How Uganda passport fares

The holder of a Ugandan passport has visa-free access to 73 of 227 destinations, much like last year, the Henley Passport Index 2024 has disclosed.

Since its inception in 2006, the number of visa-free travel destinations has swelled from 58 to 111 currently. The 2024 index shows that the top-ranked countries are able to travel to as many as 194 destinations visa-free. 

The countries that enjoy the distinction of holding such powerful passports are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain. They jointly sit pretty at the summit of the index. 

Afghanistan has the dubious honour of bringing up the rear this year, with a mobility score of 28 (the number of countries that it has visa-free access to) earning it the proverbial wooden spoon.

Uganda meantime placed 73 among the 199 countries and territories considered for the passport index. This is on account of 69 visa-free destinations that the country has tucked under its belt in 2024. 

Last year, Uganda placed 78th on the log on account of the 67 visa-free destinations it mustered. As a matter of fact, the number of visa-free destinations that Uganda’s passport gains access to stood at 67 since 2020. Before that in 2019 (66), 2018 (64), 2017 (61), and 2016 (60) marginal gains had been made. 

Uganda was placed at an all-time high No58 position during the first staging of the index in 2006. The lowest ranking thus far came in 2021 when the country’s passport was placed 81st among 199. 

Henley & Partners base on data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata) to cobble together the passport index. 

The 2024 index shows that the Ugandan passport requires an electronic visa or e-Visa to access 20 travel destinations, including South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and India. 

Visa upon landing
The travel destinations with a visa on arrival (VOA) requirement number 32. Some of these destinations that allow a Uganda passport holder to obtain a visa upon landing rather than obtaining it before embarking on the trip include Africa’s most populous country Nigeria, the tourism magnet that is Seychelles and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Only one destination—Sri Lanka—has an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the Ugandan passport. This is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or transiting to a country.  

“The Henley Passport Index treats ETAs as visa-free, as opposed to electronic visas (e-Visas), which it considers as a form of visa requirement,” Henley & Partners says of its methodology, adding, “ETAs tend to be processed automatically and within minutes or hours whereas e-Visas tend to be reviewed manually by government officials and processed within days or weeks.”

It also proceeds to disclose thus: “ETAs tend to require minimal information and no supporting documentation, whereas e-Visas tend to require extensive information as well as supporting documentation.”

While Uganda has made marginal gains on the passport index over the past decade, the United Arab Emirates has caught the eye. It now places 11th on the index thanks to offering visa-free access to 183 destinations. China has also nearly doubled its access to destinations without a visa to 85. This has left it placing 62nd on the latest index.

The five worst passports this year after being cross-checked against all 227 possible travel destinations are Afghanistan (28), Syria (29), Iraq (31), Pakistan (34), and Yemen (35).

UGANDA FULL VISA LIST
Visa-free countries:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bardados, Belize, Benin, Bostwana, British Virgin Islands, Burundi, Cook Islands, Dominica, Ecuador, Eritrea, eSwatini, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Hong Kong (SAR China), Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius Micronesia, Montserrat, Niue, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Gambia, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Visa required:
Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bonaire; St Eustatius and Saba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, and Croatia.

Others are Cuba, Cuacao, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French West Indies, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala,  Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mayotte, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, North Korea, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palestinian Territory, and Panama.

Others are Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, St Helena, St Maarten, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen.

e-Visa required:
Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Gabon, Georgia, Guinea, India, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Tajikistan, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam.

VOA* 
Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo Republic, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Laos, Macao (SAR China), and Maldives. 

Others areMauritania, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Palau Islands, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, St Lucia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu.

*Visa on arrival i.e. allowed to obtain a visa upon landing rather than obtaining it before the trip

ETA*
Sri Lanka.
*Electronic travel authorisation i.e. an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or transiting to a country.

Sub Editor: Eva Kyomugisha