East Africa is one of Africa’s top tourist destinations, offering exceptional opportunities for wildlife safaris, cultural experiences and gorilla trekking. Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda are especially popular among travelers looking to combine wildlife viewing with gorilla trekking tours.
If you are planning to visit more than one of these East African countries, the East African Tourist Visa is an important travel document to consider.
It is a joint tourist visa that allows foreign travelers to visit Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda using a single visa. It permits multiple entries within the three participating countries for tourism purposes and is valid for 90 days.
However, the visa is only valid within the three countries that are part of the system: Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. If you leave Uganda, Kenya or Rwanda and travel outside these three countries, the visa expires and cannot be used to re-enter the region.
The East African Tourist Visa was introduced to make travel between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda easier and to encourage tourism across the region.
Here are the important things you need to know;
How Much Is the East African Tourist Visa?
The East African Tourist Visa costs US$100 and is valid for 90 days. The visa is for tourism purposes and cannot be extended or renewed once its validity has expired.
The visa allows multiple entries between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, provided that the traveler remains within these three countries during the visa’s validity period.
How Long is the Validity Period?
The East African Tourist Visa is valid for 90 days. It allows multiple entries into Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda during the validity period.
If you leave the East African Tourist Visa area and travel to another country outside Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, the visa expires.
How to Apply for an East African Tourist Visa
Foreign travelers can apply for the East African Tourist Visa online through the immigration authorities of the participating country that will be their first point of entry.
For travelers applying through Uganda, the visa application is available through the official Uganda Immigration online visa portal. Uganda Immigration states that applicants should select East Africa Tourist Visa when completing the online application.
If applying for the visa before traveling, your first entry point must be the country through which you applied for the Visa.
Travelers visiting Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya can therefore use one East African Tourist Visa instead of applying for separate tourist visas for each of the three countries.
East African Tourist Visa Requirements
When applying, travelers should be prepared to provide the required supporting documents. Requirements may include:
- A copy of a valid passport with at least six months’ validity.
- A recent passport-size photograph.
- A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate where required.
- A return or onward ticket.
- A travel itinerary.
- Other supporting documents that may be requested during the application process.
Applicants should also travel using the same passport used for the application.
The visa is strictly for tourism purposes and does not authorize employment in Uganda, Kenya or Rwanda.
Who Can Use it?
It is designed for foreign travelers who want to visit Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda for tourism purposes.
Citizens of East African Community member states generally benefit from separate visa-free or entry arrangements, depending on their nationality and the country they are visiting.
Why Get This Type of Visa?
The main advantage is convenience. Instead of obtaining separate tourist visas when visiting Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, eligible foreign travelers can use one joint tourist visa for travel between the three countries.
This makes it particularly useful for travelers planning an East African safari that combines destinations such as Kenya’s wildlife reserves, Uganda’s national parks, and gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda.
For example, a traveler can plan a trip that combines a wildlife safari in Kenya, gorilla trekking in Uganda, and additional wildlife or cultural experiences in Rwanda.
Having this type of visa therefore makes it easier to experience some of the best wildlife and adventure destinations in East Africa with a single visa.
