In the past, it was costly and difficult for tourists who wished to travel to Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya (in a single safari) to obtain an East Africa tourist visa. With the advent of the East African Tourist Visa, the difficulties and expenses have decreased.
With just one East African tourist visa, a visitor from abroad can now visit Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. It is less expensive to apply for a multiple entrance visa than to obtain separate visas for each of the countries.
What is a tourist visa for East Africa?
Over the course of ninety requirements for the East African tourist visa days, the East African tourist visa permits free and simultaneous travel to all East African nations that have ratified the system.
A traveler with an East African visa must start their journey from the nation where the visa was issued. Any return visa fees to any of the three nations are waived for the visitor. The cost of an East African tourist visa is $100 USD. It is crucial to remember that the tourist visa for East Africa cannot be renewed.
Prior to the single entry visa, travelers had to pay roughly $50 for a visa each time they traveled into one of the three East African nations. If you want to obtain a visa quickly or if you just intend to visit one of the countries, this option is still available.
The standard tourist visa is readily available without prior application at any airport or border crossing.2014 saw the introduction of the East Africa Tourist Visa. After the presidents of Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda convened and determined that a single entrance visa would promote East African nations as a single travel destination, it was implemented.
In addition to providing convenient access to East African nations, the visa would foster better diplomatic ties. As I write this, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Burundi regrettably have not yet embraced the single visa system. It will not be long until they do the same.
How to apply for a tourist visa to East Africa
As we will see in the upcoming chapters, there are a number of stages involved in applying for an East African visa. To begin, you must submit an application. Applicants may apply online or by hand at any country’s immigration or diplomatic office or, if available, on their website.
While it is possible to apply for a visa at the airport in certain countries, it is always advised to apply in advance. Because you may apply straight online, Rwanda’s East African tourist visa application process is quicker and simpler. You might have to apply online or in person at the closest consulate or embassy if you are traveling from Kenya or Uganda.
Eligibility and requirements when applying for the tourist visa.
You will be asked to upload a scanned copy of your passport photo while completing the online form. Head scarves must not have been worn when taking this picture. Additionally, images with a white background, spectacles, or headgear will be disqualified.
A letter of application and evidence that you can sustain yourself financially for the duration of your safari are also required. Additionally, they could request that you upload your itinerary, which should include information on the activities you want to participate in. Lastly, in order to record the dates of admission and exit, you could be requested to present your return airline ticket. Additionally, this is to prevent cases of unauthorized immigration.
Who can apply for a tourist visa to East Africa?
You do not require this specific visa if you are a citizen of one of the three East African nations Kenya, Rwanda, or Uganda. To visit these nations for up to six months, all you need is your passport or National Identity Card. In 2014, national identity cards were required for entry into the three East African nations.
You could require a visa if you are a foreigner and want to visit two or three of the nations. It is crucial to remember that the visa is valid for 90 days. An East African tourist visa cannot be used if you’re the goal is to get employment.
The tourist visa does not apply to expatriates or citizens of non-East African nations who have resided in the three countries for a period of time. For a duration of six months, they are granted an interstate pass that permits them to travel to any of the three nations. To enter any of the three East African nations, they only need a passport and a residency permit.
How to Apply for the East African tourist visa
Let’s take a closer look at each of the three East African nations’ application procedures. The East African tourist visa application must be submitted either online or by hand. The EATV Form 1 may need to be filled out and sent to the consular office of the nation where your trip will begin if you plan to fill it out by hand. The application can be completed at any of the service-offering points of entry or before to arrival. Additionally, you can apply at any of the three nations’ diplomatic missions.
Obtaining a Ugandan tourist visa for East Africa
If your first entrance point is Uganda, then you can apply for the visa online before showing up or asking for it when you go to the international airport in Entebbe. The Uganda online visa application system is where you can submit an online application for an East African visa.
You can print an E-visa after accurately filling out all the forms and submitting the necessary paperwork, which you can then show to immigration officials at the airport or Uganda border crossing.
If you have all the necessary paperwork, you can also obtain an East African visa at the main border entry points. Despite the fact that there is less paperwork, no passport photos, and no paperwork to ship, getting a visa straight from the airport is not advised.
The East African tourist visa is not required if you merely intend to visit Uganda. You can simply get the standard visa, which costs $50. Please be aware that even if your visa is accepted, you will still need to present your yellow fever vaccination card. Please visit or get in touch with the closest Ugandan embassy or visit their official website for additional information on how to obtain an East African visa from Uganda.
How can I get a Kenyan tourist visa for East Africa?
It is feasible to obtain an East African tourist visa at the airport in Nairobi or Mombasa, but because the country receives more visitors, the process can take some time. Applying online before arriving at the Kenyan airport is your best option.
Details on how to obtain a visa are accessible online or at the closest Kenyan embassy. The Kenya online visa application facility is directly accessible. This portal might not function and can be challenging to use.
When you enter the country, the authorities will want further information from you, including your passport, yellow fever vaccination card, and the reason for your visit, regardless of whether you applied online or at the airport.
Obtaining a Rwandan tourist visa for East Africa
Similar to Uganda, obtaining an East African tourist visa in Rwanda is considerably simpler if you prefer to use online resources. The East African visa is not issued by Rwanda at the airport. Applying is the only option via Rwanda’s Online Visa Application System.
To find out how to obtain the visa, contact the Rwandan embassy that is closest to you. Compared to the other three nations, applying for a visa to East Africa online has been made comparatively simple. Approvals are completed faster.
Additional details regarding the East African tourist visa application process: Important things to remember you can pay for the $100 East African tourist visa online with a Visa, MasterCard, or any other credit card. There is no reimbursement for the visa fees.
How to acquire the East African tourist visa in Kenya?
It is feasible to obtain an East African tourist visa at the airport in Nairobi or Mombasa, but because the country receives more visitors, the process can take some time. Applying online before arriving at the Kenyan airport is your best option.
The closest Kenyan embassy or their website have information on how to obtain the visa. The Kenya online visa application facility is directly accessible. This portal might not function and can be challenging to use.
When you enter the country, the authorities will request further information from you, such as your passport and yellow fever vaccination card, regardless of whether you apply online or at the airport and the reason for your trip to the nation.
Obtaining a Rwandan tourist visa for East Africa
Similar to Uganda, obtaining an East African tourist visa in Rwanda is considerably simpler if you prefer to use online resources. The East African visa is not issued by Rwanda at the airport.
The Rwanda Online Visa Application System is the exclusive method of application.
To find out how to obtain the visa, contact the Rwandan embassy that is closest to you. Compared to the other three nations, applying for a visa to East Africa online has been made comparatively simple. Approvals are completed faster.
Additional details regarding the East African tourist visa application process:
Important things to remember The East African Visa, MasterCard, or any other credit card can be used to pay the $100 fee for a tourist visa online. There is no reimbursement for the visa fees.
If you apply for the East African visa online, the processing time might often range from one day to a full week. You can print it from the system and present it to the immigration officers after it has been approved. Applications that are not complete will not be processed.
Each person must submit their own application for an East African visa. Nothing compares to applying for something or working with someone. For ninety days, the visa is valid. It is not possible to prolong the East African tourist visa.
You can still apply for a visa even if you do not currently have an East African tourist visa at every point of entrance. This might be costly, particularly if you intend to visit all three of the nations. One is not permitted to work in any of the three East African nations with an East African visa.
Once a person leaves one of the three countries, their East African tourist visa is no longer valid.
A colorful passport photo, taken without a cap, head scarf, or spectacles, is one of the prerequisites for the East African visa.
The visa form has this photo glued to it. It is advised against stamping the photo onto the form. To enter any of the three countries, citizens of Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda simply need their identity card. Students from the three countries can travel to the three countries using their student identification documents.
Note:
Watch out for dubious websites and people who say they can assist you get an East African tourist visa. Avoid using these websites to transmit money. Use the official visa processing websites mentioned above or the closest embassy or consular office to apply for the visa on your own.