Your step-by-step guide to the Uganda e-visa application

Heading to Uganda soon? Securing your visa in advance is essential. To help you, we’ve compiled a clear, step-by-step guide designed to make the application process straightforward and stress-free. 

Information about the eVisa and process 

When visiting Uganda for tourism, you must apply for an Ordinary/Tourist e-Visa online before your trip. You will not be allowed to board your flight without visa pre-approval. 

– Cost: $50 USD (plus a $1.50 processing fee) 

– Processing time: Typically within five working days but always apply at least two weeks in advance. 

– Validity: You’ll receive a visa approval letter via email. The actual visa is stamped into your passport upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport. 

– Important: You must print your approval letter and bring it with you, along with your passport and flight details. 

If you’re applying for the East African Tourist Visa (covering Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda), apply in the country you first land in. 

Before you start: prepare these documents 

You will need to upload three documents, each under 250KB in size: 

– A passport photo 

– A copy of the bio-data page of your passport (must be valid for 6+ months) 

– A copy of your flight ticket or reservation (just the itinerary page is fine) 

Use tools like ReduceImages or iLovePDF to shrink file sizes if needed. 

Right, now it’s time to begin… 

Note: The Uganda visa site works best on Google Chrome or Firefox. 

Head here: https://visas.immigration.go.ug
Ensure this is the official site. 

Step-by-step application 

Step 1 of 4: 

– Visa or permit type: Select Visa 

– Category: Select Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa 

– Ignore the long list of required documents – you only have to submit the documents needed for “All” or “Tourism” visas, which are the three listed above. 

Step 2 of 4: 

– Group data: Leave this blank  

– Phone number: Enter without spaces or “+” symbols. E.g., 0013857654125 

– Passport type: Select ordinary passport 

– Address in Uganda: Experience Uganda Travel Ltd – 0788 714 587 

– Purpose of visit: Select tourism 

– Point of entry: Choose Entebbe 

– Duration of stay: We suggest adding one extra day to your planned stay, to cover any delays. (e.g. for 11 days, enter 12) 

Step 3 of 4: 

Upload your three documents: 

– Passport photo 

– Passport bio-data page 

– Flight ticket/reservation 

Step 4 of 4: 

– Review your information 

– Click submit 

You’ll then see your Application ID. Note this down somewhere – you might need it to check your status later. 

Click “Option to Pay” and complete the $50 (+$1.50) payment online. Once paid, there should be a pop-up that says the payment was successful. The process is now finished, and back on the immigration website you can click “Exit”. 

After submission 

– You’ll receive an email confirming your application, then another confirming payment. (These do not always arrive instantly, there can be a delay). 

– Later, you’ll get your application approval letter via email – print this out and bring it when you travel. 

– If the approval email lists many unnecessary documents, don’t panic. You only need: 

– Your approval letter 

– Your passport and flight details 

– A passport photo (optional, but good to have) 

Troubleshooting 

Didn’t get confirmation or approval within the expected timelines? 

You can check your application status here: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/check
Or from the homepage, go to Applications > Manage Application. 

If your application says “Deferred”, don’t worry – this usually just means they need an extra document, like your travel itinerary. 

That’s it!