The East African Tourist Visa, usually shortened to EATV, is a single visa costing USD 100 that covers three countries: Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Tanzania is not included, which trips people up regularly since it is easy to assume “East Africa” means the whole region.

The key structural rule is single entry into the bloc, multiple movement within it. You enter through any one of the three countries as your first point of entry, and you can then cross freely between all three by land or air for the duration of the visa’s validity without needing separate visas or paying again. What you cannot do is leave the three-country bloc entirely, say flying home or on to a fourth country, and then come back in on the same visa. That requires a fresh application.

The EATV is generally valid for 90 days from the date of entry, and it is applied for online in advance of travel, through whichever of the three countries’ official immigration portals you are entering through first. Processing typically takes a matter of days, so applying at least two to three weeks before travel is sensible.

It is available to a broad range of nationalities but not universally, so check eligibility for your specific passport before assuming you qualify.

This visa makes the most financial and logistical sense if your itinerary genuinely spans two or more of the three countries, for example gorillas in both Uganda and Rwanda, or a Kenya safari combined with a Uganda stop. If you are visiting only one of the three, the country’s own standalone visa is usually cheaper. Our full comparison against Uganda’s standalone eVisa covers this decision in more depth: /uganda-evisa-vs-east-african-tourist-visa/.