Covid-19 Guidelines For Arriving Travelers At Entebbe Airport

Read below – Latest Updates

Starting July/6/2021 all passengers arriving at Entebbe Airport must present a negative PCR Covid-19 test done within 72 hours from the time of collection of this test.

The period excludes the transit time. Moreover, travelers who are fully vaccinated must still present a negative PCR test certificate.

On 24/August/2021 Uganda removed India from category one to the list of category two countries.

Effective 3/September/2021 all travelers including children must undergo mandatory screening and the arrival PCR test at their own cost irrespective of the vaccination status and country of origin.

The new directive to test all arriving travelers at Entebbe airport is postponed for two weeks except those who are coming from category two nations.

22/October/2021 – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched the new Covid-19 testing center at Entebbe Airport.

25/October/2021 – Government of Uganda starts testing of all incoming travelers at a cost of 30 USD per person. The exercise is conducted by doctors from UPDF and ministry of health officials.

Year 2022 – Arrival Covid-19 PCR test is still going on.

16/February/2022 – Government suspended arrival Covid-19 PCR testing at EBB Airport.

27/April/2022 – On this date, requirement for a negative PCR test done within 72 hours for all incoming travelers is suspended with immediate effect for only those who are fully vaccinated. You are now required to present proof of full Covid-19 vaccination.

Year 2023 & other years – No requirement for the negative PCR test and no more arrival testing at EBB.

 

At the start of Covid-19

As cases for the new Covid-19 variants soar, countries are putting up new guidelines at the entry points to avoid the importation of these viruses.

One of them is Uganda. This country is one of the nations with few active Covid cases and deaths.

With the need to protect the nationals from the new variants, the ministry of health has put new guidelines at different entry points including Entebbe airport for all incoming travelers.

The main focus is on visitors from categories one and two countries. These nations are categorized according to the records of the active Covid-19 cases and deaths in the past three months.

Right now India is the only state in tier one. Nations in tier two are United Kingdom, USA, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania.

All visitors from India are not allowed in the country until further notes. Those on their way in course of the directive do an arrival test and a 14-day quarantine at their own cost.

Travelers including children from countries in category two are advised to avoid non-essential travel to Uganda or you will do an arrival test for 65 USD.

Moreover, even those who have got their full vaccination for Covid-19 are required to do the arrival test. Trippers from other countries not named in the above categories are exempted from the measures.

Transportation & Testing

To avoid congestion at the airport, all visitors from tier 1 & 2 states are transported straight to the designated points for testing after clearing at the immigration.

The testing points are 5-10 km from the airstrip. One of them is the gardens of Peniel beach hotel. The ministry of health partnered with five laboratories to test over 5000 samples per day and release results every four hours.

You have an option to wait for your results in a comfortable area or check-in at a hotel for a stay at your own cost.

Once you test negative, you are permitted and allowed to continue with your journey. Those who react positively are evacuated by the ministry of health to the various Covid-19 isolation facilities for further treatments.

The above measures apply also to the land border arrivals and are reviewed after every month. Don’t forget to wear a face mask, social distance and hand sanitizing.