The Ministry of Internal Affairs has officially announced significant new visa-free travel arrangements, designed to bolster diplomatic ties and promote trade between Uganda and two key international partners: Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. These bilateral agreements represent a strategic move to ease travel for specific passport holders and enhance mutual recognition of official documents.

Under the newly established Uganda-Egypt bilateral agreement, a notable change has been implemented: holders of diplomatic and official passports from both nations are now permitted to travel without requiring visas. This marks a substantial shift from previous regulations, which even mandated visas for diplomatic passport holders entering Egypt. While this initial phase focuses on diplomatic and official travel, negotiations are reportedly ongoing with the aim of potentially extending this arrangement to include ordinary passport holders in the future. A ministry official emphasized that this provision for diplomatic and official passport holders would facilitate easier travel and trade, acknowledging that ordinary passport holders are not yet included.

Similarly, a reciprocal agreement has been reached with the United Arab Emirates. This arrangement allows diplomats, officials, and special passport holders from the UAE to enter Uganda visa-free. Concurrently, Uganda's diplomatic and official passport holders are also now exempt from UAE visa requirements. This particular agreement officially came into effect on February 10, 2026. Ministry officials highlighted that these combined deals significantly enhance the international recognition of Uganda's official passports, simplify government travel, and are expected to facilitate bilateral trade more efficiently.

In a separate but related development during the same briefing, the Ministry confirmed the recall of two senior officials from the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control. Major General Apollo Kasita Goa, who served as the Chief of Citizenship and Immigration Control, and Johnson Namanya, responsible for Citizenship and Passport Management, have both been recalled to the Ministry's headquarters. Both officials had been appointed to their respective roles in 2018. The Ministry expressed appreciation for their contributions since 2018, particularly acknowledging their efforts in addressing the backlog of passport applications, and assured the public that operations would continue without disruption following their recall by the UPDF, which had initially deployed them.

Further underscoring the Ministry's commitment to the integrity of its systems, security agencies in Soroti East Division recently apprehended a woman found in possession of a substantial number of illicit documents, including 261 passports, multiple certificates of good conduct, and yellow fever cards. While the woman's identity remains undisclosed pending ongoing investigations, authorities characterized this arrest as an integral part of a broader, intensified crackdown on document fraud. This initiative aims to safeguard the credibility and integrity of Uganda's travel and identification systems against fraudulent activities.

Concluding their announcements, the Ministry issued a stern warning to the public regarding an increase in fraudsters impersonating ministry officials. Ugandans were strongly urged to exercise extreme caution and diligently verify the credentials of any individuals offering immigration services. This public advisory aims to prevent citizens from falling victim to scams and ensure they engage with legitimate channels for all immigration-related needs.