Uganda Entry Requirements

Uganda Entry Requirements specify the required documents that a traveler must prepare before visiting Uganda, as well as other rules which need to be followed to ensure a trouble-free entry to the country. One basic document mandatory for all travelers arriving in Uganda is a valid passport. The minimum passport validity is at least 6 months from the date of intended arrival in Uganda.

According to the Ugandan visa policy, holders of majority passports in the world also need to obtain a visa prior to travel. The easiest and quickest way to get a Ugandan visa is by applying online. It will allow you to avoid unnecessary embassy visits and help save plenty of time.

Currently, Uganda has an entry ban only against nationals of Somalia who do not hold valid biometric passports.

Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ugandan authorities have imposed a number of additional protective measures with the aim of minimizing the risk of further spread of the coronavirus. Some of the restrictions have already been removed. At the moment, only unvaccinated travelers still must provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure time. Fully vaccinated travelers only need to submit a valid vaccination certificate to avoid testing requirements.

Read on to find out more about the current Ugandan entry and travel requirements.

Important! The following rules may change at short notice. Please remember to check on the latest updates before traveling to Uganda.

Who can enter Uganda?

Uganda allows entry to all international travelers. Depending on your vaccination status, the entry rules may slightly differ.

Documents check-list for entering Uganda:

• valid passport
• Uganda Visa
• PCR negative test (only if unvaccinated)
• Covid-19 vaccination proof (if vaccinated)
• travel insurance (optional)

Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements

Testing requirements

Fully vaccinated passengers no longer need to show a negative pre‑departure COVID‑19 test result. Non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers still need to provide a negative PCR result performed no earlier than 72 hours before departure.

Vaccination requirements

If you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, you will need to present a valid vaccination certificate. All vaccination types are accepted to enter Uganda. Please remember that it must elapse at least 14 days from receiving the last vaccination dose to be recognized as fully vaccinated.

Yellow fever vaccination

Depending on your nationality, you may also need to present a valid certificate of yellow fever vaccination. Some airlines may require you to present it before departure.

Quarantine requirements

Currently, there are no quarantine requirements in Uganda, regardless of your vaccination status.

Traveling from Uganda

All passengers leaving Uganda need to have a negative PCR test certificate issued within 72 hours before boarding the flight. If the destination country's testing requirements differ, they will take priority. Passengers departing from Uganda should also understand all the remaining entry requirements of the destination they are visiting next. Moreover, a PCR test result for departing travelers must indicate 'travel' as the purpose of performing the test.

Traveling to Uganda

For the time being, every person entering Uganda who is aged over 5 needs to provide a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test result issued within 72 hours before travel.

Travelers arriving in Uganda are subject to temperature checking and screening for infectious diseases. In case of certain symptoms, they may be required to take a coronavirus test. If tested positive, they will need to cover the costs of treatment or transportation to their home country.

Most international travelers need to obtain a visa before the planned trip to Uganda, except for travelers coming from visa-exempt countries. The Ugandan authorities stopped the issuance of visas on arrival, so the traveler must remember to obtain a visa prior to departure.

Entry Rules for Children

Children younger than 6

Children below the age of 6 are exempt from presenting the Covid-19 negative test on arrival.

Children aged 6 and older

Non-vaccinated children aged 6 and older will need to present a negative test certificate issued no earlier than 72 hours prior to departure.

Transit through Uganda

If you wish to transit through Uganda and stay airside, you will need to submit a certificate confirming you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or provide a negative test upon arrival.

If you plan a layover in Uganda, i.e., you will be passing through immigration and staying in accommodation when awaiting a connecting flight the next day, you will also need to submit a negative test or vaccination certificate.

Please also remember to obtain a transit e-Visa for Uganda, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 7 days.

Visa requirements

Visa-exempt countries

The Ugandan authorities allow nationals of 36 different countries to visit Uganda visa-free for short-term purposes. The visa-exempt countries list includes:

• Angola
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Botswana
• Comoros
• Cyprus
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Fiji
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Hong Kong
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Rwanda
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Burundi
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Madagascar
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Tanzania
• Singapore
• South Sudan (6 months)
• Tonga
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

A passport holder of one of the above-listed countries is allowed to visit Uganda visa-free and stay for maximally 90 days. The travel purpose may be either tourism, business, or transit.

Depending on your nationality, you may also be asked to provide some supporting documents, e.g., a yellow fever vaccination certificate, to access Uganda.

Please note that if you are a passport holder of one of the visa-exempt countries but wish to visit Uganda for different purposes than business, tourism, or transit, or you plan to stay in the country longer than 3 months, you will need to obtain a visa or a relevant entry permit directly at an embassy or consulate.

Uganda e-Visa

The Government of Uganda introduced the electronic visa system in 2016 to enable nationals of most countries in the world to apply for a visa online. The e-Visa alternative eliminates the requirement to visit Ugandan diplomatic in person since all the formalities can be handled via the Internet.

There are three types of electronic visas available for Uganda - a single-entry visa, a multiple-entry visa enabling visiting Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya, and a transit visa dedicated to travelers who only wish to tranist through the country on their way to the final destination. Depending on the selected visa, the requirements that one must meet may differ slightly.

For more information, check here.

Visa on Arrival

The introduction of the e-Visa system was aimed at replacing the visa-on-arrival facility. The Ugandan Ministry of Internal Affairs announced in October 2021 that the country stopped issuing visas on arrival. Since that time, all travelers are required to obtain a visa before their travel.

Health Declaration

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Ugandan Government introduced the obligation to complete the health declaration for all arrivals to the country. This requirement was lifted in August 2022. Currently, pre-registration for the travel is no longer necessary.

Travel Insurance

Uganda does not honor foreign health insurance or motor vehicle policies. In case of hospital treatment, the patient or their family will need to cover the costs. Nevertheless, purchasing travel and health insurance is recommended to claim reimbursement of medical treatment costs, potential medical care on the trip home, etc. It is also advisable to consider purchasing insurance that provides professional air medical transportation, which in the absence of medical care may often save your health or even life.