Living in Uganda as a French National: E-Visa, Kampala, Safety, School and Health

Uganda offers residents an accessible capital, an exceptional natural setting (Lake Victoria, national parks) and an administrative language, English, that eases procedures. The French Development Agency has been present there since 2009: it states that it has committed nearly 240 million euros over the last three years, notably in water, sanitation and energy, and is considering supporting Kampala’s low-carbon strategy (France Diplomatie). The French school and the embassy make Kampala the natural anchor point of the French community.

The points of caution concern health and road safety: France Diplomatie reports a particularly high number of road accidents, above all at night, thefts and burglaries that are sometimes violent, including in residential neighbourhoods, and a constant malaria risk outside Kampala. Preparation before departure consists in choosing the permit, the housing and the health cover, and in reading the travel advice. See also the guide to the Ugandan healthcare system.

Kampala, the capital, is home to the French embassy (16 Lumumba Avenue, Nakasero) and the École française internationale. Entebbe, the city of the international airport, and Jinja, on the Nile, are cited by France Diplomatie among the cities where heightened vigilance is called for, like the whole territory outside the zones advised against.

The national parks close to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori, Bwindi) and the ascent of the Rwenzori call for particular caution. Bwera and its surroundings, as well as the borders with the DRC and South Sudan, are formally advised against; Semuliki park and the north-east of Karamoja are advised against except for compelling reasons. The France Diplomatie page is the authoritative source before any trip.

According to France Diplomatie, a visa is compulsory for French nationals; it costs USD 50 for a single entry and is requested only on the official Uganda E-Immigration system (visas.immigration.go.ug). The immigration response is printed and presented on arrival; fraudulent sites charge higher prices. The visa issued on arrival is in principle suspended, to be checked before departure. The East African Tourist Visa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda) costs USD 100. An extension of a tourist visa is handled locally with the immigration service.

• Expatriate employee: class G2 permit, with an announced cost of USD 1,250 for 6 months to USD 7,500 for 36 months (Ugandan immigration); see the page on working in Uganda.
• Resident without activity: class H for people with assured income from abroad, with proof of at least USD 36,000 a year and an undertaking not to work.
• Families and students: the administration lists a “Dependant Pass” and a “Student Pass” as separate services, with no detail on the page consulted; information from the immigration service.
• Consular registration: France Diplomatie recommends registering with the Ariane system to receive alerts.

Inflation and exchange-rate indicators appear in the “Economic reference points” block above. Rents in Kampala depend on the neighbourhood, the proximity of the school and the level of security of the housing; the official pages consulted publish no rent scale. Amounts are requested from agents and employers, and checked in writing before signing the lease.

France Diplomatie recommends being back at your accommodation before nightfall, keeping phones out of sight and not carrying large sums of money: this advice guides the choice of a neighbourhood with secure access, less dense traffic and a short journey to school. For families, insurance is chosen at the same time as housing: expat family insurance.

The École française internationale de Kampala, located at Plot 22/24 on Lugogo By-Pass, has 300 pupils across 16 levels, from the very first nursery year to the final year, 15 of them approved (AEFE record). The school displays the status of partner under agreement with the Agency for French Education Abroad; the classes of seconde, première and terminale do not fall under the CNED according to the record. Enrolment, tuition fees and grants are requested from the school and the consular section of the embassy.

For children, insurance is chosen with a paediatrics and vaccination component: malaria, bilharzia from Lake Victoria and rabies are risks flagged by France Diplomatie. The page on healthcare reimbursement in Uganda details the cover solutions.

France Diplomatie reports armed robberies and burglaries, notably in the run-up to Christmas, and attacks on roads at night, above all near Kampala and in Karamoja. The advice:

• return to your accommodation before nightfall and avoid driving at night outside Kampala;
• check the condition of rental vehicles, avoid public transport and use a ride-hailing app for taxis and motorbike taxis (boda-boda), with a helmet;
• keep phones out of sight, avoid handbags and do not carry large sums of money; do not resist in case of assault;
• keep original papers in a safe place and carry photocopies;
• save the contacts of the embassy, hospitals and trusted people in your phone.

France Diplomatie also recalls that homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and advises LGBT people to be very discreet in public. The police emergency numbers are 999 or 112 (Uganda Police Force).

The country is classed in zone 3 for malaria, and the risk is constant as soon as you leave Kampala. Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory, preferably at least ten days before departure, in an approved centre. France Diplomatie also recommends being up to date with the French vaccination schedule and reviewing with a doctor hepatitis A and B, typhoid, meningitis ACWY and rabies. Cholera, Ebola, Marburg, bilharzia (Lake Victoria) and tuberculosis are flagged; the country’s public health service offers the line 0800100066 to report suspected cases of Marburg.

The dry season from November to June sees frequent meningitis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. For medicines, France Diplomatie advises bringing only what is strictly necessary in the original packaging, with a prescription in international non-proprietary names, and never buying medicines in the street. Without cover, access to care may be refused, even in a life-threatening emergency: insurance with repatriation is imperative (see repatriation and assistance).