Uganda: UAE Lifts Visa Restrictions On Ugandans, Puts 21 Day Window

What the report says

The United Arab Emirates has resumed issuing visas to Ugandan nationals after suspending new applications in June 2026 amid concerns about Ebola in the region, according to The Independent of Kampala as republished by AllAfrica. The easing was announced on November 11 and means Ugandans can again apply to travel to the UAE, but only if they have spent at least 21 days outside Uganda before departure.

The revised rules were announced by the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, working with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. The article said the change follows Uganda’s containment of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, which the country declared over in July 2026 after public health measures interrupted local transmission. Uganda had announced the outbreak in May after infections linked to cross-border transmission from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The new arrangements also allow certain exempt groups to travel, including Ugandan students who were enrolled in UAE institutions before June 2026, their family members, embassy administrative staff and dependants, and holders of Ugandan diplomatic and special passports. Humanitarian and medical cases will still be reviewed individually, and medical travelers must provide supporting reports. The UAE said restrictions on nationals of the DRC and South Sudan remain in place as it continues to monitor health risks in the region.