Rwanda Entry and Travel Requirements
Entry requirements to Rwanda state all the rules that tourists wishing to visit Rwanda must follow to enter the country easily. These requirements include, among others, a list of necessary documents that must be arranged before the planned trip.
All travelers to Rwanda must have a passport that is valid and valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of arrival in Rwanda.
Another equally important document required by most international travelers is a valid visa. According to Rwanda's visa policy, different types of visas can be applied for depending on the traveler's nationality, reason for travel as well as expected length of stay in the country. Citizens of most countries around the world are eligible for a Rwanda e-visa. Rwanda e-visa saves a lot of time because there is no need to go to the embassy.
Rwanda also offers visa-on-arrival services. Visitors from some countries can apply for a visa at the border. However, this visa option requires long queues and in reality, no one can be sure whether a visa will be issued or not. Where the applicant may apply for a Rwanda visa before travelling, the visa formalities should not be left until the last moment.
Additionally, citizens of certain countries must apply for a Rwanda visa directly from the embassy. It applies to tourist visa applications as well as other types of visas.
All foreigners planning to work and/or live in Rwanda should contact the nearest Rwandan diplomatic mission and apply for a long-term visa there. Additionally, upon arrival, they must apply for a residence permit and/or work permit in Rwanda. Rwanda has introduced a number of Covid-19 restrictions amid the ongoing pandemic. However, most of them have been removed. Travelers no longer need to present a coronavirus test to enter Rwanda. Post-arrival testing was also not performed.
Remember to check the latest entry requirements before traveling to Rwanda.
Who can enter Rwanda?
Rwandan authorities allow entry to all international travelers regardless of their Covid-19 vaccination status.
Document checklist for entry into Rwanda
- valid passport
- Rwanda Visa
- travel insurance
Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements
Request an inspection
Pre-departure and post-arrival Covid-19 testing requirements no longer apply. Travelers leaving Rwanda were also previously required to take a rapid antigen test to leave the country. From now on, Covid-19 testing is no longer a condition for leaving the country.
In some places, visitors still must submit to a coronavirus test, such as to enter most national parks. Tests can be taken at designated locations. The cost of RAT is 5 USD (5,000 RWF), while for the PCR test you have to pay 50 USD (50,000 RWF).
Vaccination required
A Covid-19 vaccination certificate is not required to enter Rwanda. However, Rwandan citizens and residents must be fully vaccinated to access public spaces, such as public transportation. Tourists visiting Rwanda are exempt from vaccination requirements.
To be considered fully vaccinated, you must receive two doses of Covid-19 vaccine and a booster dose (given 3 months after the second dose of vaccine).
Quarantine required
If a traveler tests positive for Covid-19 during their stay in Rwanda, self-isolation for 10 days is mandatory. They will have to bear all quarantine and treatment costs.
Traveled from Rwanda
Covid-19 testing is no longer required when leaving Rwanda by air. However, all travelers whose final destination requires a valid test may have the test performed at their own expense at designated medical centers and testing sites. different determination.
All Rwandan citizens or residents aged 12 years and over departing from their country must provide a full vaccination certificate to board their flight.
Traveling to Rwanda
The Rwandan government has lifted most travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Travelers do not need to prove their vaccination status or provide a negative test result to enter Rwanda. It is also not necessary to declare your health before traveling.
However, all coronavirus restrictions are subject to rapid change. All travelers to Rwanda should monitor any changes and travel advice to ensure smooth entry into the country. You should also make sure that all your travel documents are ready for your next trip, including your passport, visa and health insurance.
Entry Rules for Children
As visitors to Rwanda no longer need to follow Covid-19 regulations, children are also exempted from providing vaccination certificates or negative test results to enter Rwanda.
Transit through Rwanda
Transit passengers no longer need to complete the Passenger Locator Form before departure. They do not need to provide a negative Covid-19 test result to board the flight. There is also no post-arrival testing at Kigali International Airport for transit passengers.
If you are not leaving the airport transit area, a transit visa is not required. However, if you want to leave the transit area while waiting for your connecting flight, you will need to have the appropriate entry permit upon arrival in Rwanda. Contact your airline for more information about transit visa procedures.
Visa requirements
electronic visa
In 2018, the Rwandan government implemented an e-visa system to allow citizens of several countries to apply for visas entirely online. There are four different types of e-visas that eligible applicants can choose from. All four visa types can be used for tourism and business purposes.
Applying for an e-Visa means no trips to the embassy and no waiting in line for hours. The entire application can be completed in just a few minutes right from the applicant's home. The approved e-visa will be sent directly to the email address.
Currently, there are over 160 different nationalities eligible for Rwanda e-visas.
Embassy or consulate visa
Citizens of more than 40 different countries must apply for any type of Rwanda visa, including short-term tourist visas, from one of Rwanda's diplomatic missions.
Applying for a diplomatic or consular visa requires making an appointment well in advance of your planned trip, as it can take up to several weeks for all visa procedures to be processed.
List of countries whose citizens must apply for a Rwanda diplomatic or consular visa:
- Aland Islands
- American Samoa
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- Bonaire
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Cayman Islands
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Islands
- Cook Islands
- Curacao
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guernsey
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Martinique
- Mayotte
- Montserrat
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pitcairn Islands
- Reunion
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Sint Maarten
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Tokelau
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Wallis and Futuna
Additionally, all foreigners planning to visit Rwanda for a longer period of time, work there or engage in any other activity without an e-visa or VoA must also have a visa or permit from the nearest Rwandan embassy or consulate.
Visa exemption
Citizens of the following countries are allowed to enter Rwanda without a visa for different durations:
UP TO 6 MONTHS
- Burundi
- Kenya
- southern Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
UP TO 90 DAYS
- Angola
- Benin
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d’Ivoire
- DR Congo
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Mauritius
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
Furthermore, holders of diplomatic or official passports of the following countries are also exempted from the obligation to have a valid visa to Rwanda:
- China
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- India
- Israel
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
In addition, Chinese citizens holding passports with "official" stamps are allowed to enter Rwanda without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days.
Visa on Arrival
VoA is a type of visa issued at some international airports and land border crossing points. There are currently over 30 different nationalities that can apply for a visa on arrival in Rwanda.
In addition to tourist visas, they can also apply for business and conference visas which are issued upon arrival.
Eligible VoA Rwandan travelers should note that it may take hours in line to get their visa issued.
We strongly recommend that all those who can benefit from applying for a visa online do so rather than leaving the visa application formalities until the last moment.
The full list of countries eligible to participate in Rwanda VoA is as follows:
- Angola
- Belize
- Benin
- Brunei Darussalam
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Ghana
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
Passenger Locator Form
Like other governments, Rwandan authorities have also introduced a Passenger Locator Form. However, as of June 2022, it is no longer necessary to complete a Rwandan PLF to enter the country.
Travel Insurance
According to Rwandan law, everyone on Rwandan territory must have health insurance.
Choose the right international insurance policy that covers air medical transportation because patients requiring more complex treatment must be transported to Kenya or South Africa. Also, make sure you buy insurance that covers Covid-19.
