Uganda e-Visa and Health Requirements for Your Safari

Last checked: 6 to 7 October 2026. Entry rules change. Always confirm on the official Uganda e-visa portal and the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control before you travel, and get health advice from your own country's health authority. This page is general guidance from a tour operator, not medical or legal advice. Author: Anthony Kiweewa.

To visit Uganda as a tourist, you apply for an e-visa online on the official portal, visas.immigration.go.ug, before you fly. The fee is about $50, and we suggest allowing at least two weeks. Since 2 October 2026, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is no longer mandatory for entry into Uganda. For malaria and vaccinations, take advice from a travel clinic and your own government's health service. Below is the full checklist we give our own guests.

Quick checklist

Item	What to do	When
Passport	Check validity and blank-page rules on the official portal and your government's travel advice	Before you book flights
Uganda e-visa	Apply on visas.immigration.go.ug, about $50	At least 2 weeks before travel
Yellow fever	No longer mandatory for entry (notice of 2 October 2026). Carry your certificate if you have one	Check again before you fly
Malaria and vaccines	Book a travel clinic appointment	Several weeks before travel
Travel insurance	Medical, evacuation and cancellation cover	When you pay your deposit

The Uganda tourist e-visa, step by step

1. Use the official portal only. Apply at visas.immigration.go.ug. Unofficial sites may look similar and charge extra.
2. Have your documents ready. The portal asks for scans and details, including your passport. After you book with us, we send your itinerary and guidance for the application.
3. Pay online. The tourist e-visa costs about $50. Check the current fee on the portal.
4. Wait for approval. Allow at least two weeks. Do not leave it to the last few days.
5. Print it. Carry a printed copy and a copy on your phone for check-in and arrival at Entebbe International Airport.

Travellers from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Europe need a visa for Uganda. If you hold another passport, check the portal for your nationality.

Common e-visa mistakes to avoid

• Names that do not match. Enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport. The same name must appear on your gorilla permit.
• Applying too late. Leave at least two weeks, more in busy travel periods.
• Using an unofficial website. Only apply on visas.immigration.go.ug.
• Choosing the wrong visa type. A safari is tourism. If you are coming for an internship, study programme or work, check which visa applies to you.
• Not carrying a copy. Keep a printed copy with your passport and a digital copy on your phone.

Visiting Kenya or Rwanda too?

If your trip crosses into Kenya or Rwanda, ask about the East African Tourist Visa, which covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. Check its requirements on the official immigration website before applying, as some of its pages had not been updated after the October 2026 yellow fever change.

Yellow fever: what changed in October 2026

On 2 October 2026, Uganda's National Citizenship and Immigration Control published an official notice that a yellow fever vaccination certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda. The notice says the requirement is not listed on the e-visa portal or the immigration website.

Three practical points:

• Older pages may still list it. Some government and travel pages had not caught up when we checked. Trust the official notice, and check again before you fly.
• Your onward route matters. Another country you visit after Uganda may ask for proof of vaccination. If you already have a certificate, carry it.
• Health advice is separate from entry rules. Whether you should be vaccinated for your own protection is a question for your travel clinic.

Malaria, vaccinations and your travel clinic

Book a travel clinic or doctor's appointment several weeks before you fly, so there is time for any vaccines and to start medication if advised. Use your own country's official advice:

• USA: CDC travel health page for Uganda
• UK: TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) Uganda page and FCDO travel advice
• Canada: Government of Canada travel advice for Uganda
• Australia: Smartraveller Uganda page

Travelling from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium or Scandinavia? Your national health service or travel clinic gives the same kind of advice, and our country guides below cover the practical side of the trip.

Health rules on gorilla trek day

Mountain gorillas can catch human illnesses, so UWA rangers take health seriously. If you are visibly unwell on trek morning, with a cold, flu or fever, rangers can stop you trekking to protect the gorillas. Two other rules to know:

• Minimum age 15. UWA applies it strictly. Bring the passport you used for the permit. See the gorilla trekking age limit guide.
• Fitness. A trek can take from about one hour to six hours on steep, muddy ground. Tell us about knee, heart or breathing conditions before booking so we can choose the right sector and arrange a porter.

Travel insurance

Travel and medical insurance is required on our trips. It is not included in our quotes, so please arrange your own. Choose a policy that covers emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation from remote parks, and trip cancellation. Gorilla permits are generally non-refundable under UWA rules, so cancellation cover protects the largest single cost of your trip.

Arriving at Entebbe

International flights land at Entebbe International Airport. Have your passport, printed e-visa and accommodation details ready. On all our trips, your guide meets you on arrival and airport transfers on arrival and departure days are included.

If your flight lands late, we can add a first night in Entebbe so the safari starts rested. Packages that start and end in Entebbe include:

• 3-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking, Batwa and Lake Bunyonyi
• 7-Day Gorillas, Chimpanzee and Wildlife Tour
• 12-Day Best of Uganda Wildlife with Primates Safari

Planning from abroad? Our country guides include flight and visa notes for your home country: from the USA, from the UK, from Canada, from Australia, from the Netherlands, from Germany, from Belgium and from Scandinavia.

Questions before you book? Send us a message on WhatsApp at +256 789 487 378, email info@mwanzotoursuganda.com, or use the Plan your journey form. We reply within one business day.