Rwanda visa and entry requirements

Rwanda's Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration says citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without prior application. Citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie member states get it with the fee waived for a visit of 30 days; nationals of the countries on a separate list — among them Ghana, Senegal, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Qatar — get a 90-day visa free of charge; East African Community citizens get a free pass for six months. The directorate says visa fees must not exceed USD 50 for a single entry, and that visitors can also apply online or at a Rwandan mission before departure.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Rwanda's immigration directorate says an applicant should hold a genuine acceptable travel document valid for not less than 6 months. The UK Foreign Office says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least one blank page for entry stamps.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · migration.gov.rwCompare every country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card)) — The UK Foreign Office says that if you're coming from a country listed as a transmission risk, you must have a certificate to prove you've had a yellow fever vaccination.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for Rwanda. The UK Foreign Office says to check before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

Verified Oct 4, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement for Rwanda.

Verified Oct 5, 2026 · migration.gov.rw

Proof of funds

Required

Rwanda's immigration directorate says an applicant must have sufficient funds to cover the costs of their stay in Rwanda, and that evidence may be requested online, at the Rwandan foreign mission or at the entry point. No official source we could read states an amount.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · migration.gov.rw

Staying past your permitted stay

Fine: 50,000 to 1,000,000 RWF

A foreigner who is late applying for or extending a visa is fined according to the length of the overstay: FRW 50,000 for 6 to 15 days, FRW 70,000 for 16 to 30 days, FRW 100,000 for 31 days to 3 months, FRW 300,000 for 3 to 6 months, FRW 500,000 for 6 to 9 months and FRW 1,000,000 beyond 9 months, and may also be expelled from Rwanda. Under the immigration law, a foreigner in an irregular situation may be required to leave, and may be allowed to return with the approval of the Directorate General once the circumstances that caused it have changed.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · migration.gov.rw · Ministerial Order N°06/01 of 29/05/2019 relating to immigration and emigration, Article 58Compare every country

Other compulsory government charges

  • Tourism tax on accommodation — 3% of the price of accommodation, excluding VAT. Paid at the accommodation.

    Under the Law on Tourism, in force from 1 July 2025, a tourism tax of 3% of the amount paid for accommodation, excluding VAT, is charged on accommodation.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · rra.gov.rw · Law nº 015/2025 of 27/05/2025Compare every country

Customs & currency

No Rwandan source we could read states a cash declaration threshold. The US State Department lists currency restrictions for entry and exit as none.

  • Canada's travel advice says non-biodegradable bags are prohibited in Rwanda and will be confiscated if you arrive with them at the airport in Kigali, and that importing or using electronic cigarettes or vaporizers is illegal. The UK Foreign Office says you must declare drones when you arrive.
Verified Oct 4, 2026 · travel.state.gov · archived copy

Yellow fever certificate

The UK Foreign Office says that if you're coming from a country listed as a transmission risk, you must have a certificate to prove you've had a yellow fever vaccination.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Rwandan franc (RWF, FRw)
Cards & payments
Canada's travel advice says Rwanda is a cash-based economy in which electronic payments and online banking are becoming more available: credit cards are usually accepted at most hotels and lodges and at most businesses, restaurants and shops in Kigali, but expect to handle other expenses in cash. It says some ATMs may not accept foreign bank cards, and that most shops will not accept or exchange US dollars printed before 2006.
Safety — Exercise caution
The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the parts of Rusizi District within 10km of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Rwandan islands in Lake Kivu and Kamembe Airport. It says crime levels are relatively low in Rwanda, but there are cases of burglary, theft, bag-snatching and mugging in Kigali, and that opening hours at the Gisenyi-Goma and Cyangugu-Bukavu land border crossings vary.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
C, E, F, G · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Police: 112 · Ambulance: 912
Languages
Kinyarwanda, English, French, Swahili
Time zone
UTC+2
International Driving Permit

Rwanda is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The UK government tells British drivers they need both the 1949 international driving permit (IDP) and their UK driving licence in the car, and that after one year of driving they must have a Rwandan licence. Canada's travel advice tells Canadians they must carry an International Driving Permit. No Rwandan official source we could read states Rwanda's own rule on whether a permit is required in addition to a national licence.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · treaties.un.org · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives a best time to visit Rwanda. Canada's travel advice says the rainy season extends from February to May and from September to December, and that seasonal flooding can hamper overland travel.

Tips & warnings

The UK Foreign Office says there is a ban on plastic bags in Rwanda and that plastic bags you have when you arrive will be confiscated.

The UK Foreign Office says the last Saturday of each month is Umuganda, a national day of community service, when most normal services close from 7am to 11am.

Canada advises a high degree of caution in parts of Rubavu and Rusizi districts due to the proximity of rebel groups in the DRC along the border, and says crossing at the Gisenyi-Goma and Cyangugu-Bukavu land border crossings is prohibited for most travellers.

Rwanda's immigration directorate says the East Africa Tourist Visa costs US$100, is valid for 90 days and is multiple entry if staying within Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. If you get it before travel, your first entry point must be the country through which you applied.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanVisa on arrival30 days
AlbaniaVisa on arrival30 days
AlgeriaVisa on arrival30 days
AndorraVisa on arrival30 days
AngolaVisa on arrival—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa on arrival30 days
ArgentinaVisa on arrival30 days
ArmeniaVisa on arrival30 days
AustraliaVisa on arrival30 days
AustriaVisa on arrival30 days
AzerbaijanVisa on arrival30 days
BahamasVisa on arrival30 days
BahrainVisa on arrival30 days
BangladeshVisa on arrival30 days
BarbadosVisa on arrival30 days
BelarusVisa on arrival30 days
BelgiumVisa on arrival30 days
BelizeVisa on arrival30 days
BeninVisa on arrival—
BhutanVisa on arrival30 days
BoliviaVisa on arrival30 days
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa on arrival30 days
BotswanaVisa on arrival30 days
BrazilVisa on arrival30 days
BruneiVisa on arrival30 days
BulgariaVisa on arrival30 days
Burkina FasoVisa on arrival30 days
BurundiFree movement180 days
Cabo VerdeVisa on arrival30 days
CambodiaVisa on arrival30 days
CameroonVisa on arrival30 days
CanadaVisa on arrival30 days
Central African RepublicVisa on arrival—
ChadVisa on arrival—
ChileVisa on arrival30 days
ChinaVisa on arrival30 days
ColombiaVisa on arrival30 days
ComorosVisa on arrival30 days
Costa RicaVisa on arrival30 days
Côte d'IvoireVisa on arrival—
CroatiaVisa on arrival30 days
CubaVisa on arrival30 days
CyprusVisa on arrival30 days
CzechiaVisa on arrival30 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoVisa on arrival—
DenmarkVisa on arrival30 days
DjiboutiVisa on arrival30 days
DominicaVisa on arrival30 days
Dominican RepublicVisa on arrival30 days
EcuadorVisa on arrival30 days
EgyptVisa on arrival30 days
El SalvadorVisa on arrival30 days
Equatorial GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
EritreaVisa on arrival30 days
EstoniaVisa on arrival30 days
EswatiniVisa on arrival30 days
EthiopiaVisa on arrival30 days
FijiVisa on arrival30 days
FinlandVisa on arrival30 days
FranceVisa on arrival30 days
GabonVisa on arrival30 days
GambiaVisa on arrival30 days
GeorgiaVisa on arrival30 days
GermanyVisa on arrival30 days
GhanaVisa on arrival—
GreeceVisa on arrival30 days
GrenadaVisa on arrival30 days
GuatemalaVisa on arrival30 days
GuineaVisa on arrival—
Guinea-BissauVisa on arrival30 days
GuyanaVisa on arrival30 days
HaitiVisa on arrival—
HondurasVisa on arrival30 days
Hong KongVisa on arrival30 days
HungaryVisa on arrival30 days
IcelandVisa on arrival30 days
IndiaVisa on arrival30 days
IndonesiaVisa on arrival—
IranVisa on arrival30 days
IraqVisa on arrival30 days
IrelandVisa on arrival30 days
IsraelVisa on arrival30 days
ItalyVisa on arrival30 days
JamaicaVisa on arrival30 days
JapanVisa on arrival30 days
JordanVisa on arrival30 days
KazakhstanVisa on arrival30 days
KenyaFree movement180 days
KiribatiVisa on arrival30 days
KosovoVisa on arrival30 days
KuwaitVisa on arrival30 days
KyrgyzstanVisa on arrival30 days
LaosVisa on arrival30 days
LatviaVisa on arrival30 days
LebanonVisa on arrival30 days
LesothoVisa on arrival30 days
LiberiaVisa on arrival30 days
LibyaVisa on arrival30 days
LiechtensteinVisa on arrival30 days
LithuaniaVisa on arrival30 days
LuxembourgVisa on arrival30 days
MacauVisa on arrival30 days
MadagascarVisa on arrival30 days
MalawiVisa on arrival30 days
MalaysiaVisa on arrival30 days
MaldivesVisa on arrival30 days
MaliVisa on arrival30 days
MaltaVisa on arrival30 days
Marshall IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
MauritaniaVisa on arrival30 days
MauritiusVisa on arrival—
MexicoVisa on arrival30 days
MicronesiaVisa on arrival30 days
MoldovaVisa on arrival30 days
MonacoVisa on arrival30 days
MongoliaVisa on arrival30 days
MontenegroVisa on arrival30 days
MoroccoVisa on arrival30 days
MozambiqueVisa on arrival30 days
MyanmarVisa on arrival30 days
NamibiaVisa on arrival30 days
NauruVisa on arrival30 days
NepalVisa on arrival30 days
NetherlandsVisa on arrival30 days
New ZealandVisa on arrival30 days
NicaraguaVisa on arrival30 days
NigerVisa on arrival30 days
NigeriaVisa on arrival30 days
North KoreaVisa on arrival30 days
North MacedoniaVisa on arrival30 days
NorwayVisa on arrival30 days
OmanVisa on arrival30 days
PakistanVisa on arrival30 days
PalauVisa on arrival30 days
PalestineVisa on arrival30 days
PanamaVisa on arrival30 days
Papua New GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
ParaguayVisa on arrival30 days
PeruVisa on arrival30 days
PhilippinesVisa on arrival—
PolandVisa on arrival30 days
PortugalVisa on arrival30 days
QatarVisa on arrival—
Republic of the CongoVisa on arrival30 days
RomaniaVisa on arrival30 days
RussiaVisa on arrival30 days
RwandaFree movement—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa on arrival—
Saint LuciaVisa on arrival30 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa on arrival30 days
SamoaVisa on arrival30 days
San MarinoVisa on arrival30 days
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa on arrival—
Saudi ArabiaVisa on arrival30 days
SenegalVisa on arrival—
SerbiaVisa on arrival30 days
SeychellesVisa on arrival—
Sierra LeoneVisa on arrival—
SingaporeVisa on arrival—
SlovakiaVisa on arrival30 days
SloveniaVisa on arrival30 days
Solomon IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
SomaliaFree movement180 days
South AfricaVisa on arrival30 days
South KoreaVisa on arrival30 days
South SudanFree movement180 days
SpainVisa on arrival30 days
Sri LankaVisa on arrival30 days
SudanVisa on arrival30 days
SurinameVisa on arrival30 days
SwedenVisa on arrival30 days
SwitzerlandVisa on arrival30 days
SyriaVisa on arrival30 days
TaiwanVisa on arrival30 days
TajikistanVisa on arrival30 days
TanzaniaFree movement180 days
ThailandVisa on arrival30 days
Timor-LesteVisa on arrival30 days
TogoVisa on arrival30 days
TongaVisa on arrival30 days
Trinidad and TobagoVisa on arrival30 days
TunisiaVisa on arrival30 days
TurkeyVisa on arrival30 days
TurkmenistanVisa on arrival30 days
TuvaluVisa on arrival30 days
UgandaFree movement180 days
UkraineVisa on arrival30 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa on arrival30 days
United KingdomVisa on arrival30 days
United StatesVisa on arrival30 days
UruguayVisa on arrival30 days
UzbekistanVisa on arrival30 days
VanuatuVisa on arrival30 days
Vatican CityVisa on arrival30 days
VenezuelaVisa on arrival30 days
VietnamVisa on arrival30 days
YemenVisa on arrival30 days
ZambiaVisa on arrival30 days
ZimbabweVisa on arrival30 days

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Uganda41 of 199 passports visa-free · 158 eVisa/ETATanzania44 of 199 passports visa-free · 151 eVisa/ETABurundi1 of 199 passports visa-free · 19 eVisa/ETADemocratic Republic of the Congo1 of 199 passports visa-free · 198 eVisa/ETAKenya78 of 199 passports visa-free · 121 eVisa/ETAEthiopia3 of 199 passports visa-free · 196 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Rwanda?

Rwanda's immigration directorate says citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without prior application. Citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie member states get it with the fee waived for a visit of 30 days, nationals of the countries on its 90-day list (among them Ghana, Senegal, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Qatar) get a 90-day visa free of charge, East African Community citizens get a free pass for six months, and the fees must not exceed USD 50 for a single-entry visa.

How does Rwanda's visa on arrival work?

Rwanda's immigration directorate says nationals of all countries receive a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders, and that the fees must not exceed USD 50 for a single-entry visa or USD 70 for multiple entry. You can also apply online or at a Rwandan mission before departure; those applying online can pay online or on arrival.

What is the East Africa Tourist Visa?

Rwanda's immigration directorate says the East Africa Tourist Visa, for visiting Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda for tourism, costs US$100, is valid for 90 days and is multiple entry if staying within the three countries. You can apply online through Irembo, on arrival or at a Rwandan mission abroad; if you get it before travel, your first entry point must be the country through which you applied.

Is Rwanda safe to visit?

The UK Foreign Office says crime levels are relatively low in Rwanda, but there are cases of burglary, theft, bag-snatching and mugging in Kigali. It advises against all but essential travel to the parts of Rusizi District within 10km of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Rwandan islands in Lake Kivu and Kamembe Airport.

Do I need a yellow fever vaccination for Rwanda?

The UK Foreign Office says that if you're coming from a country listed as a transmission risk, you must have a certificate to prove you've had a yellow fever vaccination. Rwanda's immigration directorate says a vaccination certificate may be required at the border post.

Can I extend my stay in Rwanda?

Rwanda's immigration directorate says some visa classes may be extended, with details set out in the information for applicants for each class; an extension application is submitted at the directorate's offices while the initial visa remains valid. It allows a grace period of 5 days after a visa expires to depart or renew it without a penalty.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source