Rwanda begins open border policy on New Year Day

The Rwandan Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration announced that all visitors to Rwanda started to get a 30-day visa upon arrival without prior application which is effective Monday, January 1, 2018.

In November 2017, a new visa regime was announced in which citizens of the other East African Community Partner states are entitled to six months visitors pass upon arrival in the country with no fee.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs in November said that the new visa regime is in line with the African Union spirit of encouraging free movement of people across the continent and is expected to increase the number of tourists and foreign investors coming to Rwanda.

The 27th ordinary session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Kigali in July 2016 adopted the Free Movement of Persons and the African Passport policy.

When Rwanda started to issue the visa upon arrival to all Africans in 2013, the number of African nationals that were issued visa on arrival at Rwandan entry points increased from 31,054 to 77,377 in 2016.

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What does the public announcement contain?

The issued statement from the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration stated that, “In view of bilateral agreements, nationals of the following countries may visit Rwanda without a visa for a period up to 90 days: Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, DRC, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Haiti, Mauritius, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe and Singapore.”

In view of bilateral agreements, nationals of the following countries may visit Rwanda and be given a visa for 90 days: Benin, Central African Republic, and 12 others. These countries were previously given visas for just 30 days and only nationals of African countries were getting a visa upon arrival.

Usually, foreign nationals wishing to obtain a Rwandan visa submit their applications online or at the Rwandan diplomatic missions of their country of residence.

Nationals of Australia, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States of America will be issued with entry visa valid for a period up to 30 days and pay for a visa ($30) upon arrival without prior application.

However, the migration Directorate notes that the visitor’s visa should not be used for employment and adds that, “Nationals of all African countries traveling to or transiting through Rwanda obtain an entry visa upon arrival without necessarily making prior application and pay for a visa ($30) where applicable.”