The East African tourist visa allows you to visit three East African countries with just one visa.
Do you want to travel around several countries in Africa on a limited budget? If yes, then you can opt for a tourist visa for East Africa.
The East Africa tourist visa is your cheapest and most reliable alternative to explore Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya in one visit.
This article is a comprehensive guide to your East Africa tourism from start to finish. Read more below:
What is the tourist visa for East Africa?
The East African Tourist Visa is a multiple-entry visa that allows you to travel through countries covered by the East Africa Travel Agreement. These countries include Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.
The countries were also added to the list due to the need to improve tourism in Africa. Furthermore, strengthens international ties and ensures community awareness and development.
The idea behind the tourist visa for East Africa
First, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda have formed a coalition to strengthen regional travel.
Then the idea was to allow all tourists to explore the unique culture, history, nature, terrains, wildlife, and ecosystem of East Africa.
To achieve this goal, the East Africa tourist visa was developed and this has also resolved the conflicts over costs and validity.
The East African tourist visa also allows you to travel between Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda with a collective visa.
Reasons to obtain the tourist visa for East Africa
Tourism
The main reason why you should obtain a tourist visa for East Africa is tourism. Therefore, as a traveler, researcher, and tourist, you have the opportunity to explore at your leisure.
Imagine combining your tourism to three countries in Africa, the bliss and breathtaking sights for less. That is what East Africa offers you, to travel in and out of Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda in 90 days.
Affordability
Visiting three countries in East Africa for a unique and affordable fee is a lot better than paying separately. It also makes more financial sense if you go to at least two of the three countries.
An individual e-visa for each of these countries costs $55. An East Africa tourist visa costs $100. This means that all your expenses are covered by the East Africa tourist visa fee.
Accessibility
The East Africa tourist visa can be obtained and applied for online. Furthermore, citizens of all countries can access it regardless of their location. Moreover, there is no need to visit the embassy as all applications are made online.
Validity
The tourist visa for East Africa is valid for 90 days. Compared to the single entry visa of 30 days or less, you have a longer period of validity. You can also legally enter East African countries multiple times as long as the visa has been obtained
Countries where the tourist visa for East Africa must be applied for
Citizens of other countries apply for East Africa tourist visas from Uganda, Kenya, or Rwanda. You can apply for this visa online via the immigration website of the above-mentioned countries.
It is also essential to point out that the visa is open to everyone
Costs of the tourist visa for East Africa
The tourist visa for East Africa costs $100 and is paid online. Please also note that any fees paid in error are non-refundable.
When you apply through each country’s website, the amount you have to pay will be visible when you choose your visa type.
Therefore, you must pay with a valid debit or credit card that has not yet expired. This includes payment after selecting the correct visa category.
Tourist visa processing times for East Africa
It takes 1-3 business or business days to successfully obtain the East Africa tourist visa. This time also reflects the decision to approve or reject your visa application.
However, it depends on the laws and facilities available at the time. Moreover, the processing of the East Africa tourist visa in a short time depends on the country where you apply.
Eligibility for the East Africa Tourist Visa
Any foreign citizen who wants to visit all of Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya for tourism in one trip must apply for this visa. This is not subject to age restrictions; both old and young should apply.
Moreover, if you need to apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa together with your family, you will also have to do it online.
Validity of the tourist visa for East Africa
The validity of the tourist visa for East Africa is 90 days. Furthermore, the visa is only valid within the borders of East African countries.
In addition, the visa cannot be extended beyond the expiration date for termination. This explains that all tourism deals must be completed before your visa expires.
Required documents for applying for the tourist visa for East Africa
When applying for your tourist visa for East Africa you will need the following travel documents. These documents are essential to your visa application process and include:
- A valid international passport for at least six months. In addition, there must be at least three blank spaces for a visa stamp.
- A recent passport photo with the correct background and appearance.
- Airline ticket; for you and your family (if you travel together)
- Itinerary: This includes the details about the places you will visit. You might also want to add a list of what you plan to do there.
- Proof of accommodation: This can be a hotel or any other place you stay during your visit. In addition, you must also provide the contact details of your host and the duration of your stay.
- Proof of funds: Proof that you have enough money to finance your trip and cover all your expenses during your tour. Expenses should be broken down by all the places you would visit and also by emergencies.
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate from a recognized doctor
How to apply for a tourist visa for East Africa online – step-by-step
The e-Visa application for East Africa is not that difficult. Completion will only take a few minutes based on the following steps:
Step 1: Visit one of the Kenya, Rwanda, or Uganda immigration websites
Step 2: Click Apply Now and fill in all your details as requested.
This should include your full name, email address, contact details, passport details, marital status, date of birth, etc.
Step 3: Then review everything you entered to ensure accuracy, including spelling and facts about the details given.
Step 4: Pay the visa fee online with a functional credit or debit card. At this point, ensure that a notification is sent for you to print once you have paid the fee.
Step 5: Upload all required documents, such as your passport photo, and confirm your submission.
Step 6: Wait for your East Africa tourist visa, which will be sent as an electronic version.
This involves adding the visa electronically to your passport and sending a notification to your email address.
Step 7: Print your visa confirmation once you receive it.
It is recommended that you print the confirmation of your approved visa so that you can show it to border officials if necessary.
Things to keep in mind when applying for the East Africa Tourist Visa
Before applying for the East Africa tourist visa, you must consider the following;
- Your tourism is limited to the East African countries under the coalition
To explain this properly it means that when you want to travel, you must be aware that you are not allowed to go outside the East African countries. For example, if you want to travel somewhere like South Africa in between, you will need to apply for a new e-visa. - Likewise, your East Africa tourist visa will be invalid the moment you leave Kenya, Uganda, or Rwanda and go to another country entirely.
- So you should plan your tour accordingly to ensure that your schedules do not clash and affect the validity of your visa.
- The individual Kenyan, Ugandan, and Rwandan e-visa differs from the tourist visa for East Africa
- If you only want to visit one of the three countries, you must apply for a separate electronic visa on the website. This explains that the East Africa tourist visa is just a combination of the three countries, Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya.
- Therefore, any other trip to Rwanda or Uganda that does not include Kenya in your plans will require a different visa category.
- The application is done online: The great thing about the visa for East Africa is that you can apply online. Therefore, make sure you read this article carefully to stay informed. All you have to do is visit one of the Kenya, Rwanda, or Uganda immigration websites.
The application comes with guidelines that you should read to ensure you don’t make any mistakes. - The request must be made at least 8-10 days before your planned travel date. This ensures that you give room for immigration decisions on your application. Moreover, it will not affect your trip in any way.
For visa advice, easy visa processing, and applications, please contact Travelwaka and Tours Limited
Travelwaka and Tours Limited provides all visa application services at your fingertips. So you don’t have to worry too much as your tourist visa for East Africa can be arranged in a short time.
Conclusion
Finally, the East Africa tourist visa is available, accessible, and acceptable to everyone. However, you may be denied the visa if your application is forged and contains errors.
Similarly, the East Africa tourist visa has a visa-on-arrival option. However, you can weigh this up to determine what is the best choice for you. This is because it is a bit more difficult to get an East Africa tourist visa on arrival than online.
In addition, you may not be able to get the East Africa tourist visa in all landing or entry areas as it will not be issued.
Therefore, it is not advisable to rely on receiving it upon arrival. Uganda, for example, does not issue visas on arrival.
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