of entry could cause problems with your application. Once you have completed the form, go through all the information one more time. Make sure your name, passport number, date of birth and other details are correct and match your passport exactly.
Complete the “I’m Not a Robot” verification when prompted, then click “Next Step” to continue.
Upload Your Documents
You can now upload the documents required for your visa application. Make sure each file meets the size and format requirements shown by the system. Before uploading, check that your scans or photos are clear and that all important information can be easily read.
Once you have uploaded all the required documents, you will be shown a summary of your application.
Take a moment to check everything carefully. Go through your name, date of birth, passport number, travel dates and all other information. Make sure every detail matches your passport and supporting documents.
This is your opportunity to correct any mistakes before submitting the application, so do not rush this step.
Save or print the application summary for your records before clicking “Submit.”
If everything is correct, click “Submit.” You should then receive a confirmation that your application has been submitted successfully. The system will also provide you with an Application ID Number.
Keep Your Application ID Safe
Your Application ID is important, so keep it somewhere safe. Take a screenshot of the confirmation page or print it and keep a copy with your travel documents. You may need the Application ID later to check the status of your visa application or to follow up on your application if there is a delay or another issue.
Payment
On the same screen, you will now have the option to pay for your visa. You will need a Visa or Mastercard to complete the payment online.
- Click “PAY” at the bottom of the page. A pop-up payment screen will appear showing the visa fee, including the 3% commission.
- Enter your credit card details:
- Card number
- Card type (Visa or Mastercard)
- Expiry date
- Cardholder name
- Security code
- Once the payment has been completed, you will be returned to the page showing your Application ID. Click the red “FINISH” button to complete the application.
Your visa application will only be processed after the application fee has been paid. If payment is not received, your application may expire after a certain period, and you may have to submit the application again.
After completing your payment, you will receive an email almost immediately confirming “Application Received.” If you do not see it in your inbox, be sure to check your spam or junk mail folder.
You can also log in to your application to check the status of your payment. Generally, you will receive another email within 1–3 days confirming that your application has been approved. The email will state “Application Approved” and include your Visa Approval Letter as an attachment. Again, check your spam or junk mail if you do not receive it in your inbox. Read the additional information in the approval email carefully and make sure you take any requested documents or other items with you when you travel to Uganda
The application generally proceeds without problems, but the online system can sometimes have unexpected quirks. For example, you may be unable to enter the exact number of days you plan to stay. Or, even if you and your partner enter the same number of days, your Approval Letters may show different periods of stay. As long as the number of days granted covers your stay in Uganda, this is not a problem.
Take the printed Approval Letter with you to Uganda, together with any additional documents requested in the email from Uganda Immigration. If everything is in order, your visa will be issued and stamped in your passport upon arrival.
Received nothing?
It also happens that an application is not approved or that you do not receive an email at all. The reason is not always clear, but it does happen. You can check the status of your application yourself on the immigration website; see this site. You can also upload any missing documents there.
To check your application, you will need:
- Application ID number
- Passport number
- Date of birth
PLEASE NOTE: When entering your date of birth, the year may initially not go back further than around 1958. If you were born before that, this is not a problem and is fortunately very easy to resolve. First, enter a fictitious year, for example 1960, together with the correct month and day. Press Enter. You can then change the year to your correct year of birth. Do not forget to select the correct day and month again.
