South Sudan reciprocates, waives visa fees for Ugandans

The government of South Sudan has announced that it is waiving visa fees for Ugandans entering their country.

This is in reciprocation of Uganda’s decision to waive visa fees for South Sudanese nationals entering Uganda which took effect on October 1.

Although Uganda had given South Sudan up to the 31st of October to make a decision on whether to reciprocate the waiver, a press statement by the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Sudan dated October 1 indicates that the country has decided that the waiver takes effect from Monday October 4.

According to the release, South Sudan's government has directed the ministry of Interior through its directorate of nationality passports and immigration to waive visa entry requirements for Ugandan citizens holding valid passports.

“All entry and exit points including our missions and embassies abroad are directed to comply with this directive. The ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan hail this move as a significant booster to the already existing stronger bilateral relations with the Republic of Uganda” the press release reads.

According to the minister of East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga, indeed they waived off visa fees for South Sudan and did expect them to reciprocate. She however says she will confirm this on Monday. Kadaga last week communicated to South Sudan on waiving the visas.

The decision of the two countries to waive visa fees follows the Summit of the East African Community Heads of State in Nairobi in February 2021, when South Sudan President Salva Kiir appealed to the neighbouring countries for a visa waiver, particularly between South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda.

The countries were charging $50 for a single entry visa for ordinary citizens. All the East African Communities countries do not charge citizens of member countries charge visa fees.