To begin with, a Visa is a formal endorsement that’s placed on a person’s passport showing that they are authorized to get into, leave, or reside/live in a foreign country for the time that’s provided for therein. Every foreigner coming into Uganda requires a Visa (with a few exceptions) in order to have a legalized stay in the country. This article is therefore here to provide all the information one needs in order to organize themselves in a proper way prior to visiting Uganda.

Visas for tourists coming into Uganda are Single Entry Visas whose duration can be issued to up to about 3 months.

• Acquiring a Uganda Visa.

A single entry tourist visa is acquired from various embassies of Uganda scattered all-over the world in respective countries of origin for tourists. The process isn’t tedious and therefore tourists don’t have to worry about administrative bureaucracies. Visa applications are so easy, as they can now be made remotely from the Uganda Immigration portal https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ This is more advisable because it saves much time and costs of traveling to and from the various physical immigration centers.

• The process of applying for a Uganda Visa.

Below is the guide on how to apply for a Uganda Visa and the same process caters for those applying for the first rime, those seeking to renew, and those replacing their Visas. As earlier noted, the process is entirely electronic.

 1. Make sure you have good internet connection and a perfect device to access the portal.

 2. Log into the Uganda Immigration portal.

 3. Find and select the option “Start new application.”

 4. For safety and liability reasons, the portal has a disclaimer page for which the tourist is required to consent to.

 5. Accept the conditions and terms as set out on the portal’s disclaimer.

 6. Find and select your desired visa/permit type. Additionally, choose the category and subcategory that you so desire.

 7. Finally complete by filing the rest of the required options in your application form.

 8. Upload the necessary and required documents onto the portal.

 9. On completion, a 6-digit application Identification Number is generated and issued to the applicant as a reference number for their application.

10. Go ahead and make the payment of requisite fees if the application type requires pre-payment.

11. On approval of the application type that doesn’t require prepayment or any form of payment, an approval letter gets automatically generated and sent to applicant’s email as provided by them.

12. For applications that require payment; after making payment, an approval letter gets automatically generated and sent to applicant’s email as provided.

13. Depending on the directions in the approval letter, the applicant will then have to go to a Uganda Immigration office to have their documents captured through a biometric system, passport, payment slips/receipts, and then issued approval letter.

14. The applicant will then be informed later by email on the success of their application.

• Different types of Visas.

The requirements for each visa differs from type to type.

Tourism Visa.

• Tour plan / itinerary.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
• Travel booking confirmation.
• Copy of passport. The passport must have validity of at least 6 months. What’s required mainly is the Bio Data page.
• Hotel reservations (with their address(s)).
• Recent passport size photos.

Business Visa – caters for conferences, meetings, events etc.

• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
• Copy of passport, with validity of at least 6 months.
• Immigration status of the individual hosting the Visa applicant.
• Recent passport size photos (should have been taken in at least not more than 6 months prior to the Visa application).
• Invitation letter including the address and stating clearly the business to carried out in Uganda.

Studies Visa.

• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
• Copy of passport. The passport must have a validity of at least 6 months. What’s required mainly is the Bio Data page.
• Recent passport size photos.
• Invitation letter from the school to the Visa applicant.
• Admission letter of the school to the applicant.
• Immigration status of the individual hosting the Visa applicant.
• Status of the host.

Family Visit Visa.

• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
• Copy of passport. The passport must have a validity of at least 6 months. What’s required mainly is the Bio Data page.
• Hotel reservations (with their address(s)).
• Recent passport size photos.
• Immigration status of the individual hosting the Visa applicant.
• Status of the host.
• Invitation letter.

The kind of Visas tourists to Uganda ought to apply for.

As highlighted, the ordinary tourist visa is the appropriate visa that a foreigner should apply for in order to travel and visit Uganda for a wildlife safari or gorilla trek.