Rwanda begins issuing visa on arrival to nationals of all countries

Effective from 1 January 2018, Rwanda has introduced a scheme which will allow nationals of all countries to enter the country without needing to apply for a visa. Its Directorate of Immigration announced through a tweet that the East African country will grant a 30-day visa on arrival to nationals of all countries, sans prior application, a privilege that was accorded earlier only to citizens of African countries and few others. KT Press quotes the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration as stating recently that a ‘Visa Waiver Agreement’ was entered by it with diplomatic and service passport holders from India, the Djibouti, Morocco, Gabon, Ethiopia, Guinea, Turkey and Israel on 16 November 2017. On the same day, it was indicated that based on a mutual basis, nationals of 18 countries intending to visit Rwanda would not have to apply or shell out money for a visa. In other words, a multi-entry exemption would be granted for the citizens of these countries, without any charge at the ports of entry, following valid travel documents presentation, right from a valid passport for many countries and national ID for few others. The citizens of the countries who it is applicable to with passports are Chad, Benin, Indonesia, Ghana, Haiti, Guinea, Seychelles, Singapore, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritius, Congo and the Philippines. Passport holders of all the East African Community member states –Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan - could enter by showing an ID on arrival. Nationals of member states of COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) were also not needed to apply for a visa of Rwanda under a visa application exemption of 90 days announced on 16 November 2017. Although they needed to obtain a visa on arrival, the prescribed fee had to be paid, as provided by the Protocol of COMESA on Free Movement of Persons, Services, Right of Establishment, Labor and Residence. Currently, nationals of COMESA member states were being issued 30-day permits on arrival just like their African counterparts. If you are looking to travel to Rwanda, get in touch with Y-Axis, a premier firm for immigration services, to apply for a visa.