Health Alert– U.S. Embassy Kampala

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Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Kampala (October 02, 2020)

Location:  Uganda

Event:  There have been 8287 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 75 deaths due to COVID-19 reported in Uganda since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Health.

Entebbe International Airport Now Open:

The airport opened yesterday, October 1, to regular commercial traffic.  The Civil Aviation Authority published guidelines for arrivals and departures. Uganda has not banned any arrivals based on point of origin, as long as the following protocol is followed.

Arrivals:

Arriving passengers to Uganda must have a negative PCR COVID-19 test from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin taken not more than 72 hours before departure for Uganda.  Passengers will be subjected to temperature and health screening upon arrival at Entebbe Airport.  Any arriving passengers who exhibit signs or symptoms of an infectious disease will be transported to an isolation center for a COVID-19 test where they must remain, at their own cost, until the results of the test are received.  Travelers who test positive will be taken to a Ministry of Health facility for treatment, or given the option to be repatriated, at their own cost.  Arriving passengers with the requisite negative COVID-19 test who do not exhibit any symptoms will be allowed to enter the country; the government of Uganda has ceased institutional quarantine for arrivals except in certain circumstances (such as arriving Ugandan citizens who do not have a negative COVID-19 test result).

Departures:

Departing passengers must present a negative COVID-19 test taken not more than 120 hours before departure unless the country of destination does not require such a test result for entry.  In that case, passengers must show clearance from the destination country to be permitted to board without such a test.  The U.S. Embassy in Kampala cannot provide such clearances to departing passengers.  The United States does not have a federal requirement of test results for arrivals, but some states may have such stipulations.  You should check the website of the airport of arrival in the United States for further information.  Information on the U.S. federal government’s policy for international arriving passengers can be found on CDC’s website.  Departing passengers must arrive at Entebbe International Airport four hours before the scheduled time of departure for their flight in order to complete departure procedures and formalities that may be more time consuming than was the case prior to the airport closing in March.

Note: Arriving and departing passengers will be exempt from the nighttime curfew restrictions (2100h-0600h) if their flights fall within the curfew hours.  However, drivers should have with them documentary evidence of their connection to passengers arriving at or departing from the airport in order to facilitate passage through police checkpoints enforcing the nationwide curfew.

Travel Advisory Remains at Level 3: Reconsider Travel

The Department of State maintains a Level 3 Travel Advisory for Uganda recommending that travelers reconsider travel to Uganda due to COVID-19.  The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Uganda.  Travelers in Uganda should exercise increased caution due to crime and kidnapping.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a Level 3 Travel Notice for Uganda.  CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Uganda. Travelers at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to Uganda.  The COVID-19 risk in Uganda is high and medical care resources are limited.

Consular Services:

The consular section at U.S. Embassy Kampala is offering routine passport appointments, notarial services, and appointments for issuance of Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA).  To schedule a passport or notarial appointment, please visit our website.  To qualify for a CRBA appointment, you must first be documentarily ready for interview.  To submit your documents for review, please email KampalaCRBA@state.gov.  CRBA appointments are being scheduled for those who are already documentarily ready in chronological order of receipt.

Visa Processing Remains Suspended:

The consular section is prioritizing services for U.S. citizens.  Routine visa processing remains suspended, but we continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services as resources and local conditions allow.  We will resume regular visa processing as soon as possible but are unable at this time to provide a specific date on which such services will be available.

Visa Status of Foreign Residents and Visitors in Uganda:

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is open for visa renewals and other routine immigration.  Foreign residents and visitors with visa issues or questions can visit their office Monday through Friday from 0800 to 1400.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs under the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration is the issuing authority for Uganda visas and is the entity that may be able to provide guidance:

Actions to Take:  

Assistance: 

By | 2 October, 2020 | Topics: Alert

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