Which country to enter first with the East Africa Visa?

Most tourists who consider using the East Africa Tourist Visa want to know whether they need to begin their journey in a particular nation. Your travel itinerary may face changes because the issuing country determines where you need to enter first when applying for the East Africa Tourist Visa.

Entry must start with the issuing country

The application for an East Africa Visa must begin through the country that will be your initial entry point among Kenya, Uganda, or Rwanda. Your entry into East Africa must begin with Uganda if you choose Uganda as your visa application country. Once you enter through the issuing country you gain unrestricted access to explore all three nations according to your wishes.

The visa has limited use because entry to any of the three countries requires a specific country's visa application approval. If you apply for the visa through Rwanda, you must enter Rwanda first. Arriving in Kenya or Uganda before entering Rwanda may result in being denied entry under the East Africa Tourist Visa.

How to apply the right way

Verify the processing country for your visa application with both online submission and embassy-based applications. The visa application process requires you to submit a new application when entering through an unexpected first entry point.

Travel tip

Always match your arrival airport or land border with the issuing country shown on your visa. After that, enjoy easy movement between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda - no additional paperwork needed.