Uganda embraces joint EAC tourist visas

Uganda has embraced the joint tourism visa for the East African Community (EAC). The joint visas are currently working in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

According to Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the joint visas allow a tourist to go to any of the three countries within 90 days after paying only $100.  

The spokesperson of UTB, Vincent Mugaba told New Vision that when a tourist pays $100, the country where the payment is done takes $40 and the other two share the balance of $60.

Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda are marketing themselves as one stop tourism destinations.

Mugaba said that before a tourist pays for the visa in any of the three countries, they are asked whether they would want to visit any of the other two countries.

"If they say yes, they will be given a joint tourist visa," he said.

The tourism sector is very important for Uganda, a country that has been named among the 20 global tourism destinations.

The National Geographic, an international channel affiliated to National Geographic Society in 2013 named Uganda among the top global tourism destinations.

The tourism sector is Uganda's lead export and last financial year, it earned the economy sh4.7 trillion.  

The news of the joint tourism visas comes at the time when Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda are plan to embrace e-visas where tourists will be able to process their visas online, according to the Immigration Department.