Travel Guidelines for Rwanda: COVID-19 Testing Requirements

Fully vaccinated travelers to Rwanda are no longer required to quarantine while they await PCR test results, as announced by the country’s government.

To enter Rwanda, all travelers—vaccinated or not—must test negative for COVID-19. This applies both upon arrival and within 72 hours prior to departure. Although the local ministry of health continues to recommend self-isolation for fully vaccinated individuals upon arrival, they may now bypass mandatory quarantine while waiting for test results.

Alternatively, unvaccinated travelers and those unable to provide proof of vaccination are required to self-isolate in designated hotels for 24 hours until they receive their test results.

This new exemption applies only to fully vaccinated travelers and children under 18 years; children under 5 are not required to take tests. Only PCR tests are accepted—rapid tests will not be acknowledged. Anyone who tests positive, even if asymptomatic, will incur their own treatment costs. Thus, it is crucial to consider travel insurance that covers COVID-19. Furthermore, travelers must test negative a third time before departing Rwanda.

Upon arrival in Rwanda, travelers should expect to pay US$60 for their PCR test at Kigali International Airport. All visitors must also fill out a passenger locator form and upload their test and vaccination certificates before boarding their flight.

Within Rwanda, face masks and social distancing measures are mandatory in public spaces. Nightclubs and other forms of entertainment have reopened, but businesses are obliged to close by 11 PM, with a curfew in effect from midnight to 4 AM.

Approximately 24% of Rwanda’s population has been vaccinated, according to data from Reuters. However, the Rwanda Development Board indicates that around 90% of those working in the tourism industry have received their vaccinations. For further details regarding the country’s COVID-19 protocols and responses, please visit rbc.gov.rw.