Rwanda is the easy one. Every nationality gets a visa on arrival, and for a US passport it's $50 for 30 days, paid at the counter. There's no form before you fly unless you want one, and nothing to print. This page exists because people don't quite believe it, and because there are three other things Rwanda does check, plus one rule of America's own about the flight home.
The short version. US citizens get a 30-day tourist visa on arrival in Rwanda, at Kigali International Airport and every land border, for $50. Bring US dollars printed in 2006 or later, or a card. Your passport needs six months' validity and a blank page. Prefer it done beforehand, or staying longer than 30 days? Apply at irembo.gov.rw.
How it works at Kigali
You land, you queue for immigration, you hand over your passport and say you're a tourist. The officer will ask where you're staying, so have the first hotel's name from your Kingse itinerary ready, and may ask about your onward flight. You pay the $50, you get the stamp, done. The 30 days run from that stamp. The same applies at the land borders we use: Cyanika and Gatuna coming in from Uganda, Rusumo from Tanzania.
Rwanda's immigration department has allowed visa on arrival for every nationality since 2018. It waives the fee for citizens of Commonwealth, African Union and Francophonie countries, which is why a British friend walks through for free while you pay. The US Embassy in Kigali puts the American version in one line: 30-day tourist visas are available for $50 at Rwandan land borders and at Kigali International Airport, payable in US dollars printed during or after 2006, Rwandan francs, or by Visa or Mastercard. Old bills get refused across East Africa, so check the dates on your cash before you leave home.
What it costs
Staying more than 30 days, or leaving and coming back, means a different visa. A multiple-entry visa is $70 for up to 90 days. The East Africa Tourist Visa is $100 and covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya together for 90 days, applied for through whichever of the three you enter first; your first entry then has to be through that country. For a Rwanda-first trip you'd lodge that on Irembo, the government's online services portal, which is also where you'd pre-apply for the ordinary 30-day visa if you simply prefer the paperwork done before you fly. You can pay online or on arrival. No agent is authorized to apply for you, whatever their website says. For a standard gorilla trip of a few nights, the visa at the counter is all you need.
Three things Rwanda does check
Plastic bags. Rwanda banned non-biodegradable plastic bags in 2008 and means it. Bags get taken off you at the airport. Pack toiletries in a reusable pouch, not a grocery bag, and leave the duty-free plastic behind.
Where you've been. Because of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda screens arrivals at Kigali airport and has restrictions on its DRC border, and they change at short notice. None of our itineraries go near the DRC, but if you've traveled there independently, tell us before you book.
Yellow fever. Rwanda asks for a yellow fever certificate if you're arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. Uganda and Kenya are on that list, so on our Uganda-to-Rwanda gorilla trail the card gets looked at. Flying in from the US with a connection in Europe or the Gulf, it doesn't come up, and the CDC's Rwanda page says the vaccine isn't required for direct travel from the US. Whether you have it at all is a decision for a travel doctor with your whole itinerary, not for us.
One rule of America's own: the flight home
Flying home to the US? If your flight home stops in Entebbe, Uganda, even without leaving the plane, the CDC's rules of October 22, 2026 count you as having been in Uganda: US citizens are routed through designated airports for health screening, and Green Card holders and other non-US citizens can't enter the US for 21 days. Pick flights that don't stop in Uganda, and we'll check your route.
Kigali has good one-stop connections to the US through Brussels, Amsterdam, Doha, Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Nairobi, so this is easy to route around. The trap is a flight that calls at Entebbe on its way to the hub, which some Brussels and Nairobi services do, so check the stops on the homeward leg, not just the connection city. Read the State Department's latest advice for Rwanda before you book as well, because it changes.
Gorilla permits
Your permit for Volcanoes National Park is bought by us in your name, in full, when your trip is confirmed. Bring the same passport to the morning briefing at Kinigi. At $1,500 per person per trek it's the biggest line in any Rwanda quote; our Rwanda gorilla trekking cost guide explains what it covers.
Rwanda with Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania
Each neighbor has its own rules. Uganda needs an eVisa before you fly, Kenya an eTA, and Tanzania its own $100 multiple-entry visa, never covered by the East Africa Tourist Visa. For a two-country gorilla trip that lands in Entebbe and leaves from Kigali, the joint visa costs the same as the two separate ones, $100, and lets you cross between the three countries as you like. Entering Rwanda last is the easiest way to finish, and Kigali is the easiest airport in the region to fly home from.
Quick answers
Do US citizens need a visa for Rwanda?
Yes, and it's issued at the border. Rwanda gives every nationality a visa on arrival, and for a US passport the 30-day tourist visa is $50, paid at Kigali airport or the land border in US dollars printed in 2006 or later, Rwandan francs or by card.
How much does a Rwanda visa cost for Americans?
$50 for up to 30 days, single entry. A multiple-entry visa for up to 90 days is $70, and the East Africa Tourist Visa covering Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya is $100.
Can I apply for the Rwanda visa online before I fly?
Yes, at irembo.gov.rw, the government's online services portal, paying online or on arrival. For a short trip it's optional; the same visa is issued at the border.
What do I need to show on arrival in Rwanda?
A passport valid for at least six months with a blank page, the name of your first hotel, possibly your onward flight, and the fee. Have your Kingse itinerary on your phone.
Does the East Africa Tourist Visa include Tanzania?
No. It covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya only. Tanzania is always a separate visa.
Is a flight home that stops in Uganda a problem?
It can be. Under the CDC's rules of October 22, 2026 a stop in Entebbe counts as having been in Uganda, even if you stay on the plane. Pick flights that don't stop in Uganda, and we'll check your route.
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Questions Before You Fly?
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Booked with us and unsure about a border rule, a permit or what to carry? Message us and we'll give you a straight answer. Not booked yet? We'll walk you through all of it once you are.
