E/African countries introduce single tourism visa

Three countries from the Eastern part of Africa have introduced a single tourism visa for visitors going to the region for tourism purpose.

The countries that adopted the single tourism visa are the Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

The visa according to the envoys of these countries in Nigeria will allow tourists to go to any of the countries with only one visa from any of the embassies in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.

Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Uganda High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Habineza, said the visa will give tourists multiple entry access to the three countries which will afford them opportunity to market the region.

“The single tourism visa will allow the governments of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya to market the region as a single tourist destination. It is also expected to reduce the costs of touring across the three countries in a bid to boost the number of tourists,” he said

He added that the holder of the East African tourist visa shall enter from the country that issued the visa and move within the two other countries without applying for another visa or paying for another one.

The visa according to the envoys will be issued on the request of the tourist at any immigration office or high commission of the three countries for one hundred US dollar or its equivalent of foreign currency.

Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Tom Amolo, added that the integration process in the region has reached a level where citizens from the region no longer use passport to enter countries in the region.

“Our citizens now use their country’s identity card to enter any of our country in the region and I want the hard working Nigerians to take advantage of this for their relaxation,” he said.

Amolo also disclosed that Kenyan Airways will begin direct flight from Nairobi to Abuja and Abuja to Nairobi in June this year to further ease movement between the two countries and further strengthen the bilateral relations.

Speaking on why other countries from the region are not part of the agreement, the Ugandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Kagimu K. Maurice, said some countries can go ahead when they have good initiative while others may join later after considering its advantage on them adding that they are expecting other countries from the region to join the agreement soon.