Uganda Does a U-turn to Travel Visa Fees

Uganda, a country that had increased its tourist visa fees from USD50 to USD100 abruptly seems to be doing a U-turn in its decision to hike the entry fees. Rreliable sources from Uganda intimated to us that after South Sudan putting up a strong protest to the Ugandan government about what has been described as “unaffordable fees for our people”, the authorities are reviewing the new visa fees that seem to be high. The government is now considering an instant review about the visa fees so that a better price for all kinds of travellers can be got.

In July 2015 the government of Uganda increased the cost of visa fees by 100% surprising tourists on arrival as well as tour operators in the country. The abrupt and uninformed increment caused consternation and disbelief among visitor who were taking prebooked safaris in Uganda as well as tourism operators. Sources from the Uganda Tour Operators indicate that the agencies are still trying to come to terms with the government to revise the fees that had made Uganda more expensive to tourists if compared with Rwanda that charges only USD30 for a single entry visa. In addition to that the rise in fees at the beginning of July, caught many tourists unaware at the airport as neither Uganda’s embassies abroad as well as the local tour operators who had booked safaris for their clients.

Tour operators are also against the decision by the Ugandan government to make special provisions for citizens of South Sudan, to pay only a US$50 visa fee, reversing the decision of last month which raised visa fees broadly to US$100 per person, per entry. “If they can reduce the visa fee for South Sudanese, they can surely reduce them for everyone else. We are already struggling with high taxes here which made safaris upcountry a lot more expensive compared to last year. Now the visa fees are doubled. Does our government think the markets can absorb such sudden changes? We are working against the odds to bring more tourists here and for the last year things were very tough. Make no mistake, higher cost for travel to Uganda will be counterproductive.”