Yellow fever certificate and health checks for entering Uganda

The yellow fever rule in October 2026

A notice on the NCIC website dated 2 October 2026 says a yellow fever vaccination certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda ¹. The notice says the requirement is not listed on the e-visa application portal or the NCIC website ¹. It gives no effective date and no reason. It gives the Public Relations office on 0417102600 for questions ¹.

The notice does not mention the Ministry of Health ¹. No Ministry of Health statement on the change was found for this page.

What the Ministry of Health said in 2025

Daily Monitor reported on 1 September 2025 that a senior immigration officer, Apollo Masette, said the requirement had eased since late 2024 ². He said removing it should have followed serious inter-agency consultations ².

The same report quoted State Minister for Primary Healthcare Margaret Muhanga. She said a valid yellow fever certificate was still mandatory for all travellers entering Uganda ². She said one dose of the vaccine now lasts for life ².

Daily Monitor said the certificate had been mandatory for all travellers over nine months old, with vaccination at least 10 days before arrival ². The October 2026 notice is later than these statements ^1,2.

Ebola screening in 2026

WHO reported that Uganda declared a Bundibugyo virus outbreak on 15 May 2026 ³. On 17 May 2026 the WHO Director-General determined that the outbreak in the DR Congo and Uganda was a public health emergency of international concern ⁹. WHO said no country should close its borders or restrict travel and trade. It asked for exit screening of all persons at international airports, seaports and major land crossings ⁹.

WHO's regional office reported on 20 July 2026 that screening began on 16 May 2026. It covered 29 points of entry by the fifth day and later 38 priority sites ³. Travellers had their temperature taken and filled a QR code self-declaration on travel history and symptoms. Arriving and departing travellers were screened ³.

• Screening sites: airports, land border crossings and other designated points of entry ³.
• Staff: 265 deployed for screening and public health work ³.
• Training: about 560 screeners, cargo handlers, customs and immigration officials and support staff ³.

End of the 2026 outbreak in Uganda

Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said on 28 July 2026 that Uganda was Ebola-free, as reported by Nile Post ⁵. He said the count ran from the last Ugandan patient discharged ⁵.

WHO's regional office announced the end of the outbreak on 27 August 2026 ⁴. It reported 20 confirmed cases, 15 of them imported from the DR Congo, and two deaths. The last patient, an imported case, was discharged on 16 July 2026 ⁴. WHO said it does not recommend suspending flights, closing borders or denying entry to travellers from affected countries ⁴.

The two dates differ. Nile Post reported the government declaration of 28 July 2026 ⁵. WHO's page dated 27 August 2026 says Uganda announced the interruption of local transmission on 28 July and announces the end of the outbreak ⁴.

The health declaration and other checks

The Uganda traveller health declaration portal asks each traveller to choose arriving or departing. It says the form takes about 2 minutes ⁶. It offers English, Luganda, Kiswahili, French, Chinese and Arabic ⁶.

The UK government's Uganda travel advice, read on 24 October 2026, says some countries still have heightened health screening for travellers from Uganda ⁷. It says the DR Congo outbreak continues and the risk of spread into Uganda remains ⁷. Its entry page says a closure of the Ugandan border with the DR Congo was announced on 27 May, with exemptions for Ebola response, humanitarian and security staff. The page shows no year for that date ⁸.