Uganda is among 36 countries that could soon face travel restrictions from the United States, according to a recent memo issued by the U.S. State Department.
The document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, gives the listed countries a 60-day window to comply with new requirements or risk being subjected to visa bans and other travel-related sanctions. Uganda has been flagged due to concerns over its visa issuance processes and the high number of its citizens who have overstayed visas in the U.S.
Africa accounts for the majority of the countries on the list, with 25 nations named, including Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia. Also included are several Caribbean states—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—alongside four countries in Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria. Three nations from Oceania—Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu—round out the list.
This latest development follows increased scrutiny of Uganda’s immigration and travel practices by the U.S. government. In March 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Kampala issued a strong warning against the use of forged documents in visa applications. It emphasized that such actions constitute fraud and can lead to permanent ineligibility for U.S. entry.
“If you submit fake documents with your U.S. visa application, you are committing fraud and risking your future,” the embassy stated.
The travel warning adds to a growing list of U.S. actions against Uganda. In December 2023, the U.S. removed Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade program that had granted the country duty-free access to U.S. markets. This decision was linked to widespread human rights concerns, particularly following the enactment of Uganda’s controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act.
More recently, in May 2025, the U.S. imposed travel sanctions on five Ugandan officials, including former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Peter Elwelu. These sanctions were related to alleged extrajudicial killings by the Ugandan military under their command.
The State Department has indicated that the potential restrictions may be lifted if the affected countries agree to accept third-country nationals being deported from the United States. While Uganda has previously signaled a willingness to receive deportees from the European Union, it has yet to issue a formal position regarding deportees from the U.S.
If the proposed measures are enacted, Ugandan travelers may face the denial of new visa applications and the cancellation of existing visas—unless they qualify for certain exemptions. This could present significant challenges for Ugandans hoping to visit or work in the U.S.
