The East Africa Tourist Visa is a US$100 visa that lets tourists move between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda for 90 days with multiple entries. You apply to the country you enter first, it cannot be extended, and it does not cover Tanzania. For a gorilla trek plus a Kenya safari it can save money and border hassle.
The trouble is that most advice online is out of date: Kenya replaced its visa with an electronic travel authorisation in 2024, Rwanda waives fees for many passports, and the rule about where you apply catches people out at check-in. This guide sets out what the East Africa Tourist Visa costs, how to apply on the official portals, when it saves you money and when separate documents are cheaper.
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Quick Facts
- Countries covered: Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda only (not Tanzania, Burundi or South Sudan)
- Cost: US$100 per person, any nationality, non-refundable (checked October 2026)
- Validity: 90 days, multiple entries within the three countries, tourism only
- Where to apply: The country you enter first: Uganda’s immigration portal or Rwanda’s IremboGov
- Extensions: None; it cannot be extended or renewed after exit
- Passport: At least 6 months’ validity and blank pages for the visa sticker
What Is the East Africa Tourist Visa and Who Is It For?
The East Africa Tourist Visa is a joint visa issued by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda since 2014 so that holidaymakers can cross between the three countries on one document. It suits international visitors combining a Kenyan safari with gorilla or chimpanzee trekking in Uganda or Rwanda.
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The visa is strictly for tourism. Uganda’s immigration service states that it allows multiple entries for tourism only and prohibits any employment, so volunteering, paid work or business meetings need a different permit. It is also tied to the country that issued it, which must be your first point of entry into the zone.
Citizens of East African Community countries do not need it, since they travel on their own regional arrangements. Most African passport holders can now enter Kenya without an eTA, and Rwanda waives visa fees for many nationalities, so the joint visa matters most to travellers from Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
Which countries are not covered?
Tanzania is the country most people expect to be included, but it is not. Tanzania and Zanzibar need their own visa, which we explain step by step in our Tanzania visa guide for safari travellers. Burundi, South Sudan and the DR Congo are also outside the scheme, so a side trip to any of them ends your joint visa.
How Much Does the East Africa Tourist Visa Cost?
The East Africa Tourist Visa costs US$100 per person, with no difference by nationality (checked October 2026). Uganda’s immigration service notes that the fee is non-refundable and that payments carry a bank charge, so expect to pay slightly more than the headline figure once card fees are added.
Children are not exempt simply because of their age, so budget the fee for every traveller in your group unless their passport falls under an exemption. The fee buys 90 days, but the clock starts from the date of issue, not from the day you land, so do not apply too early.
Is the East Africa Tourist Visa cheaper than separate visas?
The East Africa Tourist Visa is cheaper only for some trips. Uganda’s single-entry tourist visa is US$50, Rwanda caps single-entry visas at US$50 but waives the fee for 30 days for African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie citizens (Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration), and Kenya’s eTA starts from about US$30 (all checked October 2026).
| Trip and passport | Separate documents (approx.) | East Africa Tourist Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, US passport | About US$130 (eTA + US$50 + US$50) | US$100, the better deal |
| Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, UK, Canadian or Australian passport | About US$80 (eTA + US$50 + Rwanda fee waived) | US$100, usually not needed |
| Uganda and Rwanda only, US passport, one crossing | About US$100 | US$100, choose it for flexibility |
| Uganda and Rwanda, crossing back and forth | Extra visas for each re-entry | US$100, the clear winner |
| Kenya and Uganda only, any non-exempt passport | About US$80 | US$100, usually not needed |
These are estimates per person based on official fees, not quotes, and Kenya’s eTA price varies slightly with processing charges. The pattern is simple: the more countries and border crossings, the more the joint visa pays off; for Commonwealth passports on a two-country trip, separate documents usually win.
How Do You Apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa?
You apply online to the country you will enter first, upload your documents, pay the US$100 fee and travel with the approval letter. Uganda and Rwanda both process it through their official government portals, and the sticker or stamp is completed at the airport or border on arrival.
Photo by Protais Benjamin MUGENZI on Unsplash
Entering Uganda first
Apply on Uganda’s official immigration portal, which you can reach from the Uganda East African Tourist Visa page. Choose the East African Tourist Visa, complete the form and upload a passport bio page with at least six months’ validity, a recent passport photo, a return ticket and your travel itinerary. Uganda’s page also lists a yellow fever certificate, while a notice on the same site says it is no longer mandatory for Uganda, so confirm before travelling.
After approval you receive a letter by email. Print it and carry it with your passport, payment receipts and the documents you uploaded, because immigration officers at Entebbe or the land border complete biometric capture (fingerprints and photo) before issuing the visa.
Entering Rwanda first
Apply through IremboGov, the Rwanda government portal: choose “Visa application”, then select “V11 East Africa Visa” under visa type. Rwanda’s embassies recommend contacting the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration with any questions before you apply, and the visa must be issued by Rwanda if Kigali is your first stop.
Entering Kenya first
Kenya now issues electronic travel authorisations rather than visas online, so the route to a Kenya-issued East Africa Tourist Visa is less clear. If Nairobi is your first stop, ask Kenya’s Department of Immigration or your nearest Kenyan embassy how to obtain it, or simply use a Kenya eTA for the Kenya leg. Our Kenya eTA guide explains the application step by step.
Which Route Works Best for a Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda Safari?
The best route depends on where your gorilla trek is. For Bwindi in Uganda, many travellers fly into Kigali because Bwindi’s southern sectors are closer to Kigali by road than to Entebbe. For Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, start in Kigali. Kenya usually comes first or last because it has the most international flights.
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A classic order is Nairobi and the Masai Mara first on a Kenya eTA, then Kigali on a Rwanda-issued joint visa for Volcanoes National Park, then a road crossing into Uganda for gorilla trekking in Bwindi or chimpanzees in Kibale. Because you entered Rwanda first, Rwanda issues the visa and Uganda accepts it at the border.
Gorilla permits are booked separately from the visa and are the real constraint in high season, so secure them before you fix flights. Our guide to gorilla trekking in Rwanda covers permits, fitness and what a trek day is like, and our Uganda safari packages combine primates with savannah parks such as Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls.
Sample itinerary using the East Africa Tourist Visa
| Days | Where | Entry document |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Nairobi and the Masai Mara, Kenya | Kenya eTA (or the joint visa if Kenya issued it) |
| 5-7 | Kigali and Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda | East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Rwanda |
| 8-11 | Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda | Same joint visa |
| 12 | Back to Kigali or Entebbe for flights home | Same joint visa |
Keep every leg inside the 90 days counted from the date of issue. If the trip includes a beach stay in Zanzibar or a Serengeti extension, place it at the very end, because once you leave Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda for Tanzania the joint visa cannot be used to come back.
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What Are the East Africa Tourist Visa Rules You Must Not Break?
The East Africa Tourist Visa has four rules that cause most problems: enter first through the issuing country, stay within 90 days, do not leave the three-country zone and expect to return, and use it only for tourism. Breaking any of them can mean a refused boarding, a new visa fee or an overstay fine.
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The first-entry rule
Immigration officers check which country issued your visa. If Uganda issued it but you land first in Kigali, Rwanda can refuse it and ask you to buy a Rwandan visa. Airlines also check documents at check-in, so book your first flight into the issuing country.
Leaving the zone ends the visa
Uganda’s immigration service states that the visa is not renewable on exit from the Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda bloc. A side trip to Tanzania, Zanzibar or a gorilla trek in the DR Congo therefore means paying again to come back, so plan those legs at the start or the end.
No extensions and no work
The joint visa cannot be extended in any of the three countries. If plans change and you need longer, apply for the relevant national visa before the 90 days end. Paid work, volunteering placements and business trips are outside its scope.
Other Entry Requirements for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda
Beyond the visa, check your passport validity, vaccinations and travel insurance. All three countries expect at least six months’ passport validity, and yellow fever certificates may be checked, especially if you arrive from or transit through a risk country. Our page on yellow fever requirements for Kenya and Tanzania explains who needs one.
Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is essential on any safari, and gorilla trekking adds steep, muddy forest terrain. Before you fly, check the latest health advice from NHS Fit for Travel or the CDC and consider our safari travel insurance options.
Insider Tips
- Apply at the right time: Submit about four to six weeks before travel; the 90 days run from the date of issue
- Match your first flight: Book your first international flight into the country that issued the visa
- Print everything: Carry the approval letter, payment receipt, return ticket and itinerary on paper
- Check the sticker: Make sure the officer issues the joint visa, not a single-country visa
- Tanzania last: Put Zanzibar or Serengeti extensions at the end of the trip
- Commonwealth passports: Price separate visas first; Rwanda’s fee waiver can make them cheaper
Is the East Africa Tourist Visa Worth It for Your Safari?
The East Africa Tourist Visa is worth it for travellers visiting all three countries, crossing the Uganda and Rwanda border more than once, or holding passports that pay full fees in Rwanda. It is rarely worth it for a Kenya-only safari or for Commonwealth travellers visiting just two of the three.
For most of our guests the bigger decisions are permits, park choice and timing. If you are still deciding which Ugandan parks to include, read our guide to the best attractions in Uganda before you settle your route and your visa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the East Africa Tourist Visa?
The East Africa Tourist Visa costs US$100 per person for every nationality, and the fee is non-refundable (checked October 2026). It covers tourism in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda for 90 days with multiple entries. Card payments may add a small bank charge, so confirm the current fee on the official portal before applying.
Does the East Africa Tourist Visa include Tanzania?
No. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers only Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Tanzania, including Zanzibar, needs its own visa, and leaving the three-country zone for Tanzania ends it, so you would need fresh entry documents to come back. If your safari includes the Serengeti or Kilimanjaro, plan the Tanzania leg first or last.
Where do I apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa?
You apply to the country you will enter first. If you land in Uganda, use Uganda’s official immigration portal; if you land in Kigali, use Rwanda’s IremboGov portal and choose the East Africa visa type. If Kenya is your first stop, ask Kenya’s Department of Immigration or your nearest Kenyan embassy how to obtain it, because Kenya’s online system now issues eTAs.
Can I extend the East Africa Tourist Visa?
No. The East Africa Tourist Visa is valid for 90 days and cannot be extended inside Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda, nor renewed when it expires or after you exit the zone. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, apply for the separate national visas or permits you need before your East Africa Tourist Visa runs out, and never overstay.
Is the East Africa Tourist Visa worth it?
The East Africa Tourist Visa is worth it if you visit all three countries, cross a border more than once, or hold a passport that pays full visa fees in Rwanda. It is often not worth it for Commonwealth citizens visiting only two countries, because Rwanda waives its fee for them and separate documents can cost less than US$100 in total.
Final Thoughts
The East Africa Tourist Visa is a simple US$100 way to combine Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on one 90-day document, as long as you enter through the issuing country and leave Tanzania for the end. Compare it with separate visas for your passport, then lock in permits and flights.
Planning a multi-country safari with gorillas? Our Nairobi team can map the route, the entry documents and the permits for you.
Not sure which visa suits your Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda route?
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