KAMPALA — Travelers entering Uganda will no longer be required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate, the Directorate of National Citizenship and Immigration Control (NCIC) has confirmed.
The immigration authority formally announced the change on Friday, October 2, 2026, bringing clarity to a requirement that had remained the subject of conflicting guidance from Ugandan authorities and international travel agencies.
The announcement follows an August 27 letter from Col. GB Kambere, Acting Chief of Citizenship and Immigration Control, to the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), in response to a request for clarification on the status of the requirement.
“This is to formally clarify that a Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda,” Kambere wrote.
He said the requirement was no longer listed on Uganda’s e-visa application portal or the NCIC website.
NCIC’s public notice issued on October 2 repeated the position, stating that travellers to Uganda therefore do not need a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry. The authority directed further enquiries to its Public Relations office.
Conflicting government guidance
The clarification comes against a background of conflicting information from Ugandan government agencies.
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), on its aviation health guidance page, still states that passengers arriving in Uganda are required to present authentic yellow fever vaccination cards. However, this is likely to change considering the new guidelines.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has previously maintained that the certificate remained an important travel requirement, including following Uganda’s nationwide yellow fever vaccination campaign.
International travel advice also remains divided
The change has also exposed differences in travel advice issued by foreign governments and international health authorities.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently lists Uganda as requiring yellow fever vaccination for arriving travellers aged one year and above. The CDC also recommends yellow fever vaccination for travellers aged nine months and older visiting Uganda.
CDC’s broader Yellow Book guidance likewise lists Uganda among countries requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from arriving travellers, while noting that entry requirements can change and travellers should verify them before departure.
This means travellers could encounter different requirements depending on the source of travel advice they consult.
Implications for tourism and airlines
The conflicting guidance is particularly significant for Uganda’s tourism and aviation sectors.
Tour operators, airlines and travel agents rely on official entry requirements when advising passengers before departure. A mismatch between immigration policy, health guidance and information published by aviation authorities can create uncertainty for travellers and frontline staff.
For now, however, the country’s immigration authority has formally stated that the yellow fever vaccination certificate is not a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda.
Travellers who already hold valid yellow fever certificates may nevertheless wish to carry them, particularly when travelling onward to countries that require proof of vaccination from people arriving from Uganda.
