Rwanda transit visa: 72-hour stay rules

Ministerial Order N° 06/01 defines the transit visa VT for a person who transits through Rwanda for no more than 72 hours. It is meant for travellers who leave the airport or cross Rwanda overland on their way to another country. It is single entry, the holder may not work and a change of status is not allowed.

Since every nationality can also obtain a visitor visa on arrival, a traveller who wants more than three days in the country should take the USD 50 visitor visa instead.

The VT costs USD 30. It is free for nationals of countries with which Rwanda has a visa waiver arrangement, which includes the member states of the African Union, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. Other nationals pay the full fee.

The VE-2 visa covers foreigners transiting through a Rwandan airport or border post who cannot continue because of circumstances beyond their control, such as a changed flight schedule or bad weather. It is issued free of charge at the entry point, is single entry, is valid for no more than 72 hours and may be extended in exceptional circumstances.

The VT is requested at the border post on arrival, online on Irembo or at another place designated by the DGIE. You need a genuine travel document valid for at least six months. Keep your onward ticket at hand to show that you are actually in transit.

The VE-2 is not applied for in advance: the immigration officer at the entry point issues it once the interruption of your journey is established, typically with confirmation from the airline.

A VT cannot be converted into another status inside Rwanda and work is prohibited. Staying longer than 72 hours without an extension or a new visa counts as an overstay; the five-day grace period applies, after which fines under Ministerial Order N° 06/01 begin at FRW 50,000.