NIRA kicks off first registration of foreigners

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The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) will kick off the registration of all legally resident foreign nationals living in Uganda on June 10, 2026.

This will be the first time NIRA is conducting the registration with a purpose of issuing foreigners with registration cards.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 03, NIRA said the move is in accordance with the provisions of the Registration of Persons Act, CAP 332.

Foreigners are required to register for purposes of enrolling on the National Identification Register, access Local Services, for national security where registration helps the Government to maintain a precise and accurate database of who is in the country, as well as protecting both the state and the expatriate community.

It also helps planners to link foreign nationals with their legally permitted stay to prevent illegal employment or overstaying visas.

According to Clare Omalla, a NIRA registrar, this will be the first time the authority is implementing the requirements of the Act and officially documenting foreigners in Uganda.

“The Auditor General has on several occasions raised concern regarding this matter, and as NIRA, we had never officially registered them. This will be our first time to do so.  We have been using the Immigration statistics where each foreigner is issued a permit, but now, we are going to issue them with cards,” she said.

Section 5(1) (c) of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, CAP 313 and 54(1) of the Act provide for compulsory registration of all alien residents and issuance of permits, certificates, or passes.

This Act defines an alien as a person who is not a citizen of Uganda except persons visiting Uganda for a period not exceeding 90 days.

NIRA said for purposes of registration, the persons will be required to pay registration fees amounting to $100 (sh376,873). This is in addition to physical presence at the designated NIRA registration centre.

The individuals will also be required to present a valid passport or equivalent travel document and a valid Ugandan visa, a valid immigration facility issued under the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, CAP 313, namely; work permit, student or pupil’s pass, dependence pass, certificate of residence, special pass, or any other valid immigration facility, and proof of payment of the prescribed registration fee of $100.

According to the statement, upon successful registration, the successful individuals will be allocated a unique identification number in accordance with Section 72 of the Act and thereafter issue an alien identification card pursuant to Section 73 of the Act.

“The validity of the alien identification card shall correspond to the validity period of the immigration facility issued to the alien under the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, CAP 313,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, registration will be conducted at the first designated registration center on plot 62, Lumumba Avenue, NIRA offices and also at the Ministry of Internal Affairs work permit section.

“All affected persons are encouraged to comply with this legal requirement within the stipulated timelines,” the statement reads.

Uganda hosts roughly 2 million registered foreigners, with the overwhelming majority being refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries.

These individuals rely on the country’s open-door policy and primarily originate from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi, and Sudan.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers account for roughly 1.95 million of the foreign population. However, these individuals are officially registered by the Office of the Prime Minister Department of Refugees and are tracked by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Uganda Portal.

Official figures for conventional foreign residents (expatriates, students, investors, and workers) are much lower compared to the refugee population, sitting at around 120,000 to 150,000 individuals.

These are generally documented through work permits, visas, and passes issued by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control under the ministry of Internal Affairs.