The Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued guidelines on the reopening of the borders in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic as per the presidential directives.
In his recent address to the nation, President Museveni opened the borders saying several people from neighbouring countries such as South Sudan, may wish to enter Uganda for purposes of accessing medical care.
Entry into Uganda has been restricted except for cargo related handlers such as truck drivers and air cargo crew, a decision made to reduce the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases.
Officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said Entebbe International Airport and Uganda’s land borders will now be open to tourists and business community, coming in and going out, as long as they tested COVID-19 negative, 72 hours before arrival into Uganda.
Officials noted the returning Ugandans will be allowed to come home but they must have tested negative 72 hours before arrival in Uganda.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) is responsible for facilitating legal and orderly movement of persons to and from Uganda and wishes to provide the general public with details of how the Ministry intends to operationalize the presidential directives,” the statement from the ministry reads.
According to the statement, the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control will neither retain travellers’ Passports nor require clearances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Works and Transport as well as the Ministry of Health for all travellers listed in the categories below
These includes Ugandans holding Ugandan travel documents, foreign nationals with valid residence facilities such as, Certificate of Residence (CR), Entry Permits, Special Passes, Dependent Passes and refugees holding Conventional Travel Documents (CTD) issued by the Republic of Uganda.
“Final Year pupils/students in schools/colleges, institutions in Uganda, shall be granted entry provided that they have valid immigration facilities or whose applications for the Pupil/Student Pass have been approved by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control,” officials said in the statement.
Officials added that all residents whose immigration facilities expired while out of the country are advised to apply for renewal of their facilities and only come after they have been approved and paid for.
They said all persons requiring visas to enter Uganda will be responsible for ensuring that they have the appropriate entry visa in time for their arrival.
For the non-visa exempt nationalities, the ministry advised them to submit their online visa application before the expected date of arrival.
Officials said Ugandan citizens can be permitted to exit if they present visas or residence facilities of the destination country.
“All visitors who were unable to exit the country because of travel restrictions due to COVID-19 Pandemic situation shall now be allowed to exit without penalty,” they noted in the statement.
The ministry however said all those travellers who were illegal in the country prior to the travel restrictions will first have to get clearance from Immigration headquarters before they travel.
Officials informed the public that curfew is still in place therefore if those who are travelling or facilitating travellers during curfew hours should ensure that they are in possession of documentation relating to the travel.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs assured the general public of its readiness to open the borders and urge travellers to respect and abide by the Standard Operating Procedures.