Effective 16th February 2022, Uganda has dropped the mandatory requirement for Covid-19 testing at its main entry point in Entebbe. However, travellers ought to have taken a COVID-19 test at least 72 hours prior to arrival or departure from Uganda.
Uganda Travel Advice for Visitors arriving/departing during the current COVID-19 Era (updated 15th/February/2022)
Entry restrictions at Borders & Entebbe Airport: All travellers entering Uganda via Entebbe International Airport or any other entry port must meet all the requirements set by the Ugandan Government set with guidance from the Ministry of Health. A set of SOPs is in place to guide all travel in and out of Uganda. Take a look at the Current Travel SOPs for Uganda.
If you are travelling to Uganda, you will need to have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate, issued no more than 72 hours before crossing into or out of Uganda’s borders. Foreign nationals without a valid negative test certificate will be denied entry. Infants aged three and under are exempt when accompanying parents arrive with a negative test certificate.
All travellers from the UK, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, the UAE and the USA are required to undergo PCR tests at the border at their own expense, including at Entebbe International Airport. As of 11 June 2021 the exemption from testing on arrival for those who have received their full COVID-19 vaccination and show no COVID-19 symptoms has been withdrawn. The cost of the PCR test in Uganda currently is $65per person for a test whose results you will get in 8 – 12hours from the time of testing. Travellers from category 2 countries who arrive by air, will be taken from the airport to a nearby testing site. Test results will take up to 4 hours. Travellers have the option of waiting at the testing site for their results or checking into a designated hotel at their own expense. Anyone who tests positive (including children, with their parent or guardian) will be taken to a Ministry of Health designated COVID-19 isolation facility. Passengers who have been to India in the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Uganda unless they are Ugandans returning home. Uganda travel Advice
Passengers arriving or departing from Entebbe International Airport can only be picked up or dropped off by a maximum of two (02) people, including the driver, in order to avoid crowding in the vehicle and at the Airport. Vehicles with more than the authorised number of people will not be allowed access to the airport.
Testing/Screening for COVID – 19 Uganda travel Advice
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Testing/Screening On arrival
Arriving passengers will be subject to temperature checks and will be screened for infectious diseases by the Port Health Authorities. If a passenger shows signs or symptoms of any infectious disease they will be taken by ambulance to a local isolation centre to undergo a COVID-19 test at their own cost. Test results will be returned within 24 to 48 hours; passengers will be expected to remain at the isolation centre until the test results are returned.
If a foreign national test positive for COVID-19 and wishes to be repatriated for treatment outside of Uganda, they will be expected to cover the costs themselves.
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Testing/screening on departure
Departing passengers are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate, issued no more than 72 hours before travel. The 72 hours begin on the day the sample is collected for testing.
Learn more about PCR testing in Uganda.
COVID-19 tests taken for the purpose of travel outside of Uganda have to be paid for, even if the test is taken at a government testing centre. From 23 November 2020, all COVID-19 test certificates issued in Uganda must indicate the intended purpose of the test. Only test certificates that state travel as the intended purpose will be valid for departure from Uganda. Test certificates that state contact or alert will not be valid for travel.
There are a number of public and private COVID-19 test centres in Uganda. For further information, please see the government COVID-19 Response website.
Departing passengers will be required to wear a face mask inside the terminal and will be subject to temperature checks. Social distancing will also be in place and only passengers with valid tickets and airport officials will be allowed into the terminal building. Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least 4 hours before departure.
Regular entry requirements
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Visas
You’ll need a visa to enter Uganda. You can apply for a visa at a Ugandan High Commission in your country or apply online for an ‘e-visa’. You can find full details of how to apply for a Ugandan Visa on the website of the Ugandan High Commission. We recommend that you allow ample time to apply for a visa and make sure when applying that the start date and validity cover the period you wish to travel.
Learn more about the Passport validity for travel to East Africa.
You can also apply for an East African Tourist Visa. This is valid for 90 days and allows multiple entries into Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. You can apply for this visa on the ‘e-visa’ website.
Learn more about How to apply for an East African Tourist Visa.
Immigration offices in Uganda have now been re-opened. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has advised that fines accrued for overstaying visas or permits from 18 March to 9 June 2020 are waived. Discretion to waive fines outside of this period lies with the Commissioner of Immigration. Cases will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Foreign nationals can submit an enquiry via the Directorate’s web-based form.
For more information about entry requirements, visit the Ugandan Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control website.
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Passport validity Uganda travel Advice
When planning your travel to Uganda, we recommend that you ensure your passport is valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Uganda.
Learn more about Passport validity for travel to Uganda.
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