The United Arab Emirates has announced that from January 2026, it will suspend the issuing of tourist and work visas to Ugandan citizens. The development, reported by UAE Visa online, means Ugandans will not be able to apply for new UAE entry visas once the suspension takes effect.
The announcement is said to come from an immigration circular shared with different agencies. Reports suggest the temporary measure will also apply to several other African countries, including Cameroon, Sudan, and Somalia. However, UAE authorities have not released an official explanation. Sources familiar with the matter point to possible security concerns and wider geopolitical issues.
This move adds to a history of visa restrictions placed on Ugandans by the UAE. In 2022, the country suspended the issuing of 30-day visit visas for Ugandan nationals, along with citizens of about 20 other countries. At the time, officials gave no public reason, though sources claimed the measure was linked to large numbers of visitors overstaying their visas.
The UAE normally offers a wide range of entry permits, such as tourist visas, work visas, student visas, medical permits, retirement visas, and transit visas. The new suspension, once implemented, will directly affect Ugandans seeking jobs or planning leisure travel to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the other emirates.
Uganda currently has over 100,000 legal migrant workers employed in the UAE, many of them working as domestic helpers, salon attendants, and in other service jobs. It remains unclear how the suspension will affect existing workers, but the biggest impact is likely to be on new jobseekers.
As of now, neither Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the UAE embassy in Kampala has issued a formal response. Families of Ugandan workers in the Gulf are waiting for clarity, while jobseekers are concerned about how the decision may affect recruitment.
