As the lockdown takes toll on in-country travels, Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has directed that all visa applications must be made and paid for online.
This comes after a forty-two day lockdown directive issued by His Excellency President Yoweri K Museveni in his earlier address to the nation on the COVID-19 spike late last month. Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has since directed that all visa applications must be made and paid for online and not on arrival.
The directive was issued and signed off by Major General Apollo Kasita-Gowa the Director of Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control. Only travelers with approved visas having applied online will be granted entry into the country.
It reads in part “…in implementing their mandate of controlling, regulating and facilitating movements in and out of the within the 42-day lockdown has directed that visa applications are made online at https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ as opposed to visa on arrival.”
The Directorate has further directed that:
- Only travelers with approved visas having applied online will be granted entry into the country
- Airline operators are to carry only passengers with pre-approved visas for visa prone countries. Failure to comply, the necessary fine will apply
- All inland transit passengers will be cleared to proceed
- All travelers coming in and going out of the country are required to have travel documents and other evidence to support their travel
- All other online applications and renewals for immigration facilities that are Entry, Work Permits, Special Passes, Dependant Passes and Certificate of Residence can still be applied for online
Online applicants will receive an approved notification which they must print and travel with as travel authorization.
Further notice was issued instructing that in addition to airlines permitted to carry only travelers with approved and authorized visas, returning residents with valid resident facility (entry/work permits , passes or certificate of residence) shall be permitted. The notice excludes nationals of countries that are exempt listed on the immigration website. The directive is effective from July 3 to July 31,2021.
However the online visa application has not been without its shortcomings. Some applicants had not received confirmation and some tour operators complained that their frantic clients were already in transit by the time of the directive.
This prompted the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) Board led by Civy Tumusiime to engage with the DCIC who resolved the matter by availing a dedicated line to immigration officer to clear stranded tourists.
To whether the directive will keep effect even after the lockdown or whether its just a counter measure to the prevailing covid-19 restrictions, this hasn’t been addressed by the ministry.
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