Uganda has granted visa-free entry to nationals of 40 countries.
The policy, implemented by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, allows visitors to stay for up to 90 days for tourism or business.
Uganda visa-free entry for 40 countries covers 21 African nations and 19 countries outside Africa.
Consequently, Uganda now positions itself as one of the continent’s most accessible destinations for tourism and trade.
The Ugandan government said this move would spur African integration.
“This provision facilitates smoother travel and reflects Uganda’s continued commitment to promoting regional integration, tourism, trade, and people-to-people connectivity.”
List of 40 Countries
The Uganda visa-free entry 40 countries policy covers 21 African nations — Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, DRC, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Additionally, non-African countries on the Uganda visa-free entry list include Ireland, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cyprus, Fiji, Grenada, Malaysia, Malta, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, the UAE, Vanuatu, and Hong Kong SAR.
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However, the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union member states are all excluded from Uganda’s visa-free entry policy.
The exclusion of the US, UK, and EU from Uganda’s visa-free entry policy follows the United States’ decision, effective January 21, 2026, to impose strict new visa conditions on Ugandan citizens including a refundable $15,000 bond for B1/B2 visas, a three-month validity period, and restrictions on multiple entries.
Uganda’s new policy appears to re-centre its diplomatic focus toward Global South allies evidenced by a revised list of countries eligible for diplomatic travel documents, which now includes Russia, Iran, India, Cuba, and Turkey.
Therefore, Uganda visa-free entry for 40 countries reflects a deliberate geopolitical pivot away from Western partners.
Significance
By removing bureaucratic hurdles, Uganda aims to stimulate its tourism sector historically a primary foreign exchange earner and foster deeper economic ties across the continent and beyond.
Additionally, Uganda’s membership in the EAC Customs Union provides duty-free access to a market of over 200 million people a significant commercial advantage that visa liberalisation complements by making it easier for traders and investors to travel to Kampala.
Uganda visa-free entry for 40 countries aligns directly with AfCFTA goals of seamless movement of people, goods, and capital across Africa.
The Pearl of Africa is home to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park famous for mountain gorillas and Murchison Falls National Park, two of East Africa’s most spectacular wildlife destinations.
