Uganda expands Visa free access for selected partners

Uganda is set to continue applying visa-free entry rules to nationals from 40 countries under its existing visa abolition arrangements, while travellers from the United States, European Union member states and the United Kingdom remain outside that exemption list. The policy keeps access open for a group of mainly African and selected non-African partners as Kampala maintains a selective entry framework.

According to Uganda’s immigration authority, nationals from countries covered by its visa abolition agreements do not need a visa to travel to Uganda. The official list includes regional states such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Comoros, Eritrea, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Eswatini, alongside non-African jurisdictions including Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong SAR.

The next step now is less about announcing a brand-new regime and more about how Uganda continues to enforce and communicate the exempt-country list through its border and travel systems. Official guidance from the National Citizenship and Immigration Control agency states that eligible travellers from visa-exempt countries do not need to apply before entry, reinforcing the practical travel advantage for countries already covered by those agreements.

At the same time, the diplomatic backdrop has sharpened attention on Uganda’s entry rules. The U.S. Embassy in Kampala says that, starting January 21, 2026, Ugandan nationals found eligible for B1/B2 visas must post a bond of up to $15,000, while U.S. citizens travelling to Uganda still require entry visas.

That contrast has added weight to discussion around reciprocity and travel access, even though I did not find an official Ugandan statement clearly saying this exemption list was newly created in direct response to Washington’s decision.