Uganda is one of the easier East African countries to visit, but a little preparation before you fly saves a lot of stress at the airport. Almost every visitor needs a visa, and since 2016 Uganda has run an online e-visa system that you are expected to use before you travel. This guide walks through the main options, the health rules, and what actually happens when you land at Entebbe International Airport (EBB).
Immigration rules do change, so always confirm the current requirements on the official Government of Uganda portal at visas.immigration.go.ug before booking. The overview below reflects the system as most travellers experience it.
Do I need a visa for Uganda?
Most nationalities do need a visa to enter Uganda. There is a shortlist of visa-exempt countries — mostly other African and a few Caribbean and Pacific nations — but travellers from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia should assume they need one. Citizens of Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and other East African Community states generally do not need a tourist visa.
The Uganda e-visa (single-entry tourist visa)
The standard tourist visa is a single-entry visa valid for up to 90 days, currently priced at USD 50 plus a small processing fee. You apply online, upload a passport-bio-page scan, a passport photo and your yellow fever certificate, and pay by card. Approval usually comes by email within two to five working days, though it can be faster. Print your approval letter and carry it with you — you will show it, along with your passport, at the immigration desk on arrival.
The East Africa Tourist Visa
If your trip combines Uganda with Kenya and Rwanda, the East Africa Tourist Visa is excellent value. For USD 100 it gives you 90 days of multiple entries across all three countries, so you can, for example, fly into Entebbe, cross to Rwanda for gorillas and continue to Kenya without buying three separate visas. You must apply through the country you will enter first, and you have to stay within those three nations for the visa to remain valid.
Yellow fever: the one health rule you cannot skip
Uganda requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for all travellers aged one year and over. This is not optional — officials can and do check the yellow International Certificate of Vaccination at the airport, and you may be vaccinated on the spot (at your own cost and discomfort) if you cannot produce one. Get the jab at least ten days before travel so the certificate is valid by the time you land.
Beyond yellow fever, most health authorities recommend being up to date on routine vaccines and considering typhoid, hepatitis A and rabies depending on your plans. Uganda is a malaria zone, so speak to a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets well before you leave. We cover practical health tips in more detail in our things-to-do guide and reception is always happy to point guests toward a reputable pharmacy.
Passport rules
Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry and have at least one or two blank pages. If your passport is close to expiry, renew it before applying for the visa — a mismatch between passport and visa details is a common, avoidable reason for delays.
What happens when you land at Entebbe
Entebbe International Airport is small and straightforward. After disembarking you will pass a health check (where the yellow fever certificate may be requested), then queue for immigration. Have your e-visa approval letter, passport and a printed or digital copy of your hotel booking ready. Fingerprints and a photo are taken at the desk. Once stamped through, baggage reclaim and customs are only steps away, and the arrivals hall has SIM-card vendors, ATMs and forex counters.
The hotel is only a few minutes from the terminal. If you would like a stress-free arrival, we can arrange an airport pickup so a driver is waiting when you clear customs — particularly welcome after a long-haul flight or a late-night landing.
Quick checklist before you fly
Apply for your e-visa (or East Africa Tourist Visa) online and print the approval. Carry a valid yellow fever certificate. Make sure your passport has six months' validity and blank pages. Have your hotel booking confirmation to hand. Bring some US dollars in cash — post-2013 notes in good condition — for on-arrival costs. Do those five things and Ugandan immigration is genuinely quick and friendly.
Where to stay near the airport
Airport View Hotel Entebbe is minutes from the terminal, making it an ideal first or last night in Uganda — sleep off the flight, or catch an early departure without a pre-dawn dash across town. We offer 18 en-suite rooms from $85 per night including breakfast, a 24-hour front desk and airport transfers on request. Contact us and we will help plan a smooth arrival.