Do Australians need a visa for Rwanda?
Yes. If you are an Australian citizen you must obtain a visa to enter Rwanda. Luckily, you have the option of doing that process online in a simple way.
How to get your Rwandan visa
With an Australian passport, you have to options for obtaining your visa to Rwanda:
Visa on arrival
One way of getting your visa is doing the paperwork on arrival. This way, you will get your visa at your entry point. As an Australian citizen, you can stay 30 days at no cost.
However this option is not recommended. Firstly, you will arrive in the country without knowing if your visa is approved or not and you might be rejected at the border having to come back to your country, therefore losing all the reservations you may have made.
Also, you risk spending a lot of time waiting at the border until you receive your approval. This is because a lot of travelers would want to obtain it at the same time, or because you may be requested additional documentation.
eVisa
With an eVisa, you will have the tranquility of knowing that you can enter Rwanda and start your adventure. The process is simple and in your own language and you will have a team of experts available to solve all of your questions.
Just follow this three simple steps to obtain your eVisa:
- Complete the Rwanda visa application
- Pay for the visa fees with a bank card
- Await for the approved visa, that will be sent to the email you provided
What You’ll Need: Rwanda Visa Checklist
This are the general requirements to get your tourist eVisa:
- Valid passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months by the time of entry and have at least one blank page
- A bank card to pay for the fees
- A personal email where you can receive your approved visa
Other visas require specific documentation:
- Transit visa (allows you to stay 72 hours in the country): a complete travel itinerary
- East African visa (you can visit Uganda and Kenya as well): a personal photo that is passport-size with a white background
Family visit visa (it is used to visit a family member in Rwanda): an invitation letter, your flight itinerary, proof of financial means and proof of employment or enrollment
Consulate General of The Republic of Rwanda in Australia
Address: PO Box 18058 Collins Street East VIC 8003 Australia
Phone: +61 (0) 401 099 115
Email: consul-general@rwandacg.org.au
Website: https://rwandacg.org.au/
Embassy of Australia in Rwanda
At the moment, Australia doesn’t have an embassy or consulate in Rwanda. The nearest consulate to Kigali is the one in Kampala, Uganda:
Address: Plot 22 Acacia Avenue/21528, John Babiha (Acacia) Ave, Kampala, Uganda
Phone: +256 393 515 865
Email: australianconsulate.ug@gmail.com
Website: https://kenya.highcommission.gov.au/
FAQ
Usually, the process to obtain a visa takes between 5 to 10 business days. But this might vary depending on the volume of applications and if there is additional information needed. This is why we recommend that you apply at least 15 days before your trip.
Each visa has a different validity:
Tourist visa: 30 days
East Africa visa: 90 days
Family visit visa: 30 days
Transit visa: 72 hours
The cost of the Rwandan visa for Australian citizens ranges from 135.86 to 268.83 Australian Dollars.
This price covers the visa, the personalized assistance of our team of professionals, all communication with the government of Rwanda, and the revision and correction of all the documentation you send.