Rwanda Visa and Entry Requirements 2026: What Gorilla Trekkers Need

Every nationality can get a 30-day Rwanda tourist visa, either on arrival or online before you travel. Citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie countries pay no visa fee; most other visitors pay a fee on arrival. If your trip also includes Uganda or Kenya, the East Africa Tourist Visa covers all three countries for 90 days. Below is everything a gorilla trekker needs to have ready before landing in Kigali.

Rwanda tourist visa: on arrival or online

You can get a single-entry, 30-day tourist visa at Kigali International Airport or at any land border. Many travellers prefer to apply online in advance through the government’s Irembo portal, which shortens the queue at immigration. You will need a scan of your passport and, in most cases, details of your first night’s accommodation.

• Fee waived: citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie member states pay nothing for the 30-day visa. That includes, for example, the UK, Canada, Australia, India and South Africa.
• Fee payable: other nationalities, including US citizens, pay the standard tourist visa fee, which is around US$50 for a single entry. Many European passports are covered by the Commonwealth or Francophonie waiver, so check the current rule for your passport before you fly.
• East African Community citizens: enter free of charge and can stay for up to six months.

If you need longer than 30 days, you can apply to extend your visa at the immigration office in Kigali before it expires.

East Africa Tourist Visa (Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya)

The East Africa Tourist Visa costs US$100 and allows multiple entries between Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya for 90 days. It is worth it if you plan to combine gorillas in Rwanda with Bwindi or Mgahinga in Uganda, or a safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara.

• Apply through the country you will enter first; if that is Rwanda, apply online before you travel.
• Once you leave the three-country area, the visa ends. It does not cover Tanzania, which needs its own visa.
• For a Rwanda-only trip, the single 30-day visa is simpler and, for many passports, free.

Passport and documents

• Passport: valid for at least six months after your arrival date, with at least two blank pages.
• Yellow fever certificate: required if you arrive from, or have travelled through, a country with yellow fever risk. Carry the original.
• Recent travel in the DRC: since May 2026, foreign visitors who have been in or travelled through the DRC in the previous 30 days are refused entry as an Ebola precaution. Plan Congo trips for another time.
• Plastic bags: banned in Rwanda and may be confiscated at the airport.
• Onward travel and accommodation: immigration officers can ask to see them, so keep your trip confirmation handy.

Documents for your gorilla permit

Gorilla permits are issued in the trekker’s name, so we need your full name exactly as it appears in your passport, your nationality and your passport number when we book. Bring the same passport on trek day; rangers check permits against it at Kinigi.

If you qualify for the reduced African or East African permit rates, you will also need proof: a national ID or passport for citizens, or a residence permit for foreign residents. See our gorilla permit price guide for the current rates and seasons.

Arriving overland from Uganda

Many gorilla trekkers cross between Rwanda and Uganda by road. The Cyanika border, between Kisoro and Musanze, is the closest crossing to Volcanoes National Park and to Mgahinga and southern Bwindi. Katuna (Gatuna) on the Kampala–Kigali highway is the busiest crossing. Visas are available at both, and the East Africa Tourist Visa saves paying twice.

Not sure which visa suits your route? Tell us your plans and we will advise before you book anything.