Uganda’s entry requirements are straightforward compared to many African destinations, but there are specific requirements—particularly around yellow fever vaccination—that are non-negotiable and that can cause problems at the border if not prepared in advance. This guide covers everything a gorilla trekking traveller needs to know about entering Uganda in 2025, from the e-visa process to the vaccination certificate to what happens at Entebbe airport immigration.
Tourist visa: the e-visa process
Most international visitors to Uganda require a tourist visa. The standard Tourist Visa costs $50 USD for a single-entry visa valid for 90 days from the date of entry. The East African Tourist Visa—covering Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda—costs $100 and allows multiple entries across the three countries within 90 days. Both visas must be applied for online through Uganda’s e-visa portal at evisa.go.ug before departure. The application requires a scanned passport (valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from Uganda), a recent passport photograph, confirmation of accommodation in Uganda, and a return or onward travel ticket. Processing typically takes three to five business days; allow seven to ten days to be safe and avoid last-minute applications. The approved e-visa is sent by email as a PDF that must be printed (or shown on a mobile device) at immigration. Do not arrive at Entebbe expecting to purchase a visa on arrival—the e-visa system is now the standard entry route.
Yellow fever vaccination: absolutely mandatory
Yellow fever vaccination is a legal requirement for entry to Uganda—not a recommendation, not optional, but a requirement enforced at the border. All travellers arriving in Uganda must present an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP, also called the yellow card) showing valid yellow fever vaccination. The yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong immunity in most people (a single dose is considered sufficient for life-long protection under current WHO guidelines, though some countries and carriers still require proof of a booster after ten years). If you have been vaccinated previously and have a yellow card documenting it, that documentation is sufficient. If you have never been vaccinated, get vaccinated at least ten days before travel—it takes that long for the vaccine to reach full effectiveness. The yellow card must be signed by the administering physician and stamped by the authorised vaccination centre; a prescription note or pharmacy label is not sufficient.
What happens if you do not have a yellow fever certificate?
Travellers who arrive at Entebbe without proof of yellow fever vaccination face a stark choice: vaccination on arrival (available at the airport health desk, at cost, and requiring a ten-day waiting period before the vaccine is considered fully effective—meaning you may have entered Uganda unprotected for the first days of your trip) or, in the worst case, denial of entry. Travellers with documented medical contraindications to yellow fever vaccination (certain immune-compromised individuals, pregnant women in specific circumstances, severe egg allergy) can carry a medical waiver letter from their physician, but this must be prepared well in advance and may still be subject to scrutiny at the border. The simplest advice: do not risk it. Get vaccinated before departure and bring your yellow card on every Africa trip—requirements change and having current documentation is never a disadvantage.
Other vaccinations: recommended but not mandatory
Beyond yellow fever, the following vaccinations are recommended (not mandatory) for travel to Uganda by most travel medicine authorities: Hepatitis A (food and water transmission—strongly recommended for all travellers); Typhoid (food and water transmission—recommended particularly for adventurous eaters and those visiting rural areas); Hepatitis B (blood and sexual transmission—relevant for longer stays or travellers with occupational exposure risk); Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (relevant given wildlife contact on gorilla treks—a pre-exposure course reduces but does not eliminate the need for post-exposure treatment). Routine vaccinations—tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, measles, influenza—should be up to date. Meningococcal vaccination is not specifically recommended for Uganda except for travellers visiting certain northern districts during peak season. Consult a travel medicine physician well in advance of departure for personalised advice based on your health history and full itinerary.
Passport requirements
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended date of departure from Uganda—not just your arrival date. An additional requirement that catches some travellers off-guard: your passport must have at least two blank pages available for visa stamps. If your passport is nearly full, renew it before the trip. At Entebbe immigration, the officer will check validity, blank pages, your e-visa printout or screen, and your yellow fever certificate. The process is generally efficient and takes five to fifteen minutes; early morning arrivals from overnight flights typically clear immigration within 30 to 45 minutes of disembarking.
Visa exemptions: who does not need a visa?
Citizens of several countries are exempt from Uganda tourist visa requirements—entry is permitted on a valid passport alone. These include citizens of most East and Central African Community member states (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and others). Commonwealth citizens of some countries also receive visa-free or visa-on-arrival access (this varies and is subject to bilateral agreements that change; check the current Uganda Immigration official website for the updated exemption list before departure). For most visitors from Western Europe, North America, Australia, and other regions, the standard e-visa applies.
Entebbe airport arrival: what to expect
Entebbe International Airport is a manageable facility—significantly smaller than the major African hubs of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, or Johannesburg. Most international flights arrive overnight or in the early morning; if multiple long-haul flights arrive simultaneously, the immigration hall can become congested but generally processes arrivals within 45 to 90 minutes. After immigration, luggage is collected from a single baggage hall and the customs exit leads directly to the arrivals area where drivers, safari operators, and hotel representatives wait with name cards. Your safari operator should have arranged your airport pickup in advance; confirm their arrangement and your driver’s contact number before departure. Outside the arrivals area, a row of official taxi operators provides transport to Entebbe town and Kampala; use only clearly identified official taxis or your pre-arranged transfer, not informal operators who approach you inside the terminal.
A pre-departure document checklist
The documents you should have in order before departing for Uganda: valid passport (six months’ validity, two blank pages); confirmed e-visa approval document (printed or accessible on device); original International Certificate of Vaccination showing yellow fever vaccination (yellow card); travel insurance documentation with 24-hour emergency assistance number; gorilla permit confirmation from your operator; AMREF Flying Doctors membership card if applicable; emergency contact information; and any prescription medications in original labelling with a physician’s letter for controlled substances. Store copies of the e-visa and insurance documentation in a separate place from the originals—email them to yourself and save them in cloud storage so they are accessible even if your physical documents are lost.
