All citizens of the United Kingdom holding full UK passports will require a visa to enter Uganda. Travellers can apply electronically for a visa or a regular visa via the Ugandan High Commission in London.

Previously Ugandan ports of entry, i.e the Entebbe International Airport and a few land border checkpoints, allowed Visa on Arrival.

However, it was later reported that passengers faced different complications at the immigration office, including waiting for hours to get their visa approved or even facing rejection.

Hence, the government of Uganda replaced the visa-on-arrival alternative with an electronic visa, to make the system more efficient, quick, and simple.

The Ugandan e-visa process can be carried out completely online and from any location.

Tourist E-Visa

A Ugandan tourist e-visa enables you to enter the country for leisure or sightseeing purposes. It is available in either single-entry or multiple-entry types.

While single-entry visas offer a validity of 3 months, multiple-entry visas come with a validity of 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years. In either case, the maximum allowable stay is 30 days per visit from your date of entry into the country.

Business E-Visa

You can apply for a business e-visa if you are planning to enter the country for business activities, such as attending a conference, seminar, or meeting, without taking up employment opportunities.

It is also available in either single-entry or multiple-entry types. While single-entry visas offer a validity of 3 months, multiple-entry visas come with a validity of 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years.

In either case, the maximum allowable stay is 30 days per visit from your date of entry into the country.

To apply for any visa to Uganda, you will need a scanned copy of your United Kingdom passport (biodata pages), one recent passport-size photograph, and a copy of the International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever.

When applying for a multiple entry visa, you need additional documents such as police clearance from Interpol or your home country, recommendation letters from 2 referees in Uganda, a cover letter explaining the reasons for multiple entries, and proof of entries and exits into Uganda for at least 5 times in the last one year.

Once you get your approval letter, you need to travel with a printout of the approval, along with the original yellow fever certificate, your original passport with a validity of 6 months and one copy, and a recent passport-size photograph.

At the point of entry, the immigration officer will verify your data, take your biometrics and stamp the visa on your passport.

Transit E-Visa

You need to apply for a transit e-visa if you are planning to transit via Ugandan borders to any other country. It is also available in single and multiple entry types, each with a validity of 3 months.

Even here, the process is almost similar to the one explained above. However, along with a scanned passport copy, yellow fever vaccination copy, and passport-size photograph, you also need to upload a personal letter (stating the reason for transit and the country of destination) along with your e-visa application.

The process followed at the immigration office is similar to the one described for the other e-visa categories.

East-African E-Visa

A multiple-entry East-African tourist e-visa allows multiple entries into Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. It has a validity of 3 months.

While applying, the supporting documents you need are a scanned copy of your passport and yellow fever vaccination certificate and a passport-size photograph.

Additionally, you need to upload a copy of round-trip tickets or a confirmed itinerary. Once you get the approval letter, follow the steps outlined above to get your visa stamped at the immigration office after you arrive in Uganda.

Maximum Allowable Stay in Uganda

Usually, the maximum allowable stay per visit is 90 days. However, Ugandan immigration officers will finally confirm how long you are permitted to stay within the country.

They generally attach a handwritten note of this time frame just next to the entry stamp in your passport.

Note: if you fail to abide by the rules and overstay your visa, you may be fined or worse, imprisoned. You can always apply for a visa extension at Ugandan immigration headquarters on Jinja Road in Kampala.

UK Emergency Travel Documents

UK Emergency Travel Documents or ETDs are accepted by the Ugandan government for entry, airside transit and exit from the country. Note that your ETDs must be valid for 6 months from your date of entry into the nation’s borders.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

The Government of Uganda, as per the rules of the Ministry of Health, is bound to contain and prevent the spread of the yellow fever virus.

Hence, during entry as well as exit, passengers need to show a Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate. This is especially required if anyone arrives from countries with a risk of Yellow Fever transmission or even when someone arrives via transit through such countries.

Hence, a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for anyone travelling from endemic countries to Yellow Fever free countries.

And it is not required if the traveller agrees to receive a booster dose after the one-time vaccination which ensures lifelong protection.

If you are not vaccinated against yellow fever, you will be required to take vaccination when you arrive in Uganda. Sometimes, even quarantine measures are implemented.