Acquiring a Rwandan Visa, Do I need a Rwandan visa before visiting the land of a thousand hills? Yes you do. Is it free or charged? Yes and no, depending on your country of origin because visitors from some countries have to pay for their visas while others don’t necessarily have to pay for a Rwandan visa (some are offered free of charge) . This article therefore brings you all the crucial information you need when it comes to Rwandan visas.
Initially, visitors from some countries especially from the East African Community member countries as well as some Commonwealth and African countries were exempt from visa requirements but from 1st January 2018, visitors from all countries are provided visas upon arrival at all land borders as well as Kigali International Airport.
Visitors from countries that are members of La Francophonie, African Union and Commonwealth receive visas on arrival and are exempt from visa fees for a visit lasting 30 days. Some of these countries are Egypt, Cambodia, Australia, Lesotho, New Zealand, Cape Verde, Sudan, Albania, Libya, Bahamas, Jamaica, South Africa, Bangladesh, Morocco, Romania, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Belgium, Nigeria, Lebanon, Congo, Trinidad and Tobago, Equatorial Guinea, Djibouti, Switzerland, India, Solomon Islands, United Kingdom, France, Somalia, Gabon, Malawi, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Madagascar, Togo, Eritrea, Namibia, Tunisia and Dominica among others. Note that although your country of origin isn’t included on this list, you fall under this category as long as you are from countries that are members of the mentioned International Organizations.
Visitors from Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo, Singapore, Central African Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Cote D’Ivoire, Seychelles, The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, Benin, State Qatar, Chad, Haiti, Angola, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Indonesia, Senegal and Guinea are offered 90 days visas free of charge. Acquiring a Rwandan Visa
Tourists from the East African Community member states-Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and South Sudan are also provided a pass or an entry visa free of charge on arrival. This visa is valid for 6 months.
How to apply for a Rwandan Visa
Visitors from countries that are not exempt to visa requirements can apply for a Rwandan visa online through www.migration.gov.rw/anounce/anounce/online-visa/. Persons applying online can either pay upon arrival or online. Alternatively, you can physically apply for the visa through the Rwanda Diplomatic Missions in your country of residence prior to leaving.
If you plan to visit Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda during the same trip, you can opt for an East Africa Tourist Visa (EATV) that is valid for 90 days. You can apply online through https://irembo.gov.rw/rolportal/en/web/dgie/east-africa-tourist-visa or upon arrival in the country. You can also apply for this visa through Rwanda Diplomatic Missions abroad. Note that if you are applying for this visa before travelling, your first country to visit must be the one through which you applied for the visa.
Cost of Rwandan Visas
The East African Tourist Visa (EATV) costs $100 per person and is valid for 90 days.
A single entry tourist visa (for foreigners who visit for social reasons, holiday, recreation, sightseeing and other short term reason other than work) costs only $50 and is valid for 30 days. However, visitors from La Francophonie, African Union and Common wealth member states are exempted from this visa requirement.
A single entry conference visa costs $30 and is also valid for 30 days.
A multiple entry business visa for Rwanda is $50 and is valid for 12 months.
Visitors seeking to visit Rwanda on a tourist visa are required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate at the border post, a valid passport or any other acceptable travel document, pay visa fees for processing the application, strictly follow the validity of the visa and show evidence of having sufficient funds to cover the cost of your stay in Rwanda.