Rwandan Ugandan Cyanika Border | Customs and Immigration

Rwanda -> Uganda

Border closes at 8pm CAT, 9pm EAT.

Arrived at 16:10 on a Wednesday and spent 70 minutes

On RW side, stamp out carnet at RW customs (building to the left/west side) then register vehicle details at the gate.

All immigration formalities happen on the UG side.

At UG gate, register vehicle details. Then park at Uganda Revenue Authority (building on right/east side) to stamp in carnet and pay road tax (220000 USh or 60 USD). We had only USD so they sent us to one of the fellas roaming around who charged us $65 for him to mobile pay the URA bill. Then we went back to URA, to complete the paperwork.

Then across road to RW immigration, stamp out, then next door to UG immigration to stamp in after filling out an arrival form (had East Africa Visa).

Finally to the Security office (just west of immigration) to show road tax paperwork and get a gate pass.

Show gate pass at exit to the road to Kisoro.

Changed money FRw -> USh on RW side at bad rate I'm embarrassed to say. I did not enquire about the rate on the UG side.

Report Check-In

Uganda to Rwanda: At Immigration Rwanda we had to list all accomodations for the proposed 3 weeks stay. No reservations or booking confirmations needed. Apart from that, the process was as described in previous posts.

Report Check-In

Came From Uganda to Rwanda, the border crossing went really well. In 30min everything was done except the Rwandan car insurance… The guy told us we had to pay 30dollars for two weeks insurance. We checked on the internet and saw the real prices (10.000 FRW), we finally only paid that but we lost 90min due to him..

Report Check-In

Rwanda to Uganda (on bicycle). All formalities (stamp to exit Rwanda and entering Uganda) are on the Ugandan side after the barriers. Took a while to register my evisa I had done on internet. They told me the system is slow. Quiet border

Report Check-In

RW>UG with car and cdp.
First you need to go to the customs office to the left, then to the police on the right next to the boom. You cross the boom with your car and go for health check + police on the left before the Ugandan boom. You drive through and go to revenue authority on the right for road tax and cdp. As they cannot accept cash, someone will help you but you need to negociate handling fee. Once your payment is visible in the system, you get the road tax paper stamped. Across the road, you go for your passport (Rw+Ug) at same place. After that, one last stop at the security office just next to passports. Took ages, good luck!

Report Check-In

As of 12/23 crossed the border by bicycle. Exit and entry with no issues at all. Wasn‘t asked for the vaccination card. Neither got my bags scanned. Decent border!

Report Check-In

Very easy border crossing! For the first time in 9 crossings, everyone gave us clear directions on what to do. Coming from Rwanda, into Uganda without a carnet.

Give TIP to Rwanda customs, sign out at border, then drive to Uganda side. First go to customs. It's $60 USD for a 90 day TIP. The official brought in a fixer to make the payment via mobile money, he accepted USD. With his fee, it came to $62.

Then to immigration to get stamped out of Rwanda and into Uganda (e-visa pre-arranged online).

Whole process took around 70 minutes, because there were some lines at immigration.

Report Check-In

French Passeport with CPD and already the East African Visa.

Rwanda to Ouganda.
Took us nearly 3 hours. To get out of Rwanda very easy only 10 minutes.

Ouganda side took more times.
The road taxe takes a while to be done.
It's 60 dollars or 221 000 USH.
There is no bank around... So if you don't have the money... Good luck.

We tried to negociate the road taxes has its for 3 month (20$\month) but the guy said that they only issue 3 months...

You don't pay at the custom office but at a little yellow shop outside the border post.

Possible to pay in dollars but it will be more expensive 65$ (after négociation)

The rest of the info in other coment stay the same.

Report Check-In

Uganda to Rwanda: easy border crossing for NL resident traveling with Carnet. Stamp out carnet on Uganda side in the office on the left hand side just before exiting Uganda. Then cross the road to get gate pass. Exit Uganda.

Enter Rwanda; two window on the right hand side. Exit stamp from Uganda then entry stamp for Rwanda. Then over to customs for stamping the carnet. We had COMESA so no need for new insurance. Get exit gate pass and off we were.

Whole process took 1 hour! Fastest border crossing so far in East Africa. No fees anywhere.

Report Check-In

Crossed from Uganda to Rwanda, no major issues.
Altough it was time consuming, it was simple. We had the east Africa visa that made everything simpler.
Money changers on spot with a fair rate.

If you're going to Rwanda, you will be driving in the right side of the road.

Report Check-In

Quickest border crossing in Africa!
Got the Carnet stamped in 2 min on Rwanda side, then police registration and then drive to Ugandan side.
Immigration for Rwanda is on the Ugandan side, did both in less then 10 min. Then Carnet stamp across the road took another 3 min. Lastly we got a gate pass and left the crossing in less than 30 min. Incredible.

No COVID-stuff, no tax, no nothing. Zero charges and 30 min. Left speechless

Report Check-In

From Rwanda to Uganda. If you're vaccinated you must do a rapid covid test for 10 USD at the border. We had a PCR because it was needed for hiking Volcanoes NP so all went very fast.

Report Check-In

Still a very uncomplicated and fast border. Everybody was very kind, nobody asked for anything.

Report Check-In

Uganda to Rwanda, South Africans with carnet.

It was all straight forward and efficient as comments suggest below. Very quiet, not many fixers nor money changes hassling one. But then we had to pay for the visa on the Rwanda side... You can only pay with dollars. We ended up waiting more than an hour for someone to change Rwandan francs to dollars for us. We waited in the tourism office and spoke to the man on duty Marechal who kept us busy. The immigration officer who was processing the visa bought us both a coke. Even though we had to wait, it was a very kind welcome into Rwanda!

Report Check-In

Same as Moto-migrants below. Just add: cannot add more than one month at a time into system for the vehicle at the border. Also after visiting customs, head to the little office across the road to receive vehicle pass slip to hand to military man at the boom gate when exiting. Crossed on a Sunday afternoon, was quiet, pleasant and explained and took 75 minutes.

Report Check-In

Uganda road tax 75,000 shillings for a Moto. No ATM or card accepted at the border but you can change money with the guys hanging around.

Report Check-In

Make sure you extend your Temporary Road Licence before it expires when you stay longer in Uganda than 1 month. Otherwise you get a penalty on the boarder, 20 percent of value of the car.

Report Check-In

Uganda to Rwanda. Straight forward. You get stamped out and in at the Rwanda side though. Make sure to check your TIP info. Got our VIN number, our residence and registration number wrong. Had to change twice but they did it without fuss. The big warning is the third party insurance people. They take huge chances and we asked customs, who appears to strongly be against fraud and bribery to intervene. It ends up they wanted to charge as for a bus and then a minibus. Insist you are charged for a private vehicle. We paid 50Usd for 3rd party for a month.

Report Check-In

Such an easy crossing. 45 minutes from start to finish leaving Rwanda into Uganda.

Report Check-In

wanda to Uganda. Rwanda stamps out carnet. Across street is little police booth, he writes info down for exit of Rwanda. Enter to Uganda: dip shoes in Ebola water, wash hands, temperature taken, some health info. Then they open the gate. Stamp passports out of Rwanda, stamp into Uganda. All easy. Change some money. Go across street, stamp carnets in, pay road/carbon tax: about $20usd per motorcycle (paid in Ugandan shillings). waited foreeeeeeeever

Report Check-In

Uganda - Rwanda. Very quite border and extremely straight forward to cross. No hassle from anyone. Have to go through the process. Do customs and security check in Ugandan side. Cross border, have Ebola check, bags searched and look in car, just like any other border not that thorough! Then TIP for 14 days costs 15,000 francs. Then immigration. Uganda border control sits next to Rwanda border control on Rwandan side of the border. Drive on show police paperwork, change sides of the road and set clocks back an hour. We were done after 45 minutes. Crossed on Thursday morning.

Report Check-In

Uganda to Rwanda
As mentioned, I will only add that you don't have to pay 15 000 if you have carnet de passage. With carnet you pay nothing.
Noboby checked our plastic bags.

Report Check-In

Uganda -> Rwanda. One of the easiest and fastest border crossings ever. Checked for Ebola, checked Yellow Fever card.

There are somewhat official money exchangers (with a small badge). You can, and should, haggle for a better exchange rate.

Report Check-In

Like the others, easy crossing. Took us 45min, incl quick car search on Rwanda side and Ebola check. We bought our Rwandan visum at immigration which was very straightforward.

Report Check-In

Uganda —> Rwanda.

Uganda customs on the Uganda side, we spent 45 seconds getting our TIP canceled.

Immigration for both countries on the Rwanda side, professional and efficient. Rwanda checked us for Ebola, and Rwn police searched our truck, making us open most of our bins and bags, but very professional. $30 pp for 30 day Rwanda visa, 15,000RWF for 30 day TIP.

Report Check-In

Exit Rwanda: stamped out passport and TIP.

Enter Uganda: quick and simple stamp in, we have EA visa already.
Go to Revenue Authority building for car TIP (no carnet), no cost and no road tax charged (possibly because we have a Kenyan car).

Report Check-In

Easy Border.

Leaving Rwanda:
1) Registered at the Police Stop at the End of the Rwanda Side.
2) Carnet got stamped out at Customs.
No Fees, done in 10 Minutes.

Entering Uganda:
1) Filled out Rwanda Exit Form and stamped out Passports at right Immigration Counter.
2) Stamped in Passports (East Africa Visa) at left Immigration Counter.
3) Went to Money Changers (they will find you) and changed 50 Euro for a quite good Rate to pay Customs.
4) Customs stamped in Carnet. Paid the 74.000 USh (17,55 Euro) Road Tax.
5) Went to the Police Hut to register and drove out.
Uganda Side took us 30 Minutes.

Report Check-In

Rwanda to Uganda. Obtain Exit Confirmation certificate of vehicle on Rwanda side. Pass through Police checkpoint where they register the vehicle leaving Rwanda. Then ride to Uganda one-stop border post. Go to Customs Office to import vehicle (yellow sign on your right). 73,000 Uganda Shillings per motorcycle. You need cash. Then go to immigration across the road to stamp out of Rwanda and in to Uganda. Complete a small form for Rwanda. US $ 50 visa or US $100 EAT visa. They say you need US dollars but we couldn't change so they accepted Uganda Shillings (360,000 was $100 when we did it). Banks are available 10 km in Kisoro. We arrived with no money so they let us go to Kisoro to withdraw.

Report Check-In

Going from Uganda to Ruanda is equally easy. First register and get a little ticket at the police office to the right. Then have your carnet stamped at the Internal Revenue Office to the left. Cross the border and park to the right. Fill in the little immigation paper and have your passport stamped. This Ruanda immigration office stamps both Uganda out and Ruanda in. Finally have your carnet stamped at customs, the next counter. No costs at all.

Report Check-In

Dutch citizens without Carnet de Passage and with an East African Visa.

Exiting Rwanda was easy, no stamp out only police doing administration.

Entering Uganda we had to pay around USD20,- roadtax for one month and received the TIP for free in the Cyanika office.

Then we had to get our Rwandan exit stamp and Ugandan entrance stamp and a gate pass at the police where they checked all the papers.

Everything was fast and easy.

Report Check-In