East African Tourist Visa for Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda

What is an East African Tourist Visa?

An East African Tourist visa is an official document issued to someone or individuals who would like to simultaneously visit the Republic of Uganda, the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Rwanda. This East Africa Tourist visa is valid for 3 months or 90 days from the first day of entry, and allows the holder to move among the three countries, leave and return from the countries, without applying for another visa or paying additional fees.

East African Tourist Visa

How will the East African tourist visa be issued?

The East African tourist visa will be issued upon application at any of the diplomatic representations of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, at the Immigration offices of the respective countries or online, where applicable.

How much is an East African tourist visa?

The visas for specific countries cost $50 but allow the tourist entry into only that country. The East African single tourist visa, working like the Schengen visa for European Union countries, will allow tourists to enter any of the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda) and move freely within the other two without having to pay for another visa or incurring an extra fee.

It will be a multiple-entry visa, and tourists will pay $100 for it. The length of stay for which it is issued cannot be extended, neither is the visitor permitted to work.

What prevents me from using a visa issued by the Rwanda embassy in Washington for a business meeting in Kigali to travel with it to Kenya?

Visa issued for a specific country are only used to travel to that country and not into any other East African Community member country.

How will it work without stamping them?

You will still be required to fill immigration forms where your length of stay in the neighbouring country will be indicated and it will be logged in the system.

Are they all now machine-readable?

Yes. It is machine readable. Rwanda will provide the software for personalisation of the visa stickers to Kenya and Uganda. The software will enable the three countries to share the fees, tourist information and tourism data.

How will member states ensure it works?

Rwanda has been tasked with the duty of setting up the visa and implementing it for the first one year. This will be on rotational basis each year. Rwanda will provide the Information and Communication Technology software for personalisation of the visa stickers to Kenya and Uganda.

The software will enable the three countries to share information on fees and tourist data. So far 60,000 visa stickers have been produced and distributed, in equal numbers, to the respective high commissions and immigration offices of the three countries.

Visa fee collected will be shared among member states, with the issuing country taking $10 and the remaining $90 shared equally among member states.


Some of the East African Safaris

Combined Uganda and Rwanda safaris


Ugandan Safaris


Rwandan Safaris


Kenyan Safaris

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