Uganda visa

Uganda is in East Africa. Many people would call it ‘the ‘Pearl of Africa,’. It is a naturally beautiful country, with plenty of foggy forests. It also has several tourist attractions, some of which are;

  1. The crater lakes
  2. Hot springs
  3. The mountain gorillas
  4. Many national parks in which you find the Big Five.

Uganda is also a land-locked country. Three lakes, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and Lake Victoria, encircles the country.

With all these natural attraction sites, a trip to the Pearl of Africa will be a memorable one. Continue reading to know how to apply for the Uganda visa.

Summary

Requirement type Mandatory for UK nationals
Purpose of travel Tourism, family visits, medical, business, and studying
Validity period A single entry- from the date of issue, 90 days

Multiple entries either six, twelve, or twenty-four months
Entry or exit Single-entry or Multiple-entries depending on the type of visa 
Processing time Standard process;

Urgent process;
Cost  A single entry is £42.00

Multiple entries visa charges depend on the type of visa.
Method of application Online
Method of Payment Credit card or Debit card

What Is the Uganda Visa?

The Uganda visa or the e-visa is an electronic document that has been available since July 2016 for anyone to apply through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration website. It is a mandatory travel document for all foreign travellers to Uganda, but with visa exemptions for some countries. 

The e- visa permits a visitor to enter the country for tourism, business, medical, and studying. 

You can also get an e-visa to transit through Uganda since it’s mandatory for travellers arriving at any border crossings. For every transit visa, the applicant must have a confirmed onward ticket. They should also have a letter indicating the reason for transiting through Uganda.

A traveller should complete an online application before departing for Uganda. During application, you will have to submit a copy of your valid passport and other documents. On approval, you will get the printed visa at the entry point in Immigration Office. The Immigrations official also takes the visitors’ biometrics on arrival. 

Types Of Uganda Visas

The following are the types of Uganda visas available today for travellers from the UK: 

  1. Single entry visa – It is a prevalent type used for tourism, business, family visits, and medical reasons to Uganda.
  2. Multiple journey visa – This type is common among British nationals. It allows unlimited entries and exits out of Uganda.
  3. Transit Visa – This visa allows a traveller to stop in Uganda for a short time while travelling to another destination.
  4. East Africa visa – This type allows many entries and exits between Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda
  5. Diplomatic visa – The government of Uganda issues a diplomatic visa to individuals representing their government.

Requirements For a Uganda Visa

If you want to apply for a Ugandan e-visa, you must provide the following items;

  1. A scanned passport that is valid for six months.
  2. An email address to receive the confirmed e-visa.
  3. A method of payment, either debit or credit card.

When completing the application form online, attach these supporting documents;

  1. A scanned copy of biography data passport page.
  2. Recent coloured passport photograph.
  3. An original copy of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.
  4. Travel itinerary if necessary.

An applicant requesting multiple-entries visas must provide more documents. Official police clearance from the country of origin is a necessary document.

If you intend to visit family, you should have an invitation card and present proof of accommodation. 

Likewise, a business visa requires the applicant to have an invitation from the company.

Immigration officials do a final check on these letters at every entry point. No other permit can give you access to Uganda.

Who Needs a Uganda Visa? 

Travellers from the United Kingdom need a visa to enter Uganda. But some countries have visa exemptions. They include;

  • Members of the East African Community (EAC) – Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan.
  • Members of COMESA – Zimbabwe, Angola, Mauritius, Eritrea, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Madagascar, and Comoros.
  • Others – Gambia, Antigua, Jamaica, Fiji, Singapore, Barbados, Sierra Leone, Malta, Lesotho, Solomon Islands, Grenada, Vanuatu, St. Vincent, Cyprus, Belize, and Grenadines. 

How Long Does Uganda Visa Last? 

A Ugandan single-entry visa is valid for three months (90 days) from the date of issue. The multiple entries visa has a validity period of either six, twelve, or twenty-four months, depending on the type of visa.

The East Africa visa is valid for ninety days. It is the most convenient visa for foreigners who wish to visit Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. They will not have to pay for separate visas of the respective countries.

A transiting passenger can stay in Uganda for less than seven days.

How Much Time Does It Take to Get a Uganda Visa? 

The standard time to process a Uganda visa is six working days. Urgent visa processing takes four working days for online applications.

How Much Does the Uganda Visa Cost? 

A Uganda single-entry visa with a validity period of ninety days costs £42.00, while a student visa £16.80. Multiple entries visas with a validity period of 12 months are £84.00, and a two-year visa costs £126.00.

The East Africa Visa is £84.00. It is less costly for travellers visiting all three countries as it is a cross-border joint visa. But, residents of Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya can visit any of the three-partner states at zero cost.

An inland transit visa costs £12.60.

You can pay for your Uganda e-visa using a credit card or a debit card. Applications made through agencies charge a little bit more, even for very urgent applications.

Extra Tips

  • Collect and save all the necessary documents as PDF, JPG, or MS files for easy upload and retrieval.
  • Apply for the Uganda visa as early as one month before your intended travel date.
  • Fill in the e-visa application with accurate information before you submit it. Incorrect information may lead to your application getting rejected.
  • The visa payments are non-transferable and non-refundable.
  • Staying in Uganda with an expired visa will earn you a penalty of 84 Euros daily.
  • You can enter Uganda with pets. Yet, the owner of cats and dogs must present a certificate of the pets’ good health. A registered veteran from the country of origin must sign and stamp the certificate. You also need a certificate showing that the animal is rabies-free. Pet owners must get the certificate within ten days of travelling.
  • You cannot work in Uganda using a tourist visa.
  • All travellers (above four years) must present a negative C0VID-19 PCR test they took 120 hours before departure.
  • Any arriving passenger showing symptoms of coronavirus must go to an isolation facility, followed by testing for COVID-19 and waiting for the results. Passengers whose results turn positive go to a government health facility for treatment at your own cost.
  • All passengers arriving or departing at the airports must wear approved face masks. They must go through temperature checks, wash, and (or) sanitise their hands.
  • At the moment (June 2021), the government of Uganda has enforced a night curfew beginning at 10.00 pm to 05.00 am. Ensure you have valid documents to show at the security checks if you have a flight within the curfew time.
  • You can bring a drone for safari photography, but you must fly it within the Uganda regulations.

Get Your Uganda Visa Today

If you intend to travel to Uganda or visit its neighbouring countries, the Uganda visa will do you good. Application takes a few minutes, start right here.