East Africa and South Africa Visas: Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa

For a trip to East Africa, most visitors need a visa for each country, applied for online before travel. Rwanda issues a visa online or at the border, usually US$50 for a single entry valid for 30 days. Uganda requires an online e-visa. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya for US$100 and 90 days, but not Tanzania, which has its own e-visa. South Africa exempts many nationalities for short stays. Fees, validity and health documents change, and they depend on your passport, so always confirm them on the official portals before you pay.

This guide gives the baseline for each country, the common documents and tips for planning. The details were checked in October 2026. We help guests check their requirements, but we are not an immigration authority.

• A passport valid for at least six months after you arrive, with at least two blank pages
• A recent passport photo for online applications
• Proof of your itinerary and accommodation
• An onward or return ticket
• A yellow fever certificate if you arrive from or transit through a risk country. Rules differ, and sources conflict, so check each country's current requirement
• Proof of funds, which is occasionally asked for

Rwanda's immigration service issues visas online through the Irembo portal, on arrival or at a Rwandan mission. A single-entry visit visa costs US$50 and is valid for 30 days; a multiple-entry option exists for longer stays. Citizens of the African Union, the Commonwealth and the Francophonie, and some others, may enter free for a set period, so check your passport. Use only official websites, because scams exist. Our gorilla trekking guide explains the rest of a Rwanda trip.

Uganda uses an online e-visa system. Most visitors apply on the official portal before travel; sources report about US$50 for a single-entry tourist visa, and approval is usually quick, but stay length and health requirements have been reported differently, so read the portal. The East Africa Tourist Visa costs US$100, is valid for 90 days with multiple entries across Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, and must be issued by the country where you first enter. If you plan to visit Rwanda and Uganda, it can save repeated applications. See our Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking comparison and the Bwindi guide.

Tanzania requires a visa for most nationalities, applied for online through its e-visa system or at a mission. Fees vary by nationality, commonly US$50 for many travellers and US$100 for some, including US citizens. The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania, so a Uganda and Tanzania trip needs two visas. If you fly into Zanzibar from abroad, you still clear Tanzanian immigration. See our Serengeti guide.

Many nationalities, including citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and the European Union, can enter South Africa without a visa for short tourist stays, commonly up to 90 days. Others must apply at a South African mission or through the visa service provider. Check the Department of Home Affairs list for your passport. Even if you are exempt, carry proof of accommodation, an onward ticket and, where it applies, a yellow fever certificate.

• List each country in order, with entry and exit dates.
• Check whether one visa, such as the East Africa Tourist Visa, covers several.
• Apply four to six weeks ahead, or as soon as your itinerary is firm.
• Keep printed copies of approvals, because remote lodges have poor internet.
• Check entry rules close to departure. Governments add health measures, for example restrictions linked to disease outbreaks in the region. See is Rwanda safe to travel?.

First-time visitors who want to understand the process, and travellers combining two or more countries.

Travellers who need legal advice on work or long-stay permits. Contact the relevant embassy.

• Using unofficial websites. Fees are higher and scams exist.
• Forgetting that Tanzania is separate. The East Africa Tourist Visa excludes it.
• Applying in the wrong country first. The visa must be issued by your first country of entry.
• Leaving passport validity too late. Check six months and blank pages.
• Ignoring health documents. Check yellow fever rules.

As soon as your itinerary is firm, and at least four to six weeks before departure for embassy applications.

Sometimes, through the immigration office, but do not rely on it. Plan for the stated duration.

No. It covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

Tell us which countries you plan to visit and your nationality, and our tour specialist can help you plan the visa steps alongside the tour. Talk to Our Tour Specialist or see the 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking tour.

Sources: Irembo, Rwanda's government services portal, Uganda Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control.