Entry permit for a person employed and paid by a Ugandan government institution.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Eastern Africa · Immigration
Uganda
Uganda sits in Eastern Africa. Its immigration system runs 23 distinct routes — led by short stay & visit, work and investment, each set out in official law. 22 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 23across 11 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 22 of 23cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Short stay & visit5 of the 23 routes — see them under Short stay & visit below
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Capital
- Kampala
- Population
- 51,384,894
- Official language
- English, Swahili
- Currency
- UGX
- Time zone
- UTC+03:00
Source-cited pathways
Immigration routes
All 23 routes, grouped by purpose — 22 of 23 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
4 routes
Entry permit for a missionary or volunteer working in an NGO.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Entry permit for a foreign expatriate employed in Uganda, including salaried NGO staff.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Temporary three-month pass for a sponsored short contract.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Investment
4 routes
Entry permit for a shareholder in an agricultural company.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Entry permit for a shareholder in an agro-processing company.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Entry permit for a shareholder in a qualifying mineral-prospecting or mining company.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Entry permit for a shareholder of a manufacturing company.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Business & self-employment
2 routes
Entry permit for a shareholder of a company engaged in general trade.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Entry permit for a qualifying prescribed professional practising in Uganda.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Talent & merit
1 route
Entry permit for a rare-skilled foreign national employed in specified agro-processing, manufacturing or mining.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-08-03
Study
1 route
Pass for a foreign national over four years old enrolled in a Ugandan learning institution.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Family
2 routes
Residence certificate for a person legally married to a Ugandan for at least three years and living lawfully in Uganda.
Can bring: spouse
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Pass for a qualifying spouse, child or other relative of a lawful foreign resident or Ugandan citizen.
Can bring: spouse, children
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Independent means
1 route
Entry permit for a person supported by assured foreign-source income who undertakes not to work locally.
Income from USD 36,000/yr
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-08-03
Residence-based status
1 route
Residence certificate for a person with ten years of continuous legal stay and socioeconomic contribution to Uganda.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Short stay & visit
5 routes
Electronic visa for tourism across Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda under the regional visa.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Temporary individual pass for medical treatment, tourism, exploring business opportunities or completing immigration formalities.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Electronic visa for transit through Uganda to a destination outside Uganda.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Electronic visa for repeated temporary visits during the authorised six-, twelve- or twenty-four-month period.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Electronic visa for tourism, holiday, family visit, business, study or medical travel.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Humanitarian protection
1 route
In-country asylum process led by Uganda's Refugee Eligibility Committee and Office of the Prime Minister, with location-specific registration.
Can bring: spouse, children
Official source of the governing body: help.unhcr.org · checked 2026-07-27
Ancestry & return
1 route
Residence certificate for a person who previously held Ugandan citizenship and acquired another citizenship.
Official government source: immigration.go.ug · checked 2026-07-27
Official sources
- eVisa Work Permit PortalGovernment
- [NSO] Uganda Bureau of StatisticsGovernment
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