Rwanda
Rwanda visa guide: visas, residence permits and fees
- 17 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Rwanda work
Entry and residence in Rwanda are handled by the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) in Kigali. The rules come from Law N° 57/2018 on immigration and emigration and Ministerial Order N° 06/01 of 29 May 2019, whose annexes set out every visa class, every residence permit class and the fee for each. Applications, payments and most follow-ups go through Irembo, the government services portal.
Since 1 January 2018 citizens of all countries can obtain a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and at all land borders without applying in advance. The standard visitor visa costs USD 50 for a single entry of 30 days or USD 70 for multiple entries over 90 days. Nationals of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie member states pay nothing for a 30-day stay, a listed group of countries gets 90 days free, and East African Community citizens receive a free pass for up to six months. Everyone else falls under the standard paid regime.
Short stays are covered by twelve visitor sub-classes (V1 to V12), from holiday and family visits to job search, conferences, business surveys, medical treatment, group tours and the USD 100 East Africa Tourist Visa shared with Kenya and Uganda. Anyone who will work, study, invest or live with family needs a temporary residence permit, which is applied for inside Rwanda within 15 working days of arrival and costs between FRW 20,000 and FRW 250,000 depending on the class.
After ten years of legal residence a foreigner may qualify for a permanent residence permit (class L-1); other permanent classes exist for people of special interest to Rwanda, senior multinational staff, spouses and children of permanent residents and humanitarian cases. Asylum is a separate procedure under Law N° 042/2024, handled by the same Directorate.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday, sightseeing or visiting friends and relatives: the visitor visa V1 or V2, bought on arrival or requested on Irembo (USD 50 for 30 days, USD 70 for 90 days with multiple entries). Touring Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda on one trip: the East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100, 90 days).
Meetings, market research or exploring investment: the business survey visa V6; a conference or workshop: V5; regular trips by a non-resident investor or board member: the itinerant business visa V9. Medical care: V7. Looking for a job in an occupation on the Occupation in Demand List: the job search visa V4.
Paid employment, studies, setting up a company, investing, retiring or joining a family member: a temporary residence permit in the matching class (H, E, N2 or Q1 for employees, U1 for students, A2 to Z2 for entrepreneurs, A1 to Z1 for investors, K for assured income, M1 or M2 for dependants). Long-term residents can later look at the permanent classes L-1 to L-7. A person fleeing persecution applies for refugee status at a DGIE office within seven days of entry.
Visa types for Rwanda
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Visitor visa for holiday and family visits (V1, V2), group tourist visa (V8) and East Africa Tourist Visa (V11)
Rwanda’s tourist visa is the visitor visa V1 (holiday) or V2 (family visit): USD 50 for a single entry valid 30 days or USD 70 for multiple entries over 90 days, issued on arrival, on Irembo or at a Rwandan mission.
Maximum stay: 30 days (single entry) or 90 days (multiple entries); East Africa Tourist Visa 90 days - Transit visa Transit visa (VT) and transit visa for unforeseen circumstances (VE-2)
A traveller passing through Rwanda can get the transit visa VT, valid for up to 72 hours, single entry, for USD 30 (free for AU, Commonwealth and Francophonie nationals).
Maximum stay: 72 hours - Medical treatment visa Medical treatment visa (V7)
The V7 visa is for a foreigner coming to Rwanda for medical treatment or consultation confirmed by a recognised medical practitioner, and for a foreign care attendant.
Maximum stay: 90 days, renewable
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Business survey visa (V6), conference and meetings visa (V5) and itinerant business visa (V9)
Business travel to Rwanda uses three visitor classes: the V6 business survey visa for prospective investors, entrepreneurs and traders (USD 50 single or USD 70 multiple entry, 90 days), the V5 conference visa (USD 50, 30 days) and the V9 itinerant business visa for non-resident investors and board members (USD 200, valid two to ten years).
Maximum stay: V6: 90 days; V5: 30 days; V9: multiple visits over its validity - Investor visa Investor residence permits (classes A1, B1, F1, O1, W1, X1, Z1 and recurring A3-1 to Z3-1)
Foreign investors in Rwanda receive a temporary residence permit in the class matching their sector, such as mining (A1), agriculture (B1), manufacturing (F1), hospitality (O1), IT (W1), transport and logistics (X1) or any other sector (Z1).
Maximum stay: Up to two years per first permit; five years for recurring applicants - Entrepreneur and start-up visa Entrepreneur and trader residence permits (A2, B2, F2, O2, W2, X2, Z2, G1, G2) and self-employed professional permit (C1)
A foreigner who runs a business in Rwanda on their own account holds an entrepreneur permit in the class for the sector (A2 mining, B2 agriculture, F2 manufacturing, O2 hospitality, W2 IT, X2 transport, Z2 other), a trader permit (G1 for EAC and CEPGL nationals, G2 for others) or, for regulated professions, the self-employed permit C1.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per permit; five years for recurring applicants
Study and training
- Student visa Student residence permit (U1), occupational trainee permit (U2) and student holiday work permit (P2)
Foreign students in Rwanda hold the U1 student residence permit, which costs FRW 20,000 and is valid one year, renewable each year with a school recommendation and sponsorship letter.
Maximum stay: Length of studies, renewed yearly
Work
- Job seeker visa Job search visa (V4) for occupations on the Occupation in Demand List
Rwanda’s V4 job search visa lets a skilled foreigner whose occupation is on the national Occupation in Demand List enter to look for work.
Maximum stay: 90 days, renewable - Work visa Employment residence permits (classes H1 to H7, E1, E2, C2, N2, J and the R special pass)
Foreigners who take a job in Rwanda need a temporary residence permit in an employment class, most often H2 (employer-sponsored skilled worker) or H1 (skilled worker in an occupation on the Occupation in Demand List).
Maximum stay: Duration of the permit; never longer than the employment contract - Intra-company transfer visa Residence permit for intra-company transfer and multinational staff (class Q1)
The Q1 permit covers a foreigner sent by a company or organisation to its affiliate registered in Rwanda for a defined assignment, and a foreigner working for a multinational or regional company with its international or regional office in Rwanda.
Maximum stay: One year; the permit cannot exceed the employment contract
Family
- Family reunification visa Dependant permit for family of a temporary resident (M2) and close relative of a permanent resident (M3)
Family members of a foreigner holding a Rwandan temporary residence permit receive an M2 dependant permit, valid as long as the principal’s permit and costing half of the principal’s fee.
Maximum stay: M2: same validity as the principal’s permit; M3: three years - Spouse and partner visa Dependant permit for the spouse or child of a Rwandan citizen (M1)
The foreign spouse or child of a Rwandan citizen lives in Rwanda on an M1 dependant permit, valid three years and renewable with an application letter.
Maximum stay: Three years, renewable
Residence
- Retirement visa Residence permit for persons with assured income and retirees (class K)
Rwanda’s class K permit is for a foreigner with assured income, including a retired person, who does not intend to work in Rwanda.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per permit, renewable - Permanent residence Permanent residence permit (classes L-1 to L-7)
Rwanda grants permanent residence in seven classes.
Maximum stay: Indefinite, subject to cancellation rules
Online travel permits
- Visa on arrival Visa on arrival (visitor visa issued at Kigali International Airport and land borders)
Since 1 January 2018 every nationality can get a Rwandan visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders without applying in advance.
Maximum stay: 30 days; 90 days on a multiple-entry visa or for listed visa-waiver countries; six months for EAC citizens - e-Visa Online visa application on Irembo (DGIE)
Rwanda’s online visa channel is the Irembo government portal, where the DGIE accepts applications for visitor, transit, business, job search and other visa classes as well as the East Africa Tourist Visa.
Maximum stay: Depends on the class: 30 or 90 days for visitors, 72 hours for transit
Asylum and international protection
- Asylum and international protection Refugee status application under Law N° 042/2024
People seeking protection in Rwanda apply for refugee status on Rwandan territory, at the nearest office of the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration within seven days of entry, under Law N° 042/2024.
Maximum stay: Permitted to stay while the application and appeals are pending
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Rwanda?
Unless you are in a fee-waiver group, yes, but it is available on arrival. Nationals outside those groups pay USD 50 for a 30-day single-entry visitor visa or USD 70 for a 90-day multiple-entry visa, either at the border or by applying on Irembo before departure.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Rwanda whatever my nationality?
Yes. Since 1 January 2018 citizens of all countries are issued a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders without prior application. Depending on nationality the visa is paid (USD 50 or USD 70) or free.
What passport validity does Rwanda require?
Every visa class requires a genuine travel document valid for at least six months. Rwandan embassy guidance specifies that the six months are counted on the day you enter Rwanda.
What happens if I overstay my visa or permit?
There is a five-day grace period after expiry to leave or renew without penalty. After that, Ministerial Order N° 06/01 sets fines from FRW 50,000 (6 to 15 days) up to FRW 1,000,000 (more than nine months), extension may be refused and the person can also be expelled.
Can I work in Rwanda on a visitor visa?
No. No visitor visa class allows work and the DGIE warns that visitor and East Africa Tourist visas must not be used for employment. Workers need a temporary residence permit; most visitor classes allow a change of status from inside Rwanda while the visa is still valid.
Should I use an agent to apply for a Rwandan visa?
The DGIE states that no agent is authorised to apply on your behalf and warns that such agents may mislead applicants and charge more than the official fee. Apply on Irembo, at a Rwandan mission or on arrival.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.