Passport holders of 12 countries across the world will no longer need a visa to travel to Rwanda for short visits from next month, Rwandas Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration said Monday.
A visa waiver agreement, which recognized growing links between Rwanda and concerned 12 countries including Singapore, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Philippines will be applied where by nationals from these nations will from now on be exempted from entry/tourism visa for a stay of up to 90 days, the official statement said. Among other countries for whose citizens shall get and pay entry visa fee of 30 U.S. dollars are Australia, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Britain and the United States, according to the same source.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Xinhua, the spokesperson of Rwandas Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Ange Sebutege, said that Rwanda nationals are also expected to enjoy visa-free access to Philippines where by it is expected that each year the number of investors from the Southeast Asian island was expected to grow with the visa waiver in place.
Meanwhile, citizens from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) will continue getting visitors visa for a stay not exceeding 90 days with no fees as provided by the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Region.
Rwanda is a member state of the sub-regional Economic Community of the Great Lakes region that also includes Burundi and DR Congo, and members of this regional bloc are bound by the agreement signed in September 1976 dedicated to promote regional integration, particularly free movement of persons, goods, and services.
The new decision on visa policy and regulations for neighboring DR Congo nationals comes a few months after Congolese authorities has instructed all Rwandan citizens to pay for visa in order to enter the DR Congo.
By adopting these new set of measures, Rwanda is looking to become a preferred destination for tourists while mobilising large foreign investments in the country.