All incoming and outgoing passenger flights will be stopped from midnight on March 20, including the national airline RwandAir, for a provisional period of 30 days. For more information about coronavirus, see the entry Entry and Health.
Safety
Most journeys to Rwanda are made without special problems and the country is generally considered safe to travel in. Armed groups have stayed on both sides of the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi on a regular basis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encourages travelers to exercise caution when traveling to or staying in these border areas.
Since April 2015, some 70,000 refugees from Burundi to Rwanda have arrived, and the situation in the border areas can be unstable and unclear. Insurgents carried out attacks on villages at Nyungwe Forest in southern Rwanda in June/ July 2018, and several civilians were killed in the latter attack. For additional information on security in Rwanda, please refer to the US and UK Foreign Ministry’s respective websites.
Norway is represented by an honorary consulate in the capital Kigali. Responsible Norwegian Embassy for Rwanda is the Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.
The risk of terrorist incidents in Rwanda is considered low. Crime in the country is low in the African context. Nevertheless, certain precautions should be taken to avoid crime: Be careful about walking on the streets after dark, not walking around with large sums of money. Pocket theft in public places with lots of people is common.
Driving outside Kigali should be avoided while it is dark. There may be landslides that close roads after heavy rain. Minibuses and motorcycle taxis should be avoided as these are often involved in accidents. In Kigali, one should stick to the official city buses and established taxi companies.
Norwegian citizens staying for a shorter or longer period in Rwanda are encouraged to register on reiseregistrering.no. Norwegian citizens are encouraged to have valid travel insurance.
In crisis and emergency situations, it is encouraged to contact the Norwegian Consulate in Kigali or the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala:
Royal Norwegian Consulate General
Address: KG 5 Ave, No. 18, Kacyiru
Kigali, Rwanda
Phone: +250 788 381 900
Mobile: +250 788 840 401
E-mail: nhcg.kigali@gmail.com
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 08.30 – 17.00.
Embassy in Kampala
Address: Plot 18B Akii-Bua Road, Nakasero,
Kampala, Uganda
Phone: + 256 312 246 000/+47 23 95 30 00
E-mail: emb.kampala@mfa.no
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday 07.30 – 15.30/Friday 07.30 – 13.00
Outside the embassy’s opening hours, the UD’s 24-hour operating center can be contacted by phone + 47 23 95 00 00 or by e-mail: UDops@mfa.no
Entry
Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.
All incoming and outgoing passenger flights will be stopped from midnight on March 20, 2020, including the national airline RwandAir, for a provisional period of 30 days. It must be expected that new measures and restrictions can be implemented in the time to come.
Norwegian citizens have a visa requirement when entering Rwanda. Visas can be purchased at the Kigali airport without prior application. Passport must be valid for at least six months after scheduled departure date. It is possible to purchase joint e-visas for Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. For more information, see information from Rwanda’s migration authorities.
It is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure that travel documents, or any visa, are valid.
Authorities are requesting a valid yellow fever vaccine certificate upon entry. Without such a certificate you may be required to take the vaccine when you arrive in Rwanda. It is strongly advised that you arrive at the country with a valid certificate rather than take the vaccine on arrival.
New guidelines have been provided for travelers coming to Rwanda from Ebola-affected areas in the DRC. One should give advance notice of travel from DRC to Rwanda to the Ministry of Health and expect a quarantine time of 21 days from leaving Ebola-affected areas in DRK until one can enter Rwanda.
Health
Coronavirus (covid-19): Cases of coronary infection have been confirmed in Rwanda. All incoming and outgoing passenger flights will be stopped from midnight on March 20, including the national airline RwandAir, for a provisional period of 30 days. It must be expected that new measures and restrictions can be implemented in the time to come.
Norwegian travelers should keep abreast of the development of the corona virus. Follow local authorities’ advice, guidance and instructions on how to deal with the situation. For general updates, refer to the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
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There are only limited medical facilities available in Rwanda. Some medicines are in short supply or inaccessible, and it is recommended to bring a well-equipped travel pharmacy.
Malaria occurs across the country. Vaccination against hepatitis, diphtheria and tetanus, as well as jaundice, is recommended. In Kigali, the private King Faisal Hospital offers 24-hour assistance. If you need emergency medical assistance, call 112 or 912.
The ambulance service is simple and only works as a transport, usually without medical treatment involved. In the event of a serious accident or illness, evacuation by air ambulance to Kenya or South Africa may be necessary. Check the Rwandan Ministry of Health website for updated information before traveling.
Practical information
There is no time difference to Norway when it is daylight saving time. When it is winter time, it is one hour more in Rwanda. The power supply in Rwanda is 230 volts. The same type of plug is used as in Norway.
There are either direct or non-stop flights in Entebbe (Uganda) to Amsterdam (KLM), Brussels (Brussels Airlines, Rwandair), London (Rwandair), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Dubai (Rwandair), Doha (Qatar) and Mumbai (Rwandair). There are direct flights from Kigali to a wide range of cities in Africa. There are good main road connections from Kigali to Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to other major cities in Rwanda. During the rainy season, many smaller roads are only navigable by four-wheel drive cars. There is a dispute between Uganda and Rwanda. Rwanda recommends its own citizens not to travel to Uganda. This recommendation does not apply to citizens of other countries, but can have practical consequences for border crossing by car, etc.
According to allcitycodes, the area code for calls from Norway to Rwanda is +250. Telephone communications to and from Rwanda are usually reliable. Internet is increasingly available throughout Rwanda, but high-speed connections may be unavailable or unreliable and expensive.
Coin value: 100 Rwandan francs (RWF) = 0.95 kroner (April 9, 2019)
Credit card payments are not common in Rwanda. It is possible to use payment cards at some hotels, restaurants and in major grocery stores in Kigali. There are several ATMs where foreign cards can be used. Outside Kigali, debit cards are very widespread. Most banks will not accept US dollar pressure until 2006.
National Holidays: 1 January, 1 February, 7 April, 1 May, 1 July, 4 July, 15 August and 25 and 26 December.
English has replaced French as the official language along with kinyarwanda.
It is forbidden to photograph official buildings. For environmental reasons, plastic bags are prohibited. All visible plastic bags will be seized at the airport.