Decoding Uganda’s Immigration Scribbles or How to Avoid Visa Complications

Look at that scribble in the photo, below “08” on the stamp. Look very carefully. No, it’s not an abbreviation for “Immigration”, it’s something else that can cause you trouble when you leave Uganda! It says “1 m” and limits your stay in the country to one month, regardless of what your visa might otherwise say.

Theoretically, border officials should ask you how long you intend to stay in Uganda. Ideally, they would tell you if they are limiting your time. Practically, none of this may happen!

It’s therefore highly advisable that you examine your entry stamp immediately after your passport is returned. At the border, you can still complain or ask for clarifications. Later on you will have to visit an Immigration office to ask for extension — and these offices are not found in every town nor can every visa be prolonged!

Real Life Example

The image we used as a demonstration is from a travel document belonging to our recent visitor. She got an East African Tourist visa on arrival at Kigali Airport. The visa granted her three months to move freely between Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

However, once she crossed into Uganda she received the “1 m” scribble and didn’t know what it meant. It so happened that she didn’t check on Rwanda again until a few days prior to her visa’s printed expiration date. That’s when she learned — at the Uganda/Rwanda border — that she had “overstayed”. She was sent back to the end of the queue a couple of times but was eventually, mercifully, allowed to enter Rwanda. It could have ended with a fine.

This situation was entirely avoidable. For instance, she could have planned a short weekend trip to us in Musanze before returning to Uganda for further exploration. Unfortunately, she was unaware of what had been ominously jotted into her passport.

But you now know what to look for, so take a moment to scrutinize your entry stamp. A little vigilance can save you a lot of hassle.