
The Rwandan Visa for your Trip to Rwanda
If you are thinking of going to Rwanda on a holiday or to meet a relative or on a business trip, then applying for a Rwandan visa can become a necessary task.
Usually, a visitor can apply for the required Rwandan visa online/ at the nearest Rwandan embassy in the country of your residence.
General Visa Requirements and Validity Period of Rwandan Visa
Before applying for a visa for Rwanda, it is recommended you check whether you can apply for the Rwandan visa.
A brief list of the most important requirements and conditions when obtaining the visa for Rwanda:
- You do not expect to perform volunteer work that would otherwise be performed by a paid worker in Rwanda.
- You do not plan to participate in a work relationship in Rwanda.
- You do not plan to give services to Rwandan organisations (this is permitted with a Rwandan work visa or business visa).
- You do not intend to give or offer services or products to consumers in Rwanda.
- You and your relative are not in debt to the Rwanda Government.
- You do not pose a threat to the health or safety and security of residents of Rwanda.
- You are able to show that you have sufficient financial resources to pay for your stay and return from Rwanda.
Do I need a Rwandan visa?
It depends on your nationality and the type of travel document you are using to take a trip to Rwanda.Please click here to find out if you need a Rwandan visa.
Who exactly can apply for a Rwandan visa?
Any person wanting to go on holiday to Rwanda can make an application for a Rwandan visa.
There are several kinds of visa for Rwanda which you can use as a visitor to Rwanda. If you are not sure which sort of Rwandan visa you require to apply, please call the nearest Rwandan visa office to get more clarification as purpose of this page is to give you general guide when looking for Rwandan visa.
What type of Rwandan visa do I require?
This relies on three aspects:
- The citizenship according to your passport – If the nationality according to the passport is from a nation that is on visa free travel to Rwanda or eligible to apply for a visa on arrival in Rwanda, then you may not need to apply for a Rwandan visa before departure from your home country. Please click on this link to find out if you need a Rwandan visa.
- The timeframe of your trip in Rwanda – If you wish to stay in Rwanda for a shorter duration less than ninety days, then you can apply for the Rwandan visa. If you wish to remain longer, then get in touch with the closest Rwandan visa office to find the suitable visa for your trip.
- The activities you hope to execute in Rwanda – If your main reason of taking a trip is for vacation, then you can make an application for all kinds of Rwandan visas stated on this page.
General Visa Application Requirements to Get Rwandan Visitor Visa
- Tourist visa application form for Rwanda – Completed Rwandan visa Form.
- Original and signed passport – The passport must be valid for at least six months prior to entering Rwanda and three months after departing Rwanda. It should contain a minimum of two spare visa web pages and can not be older than ten years.
- Passport type photo – Photo needs to be no older than six months and must be 35 x 40mm in width.
- Previous passport – Offer a previous passport if you had any.
- Previous visas – Copies of previous Rwandan visas information if you had any.
- Flight tickets to Rwanda – Reservation of return or round trip flight tickets. In some scenarios the Rwandan visa office may request pre paid air travel tickets to Rwanda.
- Travel insurance policy – Evidence of travel insurance with a minimum cover set by the Rwandan consular office provided with the Certification of Insurance and the table of benefits. The travel insurance coverage must cover the expense of repatriation for medical reasons and the Certificate of Currency must be issued by an insurance company. If you are considering using your credit card travel insurance for your travel to Rwanda, please get in touch with Rwandan embassy for more details and travel insurance policy requirements for the Rwandan visa.
- Original bank declarations – Original bank statements for the last 3 months revealing adequate funds to cover your trip in Rwanda. If statements are printed online after that it has to be Authenticated (stamped) by the financial institution representatives.
- Hotel Reservations in Rwanda – Copy of confirmed hotel bookings including name of the applicant, name and address of the hotel, duration of stay. In a lot of circumstances, only bookings which are partly or completely pre-paid can be accepted.
- Work letter – This letter should be: original and signed letter from employer written on company letter head paper, confirming your ongoing employment, the status of employment, monthly income and annual leave. Additionally, please supply your three latest pay slips. If you are self-employed: supply certified copies of business registration, tax return.
- For students. Please provide the following:
- Evidence of present student status: Certificate of Enrollment.
- Original and signed letter from university written on university letter head paper, confirming on-going enrolment, verifying the payment of tuition fees or any kind of scholarships, and confirming term break.
- Insurance from Organisation/University– Offer a letter from the University specifying the purpose, period of travel and confirmation that you are going to be covered by the insurance policy for the entire journey together with the Certificate of Currency and summary of benefits.
In general, visa applications for Rwandan visa should be sent for a maximum of 6 months, and no later than 15 days, prior to the trip.