Uganda Visas
Uganda requires a visa from international travellers, unless they are citizens of select exempted countries.
Uganda eVisa
Most travellers require a visa in order to enter Uganda. If you require a visa to enter Uganda, we recommend that you apply via Uganda’s online visa service at https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/
Uganda Visa on Arrival
Visas may be issued at the point entry on arrival in Uganda; check with your local Embassy or Consulate of Uganda for further details.
More details at https://www.immigration.go.ug/content/visas-and-passes
Uganda Visa from Diplomatic Missions
Foreign Nationals wishing to obtain a Ugandan Visa may submit their applications to Ugandan Diplomatic Missions of their country of residence for processing.
More details at https://www.immigration.go.ug/content/visas-and-passes
List of countries exempt from Ugandan visas
The following countries do not need a visa to enter Uganda: Angola, Antigua, Bahamas, Belize, Burundi, Comoros, Cyprus, Eritrea, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, the Grenadines, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, St. Vincent-Tonga, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Typical Passport Requirements
Most countries in Africa require a passport with a minimum validity of six months from the date of travel and between 2 – 6 consecutive blank pages. Please verify the exact requirements prior to travel.
General Documents required for obtaining a Uganda tourist visa
Travellers to Uganda can submit an online visa application through the country’s government website and pick up their visa on arrival. For a single entry tourist visa, you will need these documents:
- Copy of passport’s bio-data page
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate
Source: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/
Uganda Visa requirements for US citizens
US citizens require a visa to enter Uganda. It is recommended to apply online through the eVisa portal.
Uganda Visa requirements for Indian citizens
Indian citizens require a visa to enter Uganda. It is recommended to apply online through the eVisa portal.
Uganda visas and entry: common questions
Can I get a visa on arrival in Uganda?
No. Uganda’s immigration department states plainly that there are no visas issued on arrival, and both Indian and US passport holders must obtain an e-visa in advance. You may find third-party pages suggesting otherwise — they are describing an emergency fallback that immigration used in October 2024 when the e-visa system went down, not a route you can plan around. Do not arrive at Entebbe expecting to buy a visa.
Where do I apply?
The official portal is visas.immigration.go.ug, with departmental information at immigration.go.ug. A warning that applies to every country on this site: commercial reseller sites consistently outrank the official portals in search results, because the government portals are JavaScript applications that index badly while the copycats are static pages that index beautifully. They charge a markup for filling in the same form. Check the domain before you pay anyone. Apply at least ten days before travel; decisions typically take two to three days. Print the approval letter and barcode and carry it — a phone screen is not always enough.
Am I exempt from needing a Ugandan visa?
Uganda publishes a visa-exempt list that includes Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Ireland, Malta, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Mauritius and the Seychelles among others. Two points that surprise people: Ireland and Malta are exempt but the rest of the EU and the UK are not, and India is exempt only for diplomatic and official passports. The United States is not exempt. Even exempt travellers are asked at the port for a valid passport and a yellow fever certificate.
Can I use one visa across East Africa?
The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda — not Tanzania. It is US$100, valid 90 days, multiple entry between the three, and the issuing country must be your first entry point. It requires a passport with six months’ validity, a photo, a yellow fever certificate, a return ticket and an itinerary, all in English, and biometrics are captured at the immigration office or border post after online approval.
What else gets checked at the border?
The yellow fever certificate above all — Uganda requires it of every arriving traveller aged nine months and over regardless of where you flew from, and immigration genuinely checks. Carry the physical card. Passport validity of six months. Visa-exempt travellers are still commonly asked for an invitation letter. We do not apply for or arrange visas; what we do is make sure the requirement is on your radar early enough that the ten-day certificate validity window is not a problem.