Rwanda is the land of many hills. The high mountains are habitats for several wild animals like the mountain gorillas.
The Akagera National Park gives fascinating views of the country’s wildlife. You can only find The Big Five (the lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino, and elephant) in this park in Rwanda. More attraction sites in the country include;
a) high altitude
e tropical rainforest
b) cultural and recreational sites, c) museums, and d) the beautiful plantations.
To have a chance to explore these beautiful scenes, you need a visa. Continue reading to find out how to get one.
Summary
| Requirement Type | Mandatory for all UK nationals |
| Purpose of travel | Tourism, leisure, or family visits |
| Validity period | 30 days from the date issued |
| Entry or exit | Single or multiple entries, depending on the type of Visa. |
| Processing time | Standard processing; six to ten days
Urgent processing; within three days |
| Cost | It depends on the type of Visa. |
| Method of application | Online |
| Method of payment | Credit card, Debit card, Alipay, WeChat, and PayPal |
About Rwanda Visa
The Rwandan Visa is an electronic document that permits visitors entry in Rwanda. You can get it by applying online on the Rwandan Embassy website.
The e-visa allows a foreigner to visit Rwanda for tourism, leisure, and transit. Its mandatory for every traveller coming to Rwanda.
For an e-Visa, complete an application form, attach the required documents and submit. If you need a visa for business, medical, or any other purposes, you will visit the diplomatic missions to get one.
Citizens from any country have the option of getting a visa on arrival since January 2018. Citizens from the East African Member States get a free entry visa for six months upon arrival. The member states are;
1. Kenya
2. Uganda
3. Burundi
4. South Sudan
5. Tanzania
All visitors can receive a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport. They can also get them at land borders crossings in Rwanda.
Types of Rwanda Visas
There are seven types of Rwandan Visas for all travellers;
- The Tourist visa: Allows a traveller to visit Rwanda for tourism, e.g., sightseeing.
- Business visa: Permits a visitor to visit Rwanda for business reasons, e.g., signing contracts
- Transit visa: Allows travellers to pass through Rwanda on their way to another destination
- The East African Visa: This Visa allows unlimited entries and exits between Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya.
- Conference visa: This Visa allows the holder to attend events such as conferences and seminars in Rwanda.
- Missionary Visa: The Rwandese government to persons interested in missionary/religious work
- Diplomatic Visa: this is for persons accredited to represent their government officially.
This article focuses on a tourist visas, transit visas, and East African Visa.
Requirements for the Rwanda Visa
Generally, an applicant requires the following items to complete an application;
- A passport with at least six months validity period
- At least one scanned copy of the passport biography page
- An email address
- Method of making payments whichever means is convenient for an applicant
- Recent passport photographs
- Travel itinerary for their trip; an onward or return ticket
- Proof of accommodation bookings with dates matching travel dates on the application
For family visits, you will also need an invitation letter from your host
For business visas, you will have to provide an invitation letter for the business visit. You will also need to have health insurance coverage for the travel
The East African Visa requires at least two blank pages of the passport information page.
For a transit visa, the holder must have an assured onward ticket from Rwanda to the following country. They must also have valid documents to allow them entry to their next destination.
For a diplomatic visa, the applicant must have a letter from the government. The letter must show the duration and reason for the visit.
Note: Gather all the documents required. Then, save them on your digital device as PDF, JPG, or MS file for easy upload. It is also easy to present them on arrival.
Who Needs a Rwanda Visa?
All travellers from the UK to Rwanda need a visa.
If your transit through Rwanda does not need you to leave the airport, you don’t need to apply for a Kenya visa.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Rwanda Visa?
The e-visa takes processing time depends on the urgency of the application. For example, standard e-Visa processing takes approximately six to ten working days. But urgent applications take three days to process.
How Long Does the Rwanda Visa Last?
The Rwandan Visa has different validity periods depending on the type of visa.
The validity period for a tourist visa is 30 days from the date issued. But it is extendable for an additional 90 days as long you apply while the current one is still valid.
For a diplomatic visa, the applicant must have a letter from the government. The letter must show the duration and reason for the visit.
How Much Does the Rwanda Visa Cost?
The application for the Rwanda visa varies in cost with the type of Visa. For example, the East Africa visa is 84.00 Euros.
The tourist and business visa costs 42 Euros per person, while a diplomatic visa is free of charge.
The conference visa is 25.20 Euros for a single Entry and 42 Euros for many entries.
NOTE: There are more charges incurred for urgent applications. Check with the travel agency you choose. Or, contact the Embassy website on info@rwandaembassy.org for updated rates.
Extra Tips
- In case the government rejects an application, the fees paid for the visa are none refundable.
- All visitors from countries with a high risk of Yellow Fever transmission must have a Yellow Fever Certificate.
- Whether you have received the C0VID-19 vaccine or not, you must have a COVID-19 certificate. Travellers must test for the virus within 72 hours before departing. SARS-Cov2 Real-Time PCR is the only test allowed. But children under five years must not take the test.
- There is mandatory screening and for passengers transiting through or arriving in Rwanda. The passengers should wait for the results in selected hotels for one day.
- All arriving passengers must fill in the passenger locator form. They should also attach the coronavirus test certificate ahead of departure.
- Visas such as a business visa and missionary visa need an applicant to have a UK police. So, get clearance before applying for a Visa. Check the ACRO Criminal Records Office web page to learn how to get the details for the clearance.
- A British national can use the UK ETDs to transit on the airside or enter or exit the Republic of Rwanda.
- Before going inside the national parks in Rwanda, get permits from the officials.
- You must get a permit to fly a drone within the country.
- Carry prescribed medication together with the prescription of the doctor.
Get Your Rwanda Visa Today
The Rwanda visa allows you to explore the beautiful country. The visa even gives you a chance to visits the neighbouring East African countries. Applying for the e-visa only takes a few minutes to complete from the comfort of your home. Apply for the Rwanda visa today via this link.