KAMPALA, UGANDA: If you are intending to travel abroad, you now have a reason to smile after government listed 40 countries where Ugandan travellers can visit without needing to have a VISA.
According to the Immigration department, this means that also travellers from the listed countries don’t need to apply for a visa to access Uganda. This equally applies to travelling refugees.
“Several holders of convention travel documents (CTD) have been applying for visas on our system visas.immigration.go.ug and paying $50 (about Shs186,000) yet they are from visa-exempt countries. Some are denied the chance to board airlines without visa approvals for Uganda,” a press statement from the Internal Affairs Ministry dated Friday, December 2, reads in part.
“This communication serves to inform all stakeholders that visa exemption is on the nationality and not the travel document one holds. This implies that all CTD holders from visa-exempt countries do not need pre-approved visas or authorisation.”
Mr Simon Mundeyi, the spokesperson for Internal Affairs ministry said some countries like Iceland have their own requirements. For example, one needs to first book a hotel before travelling.
He however explains that one will not need to pay $50 to travel to the below-listed countries.
“The nationals of such countries do not need to apply for visas to come to Uganda,” Mr Mundeyi said.
As of December 2022, Ugandan passport holders can travel visa-free to these 40 countries:
- Angola
- Botswana
- Ireland (Rep of Ireland)
- South Sudan
- Eritrea
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Madagascar
- Seychelles
- Zambia
- Comoros
- Kenya
- Mauritius
- Zimbabwe
- Tanzania
- Rwanda
- Burundi
- Antigua
- Barbados
- Fiji
- Grenada
- Sierra Leone
- United Nations Laissez –passer
- Solomon Islands, The Grenadines
- Vanuatu
- Ghana
- Cyprus
- Bahamas
- Belize
- Gambia
- Jamaica
- Malta
- Singapore
- St Vincent-Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Libya
- Hong Kong
Uganda’s passport ranked 125th in the World
The Ugandan passport currently ranks 125th in the world as of December 2022. This means that Ugandan citizens can travel visa-free or get an eVisa, or a visa on arrival, to a range of countries around the world. However, to enter the remaining countries, Ugandan passport holders must have a valid visitor visa.
Neighbouring Kenya
The Republic of Kenya currently allows nationals of 39 countries to visit it without a visa and nationals of 32 other countries can obtain visas on arrival.
It is nationals of 127 other countries of the world require visas to visit Kenya.
Nationals of 42 countries do not require visas to visit Tanzania and those from another 28 countries can get the visas on arrival, while nationals of 128 nations require visas to enter the country.
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