The short answer
What to know first.
No, not for entry. Uganda's immigration authority, the NCIC, said on 2 October 2026 that a yellow fever vaccination certificate is no longer mandatory to enter Uganda. Sail Safaris DMC, the private East Africa safari specialists, still advises you to carry yours, because the countries you may travel on to publish their own rules. Last reviewed 11 October 2026. Entry rules change without warning, so every official source is linked below and we check them again before your travel.
At a glance
The planning brief.
Not for entry
The NCIC notice of 2 October 2026 says a yellow fever certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda.
Carry it anyway
Countries you may travel on to publish their own rules for arrivals from Uganda, and airlines check against them.
Older pages remain
Four NCIC pages still list the certificate; we quote each source with its date so you can see which says what.
We check your route
For each leg we name the published certificate rule, its source and its date, and flag any source that is old.
01
What does the October 2026 notice say?
The NCIC, Uganda's National Citizenship and Immigration Control, published an official notice on 2 October 2026. Its first sentence reads: "A Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda." The notice adds that the requirement is not listed on the e-visa application portal or on the NCIC website, and that travellers therefore do not need the certificate for entry. For queries it gives the NCIC Public Relations office on 0417102600.
The Uganda Tourism Board has published a press release to the same effect. It says a yellow fever vaccination certificate is "not currently a mandatory requirement for entry into the country", and it tells travellers to check official Government of Uganda channels for the latest information.
We have not seen a Ministry of Health statement on the change. The notice itself says nothing about children, transit, road borders or onward travel.
02
Uganda yellow fever certificate: what is confirmed and what is not?
Official pages do not all agree yet. This is what each one said when we read it on 11 October 2026.
The four NCIC pages that still list the certificate carry the 2 October notice on the same page. Until NCIC updates them, we treat the notice as the current position and tell you plainly that the older pages exist.
NCIC notice
Certificate no longer mandatory for entry into Uganda. Dated 2 October 2026.
Uganda Tourism Board press release
Certificate "not currently a mandatory requirement" for entry; check official channels. Dated October 2026.
NCIC Transit Visa page
Still lists "Vaccination Certificate (Yellow Fever)" among the requirements. No date on page.
NCIC East African Tourist Visa page
Still lists "Vaccination Certificate (Yellow fever)". No date on page.
NCIC Multiple Entry Visa page
Still lists "Vaccination Certificate (Yellow Fever)". No date on page.
NCIC FAQ, "How do I apply for a visa to Uganda?"
Step 3 still lists a "Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate" among documents. No date on page.
NCIC Tourist Visa page (single entry)
Does not list the certificate among the requirements. No date on page.
Ministry of Health Uganda news page
No statement on the certificate; newest items are dated July 2026 (newest item 28 July 2026).
03
Where might I still be asked for a certificate?
Uganda's notice is about entry into Uganda. It does not change what other countries ask of travellers arriving from Uganda. These are the published rules we found. Each is labelled with the date on the document, and each can change, so check the source again before you fly.
The Rwanda document says a traveller from a listed country without a certificate will be vaccinated on entry at their own cost. The Tanzania document says such a traveller may be refused entry or vaccinated on arrival. The Tanzania document is from 2023 and we could not find a newer one, so read it as a published rule to confirm, not as a current promise. We list no other countries here, because we have not verified their rules from an official source.
Kenya
Travellers arriving from the listed countries, which include Uganda, are expected to hold a valid certificate on arrival. This includes airport transit of 12 hours or more. Page undated. Source: Kenya Airports Authority, port health page.
Rwanda
A certificate is mandatory for travellers coming from yellow fever endemic countries. The list on the page includes Uganda and is described as dynamic. Page undated. Source: Rwanda Biomedical Centre, information note for travellers.
Tanzania mainland
Vaccination is mandatory for arrivals from the listed countries, which include Uganda, and for transit of 12 hours or more in them. It says the dose should be given at least ten days before entry. Dated 16 November 2023. Source: Tanzania Ministry of Health document.
Departing Entebbe
Passengers should present a valid yellow fever card "in case the destination country requires it", and those who cannot meet the requirements may be denied travel. Page undated. Source: Uganda Airlines, Entebbe travel requirements.
04
Should I still carry a certificate?
Yes, if you have one. We advise guests to carry their certificate and to speak to a travel clinic before they travel. We are safari planners, not medical advisers, and this page is not medical advice. The US CDC travel health page for Uganda, marked as updated on 23 April 2025, recommends the vaccine for travellers aged nine months and over. The same page still lists the vaccine as required for arriving travellers aged one year and over, which is the position from before the notice.
05
How does this affect a Uganda gorilla or chimpanzee safari?
The notice removes one document from Uganda's own entry list. It does not change the other parts of a gorilla or primate itinerary: your passport, your visa, your permit paperwork and the health rules on the day of a trek. Our guide to gorilla trek health screening and illness rules covers the trek day. If your route also takes you into Rwanda, our guide to visas for Uganda and Rwanda on one gorilla journey sets out the two sets of papers, and the Rwanda rule above is the certificate rule to check.
06
What if my route continues beyond Uganda?
The rules above are the ones to check, in the order you will meet them.
Our guide to sequencing Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania helps you choose the order, and our safety, health and entry hub holds the wider checklist.
Uganda then Rwanda
The Rwanda rule applies on arrival from Uganda. Our guide to using both Kigali and Entebbe on a gorilla safari shows how the routes join.
Uganda then Kenya
The Kenya Airports Authority list includes Uganda. Our entry paperwork guide for Kenya and Tanzania covers the rest of the Kenya papers.
Uganda then Tanzania
The Tanzania Ministry of Health document of 2023 lists Uganda. Confirm the current rule before travel.
07
For travel advisors
Sending a Uganda or multi-country file to Sail Safaris DMC? Send us the full route with dates, each traveller's nationality, and whether each traveller will carry a valid yellow fever certificate. We set out, for each leg, which published certificate rule applies, name the official source and its date, and flag any leg where the source is old. Your client stays your client: we work in the background, under your branding if you ask. See our Travel Advisors page for how we work with advisors.
08
Plan your Uganda safari with Sail Safaris DMC
Inquire with Sail Safaris DMC about your Uganda safari. Tell us your full route and each traveller's nationality, and we will set out which certificate rules apply to your file.
Email: safaris@sailadventuresafarisdmc.com. WhatsApp: +255 796 309 258. Offices: 332 Unity Mall, Katabi, Entebbe, and 142 Sokoine Road, Arusha.
Sail Safaris DMC holds Uganda licence UTB/RTT/TT/2022/100217 and Tanzania licence No. 035809.
Raw, Untamed, Authentic. This is your Africa.
Questions travellers ask
Useful answers, before you decide.
Do I still need a yellow fever certificate to enter Uganda?
According to the NCIC notice of 2 October 2026, no. The notice says the certificate is no longer a mandatory requirement for entry into Uganda. We have not seen a Ministry of Health statement, and four NCIC pages still list the certificate, so we advise you to carry yours.
Will my airline still ask for it?
It may. Uganda Airlines says departing passengers at Entebbe should present a valid yellow fever card in case the destination country requires it, and that a passenger who cannot meet the requirements may be denied travel. The check follows the rule of the country you are flying to, so confirm that rule first.
I continue to Rwanda, Kenya or Tanzania. What then?
Each publishes its own rule for arrivals from Uganda, and the Uganda notice changes none of them. The Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania documents above each list Uganda. Read the rules above, check each official source for your dates, and tell us your route so we can check it with you.
Should I still be vaccinated?
We recommend you carry your certificate if you have one and speak to a travel clinic well before you travel. We are not medical advisers. A clinic can tell you what suits your health and your route, including how many days before travel a dose should be given.
Why do some official pages still mention the certificate?
NCIC has not yet updated four of its pages, and some other published pages are older than the notice. We quote each page as we read it on 11 October 2026 and show its date, so you can see which source says what.