Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday that a bilateral visa-waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates is now in force. Holders of UAE diplomatic, special, ordinary and service passports can enter Uganda visa-free for up to 90 days per visit, while Ugandan diplomatic and service passport holders receive the same privilege in the Emirates.
Although the deal targets official travel, it eases logistical friction for government delegations, state-owned-enterprise executives and development-agency staff who shuttle between Kampala and Abu Dhabi. The waiver also strengthens trade ties ahead of Uganda’s planned participation in next year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and Dubai Airshow.
![Uganda and UAE Activate Reciprocal Visa-Free Travel for Diplomatic and Service Passports]()
VisaHQ’s online platform can streamline any remaining visa needs for travelers who fall outside the new waiver—for instance, ordinary Ugandan passport holders heading to the Emirates or UAE residents planning onward trips beyond both countries. With step-by-step application tools, document checks, and concierge services available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ the service lets HR teams and individual passengers stay compliant with evolving regulations while saving time and administrative effort.
For corporate mobility teams, the development means that assignees travelling on UAE official passports—common among state-backed entities—no longer need to budget processing time or fees for Ugandan entry visas. Ordinary Ugandan passport holders employed in the UAE will still require standard residence or visit visas, so HR should continue to run document checks for mixed-nationality project teams.
The Emirates Airline route to Entebbe remains the quickest option at six hours nonstop, and industry observers expect passenger demand to rise as government cooperation deepens. Travel managers should watch for potential fare adjustments once load factors increase.
Although the deal targets official travel, it eases logistical friction for government delegations, state-owned-enterprise executives and development-agency staff who shuttle between Kampala and Abu Dhabi. The waiver also strengthens trade ties ahead of Uganda’s planned participation in next year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and Dubai Airshow.
VisaHQ’s online platform can streamline any remaining visa needs for travelers who fall outside the new waiver—for instance, ordinary Ugandan passport holders heading to the Emirates or UAE residents planning onward trips beyond both countries. With step-by-step application tools, document checks, and concierge services available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ the service lets HR teams and individual passengers stay compliant with evolving regulations while saving time and administrative effort.
For corporate mobility teams, the development means that assignees travelling on UAE official passports—common among state-backed entities—no longer need to budget processing time or fees for Ugandan entry visas. Ordinary Ugandan passport holders employed in the UAE will still require standard residence or visit visas, so HR should continue to run document checks for mixed-nationality project teams.
The Emirates Airline route to Entebbe remains the quickest option at six hours nonstop, and industry observers expect passenger demand to rise as government cooperation deepens. Travel managers should watch for potential fare adjustments once load factors increase.
