The United States has reduced the validity of non-immigrant visas for Ugandan nationals from two years to a maximum of three months for single entry, citing concerns over abuse of the American visa system.
US Ambassador to Uganda William Popp, announced the change today, Monday, while addressing journalists at the American Centre in Kampala. He said the decision is part of the US government’s ongoing commitment to safeguard national security and public safety by ensuring the integrity of its visa processes.
“The overarching effort to achieve this goal has been laid out in President Trump’s Executive Order (E.O.) 14161 issued on 20th January 2025, entitled ‘Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” said Popp.
He explained that Trump directed the secretary of state to evaluate all visa programs to ensure that they are not used by any foreign national state or other hostile actor to harm the security, economic, political, cultural, or other national interests of the United States.
To that end, Popp stated that to protect the United States’ national security and interests, the Department of State and other US government agencies assessed other countries’ security capabilities; information-sharing, identity management practices, and any exploitation of the US visa system, such as fraud, overstays, and failure to facilitate the repatriation of removable nationals.
“New nonimmigrant visas for Ugandan citizens will now be issued as valid for one entry, three months, which mirrors the validity that Ugandan visas issued to American tourists and business travellers have been,” Popp stated.
He emphasised that this validity change is one way of increasing the United States’ ability to detect and prevent abuse of the country’s immigration system. Popp noted that the changes have taken immediate effect but will not affect visas issued in the past.
Before the new restrictions, Ugandans would receive nonimmigrant visas of up to two years. According to the Department of Homeland Security Entry/Exit Overstay report, regarding visitors whose authorized period of admission expired between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023, Uganda’s B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa overstay rate stands at 8.42% while Uganda’s F, M, J (students and exchange visitors) visa overstay rate is at 16.71%.
TaniaJ. Romanoff, US Embassy Consular Section chief elaborated about the visa adjudication process, saying that national security is always their top priority when screening applicants and that individuals who intentionally provide inaccurate information during a visa application and interview do not receivea visa and may be permanently ineligible to obtain one, and potentially face prosecution in Uganda or the US.
Tania also explained that the change of the visa validity from two years to three months will not have a change to the visa fees, since these are set globally based on the actual cost of conducting face-to-face interviews, maintaining the website for applications, and actual printing of the visa.
Regarding birth tourism, Romanoff warned that using a US visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States is not permitted and that consular officers will deny a visa application if they have a reason to believe that is the primary purpose of travel.
“We have seen that many Ugandan parents travel to the United States to give birth in the US, and then they use US government assistance to pay for the birth. These costs are then passed on to the American taxpayer,” she revealed.
When asked about the number of Ugandans who have in the past used their tourism visas to give birth in the United States, Romanoff indicated that they don’t currently have a number to speak of since they deal with cases of birth tourism on a one-off basis.
Brian Jolda, supervisory special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), also doubling as the in-charge of the Overseas Criminal Investigations at the US Embassy, stated that providing fake documents during the visa process is a crime.
He revealed that in the past two weeks, they have assisted in the arrest of five visa applicants who presented fraudulent documents, including O’level, A’level certificates, university transcripts, and bank statements. Jolda warned that those who commit fraud and abuse the visa application process face arrest and are to be held accountable.
I am honestly happy with their decision. We like criticizing the US/Trump, but we give them a max of three months visa also.
Correct me if I am wrong: we do not have birth citizenship in Uganda, but expect America to continue granting citizenship to any child born in the US to non-American parents; why?
America is one of 15 or so countries in the world that grants automatic citizenship to any child born to non-citizens. I think none of the European countries grants automatic citizenship to children born to non-citizens. My children were born in London, but none of them is British. – why should we expect the US to grant automatic citizenship to any child born within its borders? I happily came back and settled with my children in our beautiful Uganda – and they are very happy. Let us stay in Uganda and develop it to the standards we are happy with.
Another thing: I travel to the US a lot and have been receiving two-year visas. My return journey to Uganda is always more exciting than my trip to the US. Uganda is very-very beautiful and and let us improve it because she is the land that God gave to us.
Uhuru you have a point indeed. This business of providing visa especially for developed countries can easily stop as you wish it.
Most African people would wish to just visit the USA for knowledge as it used to be when many former African colonies were picking up independence from the nasty imperialists. The USA was very good together with Britain to assist these countries to pick themselves up from such aggressive governance.
That was 65 years ago 1960. Fast forward to 2025 you very well know what has been happening. African is a battle ground for greedy Africans seeking power and riches with AK 47 guns loaded on their backs. Political and economic African refuges are running away for dear lives any where safe.
Anywhere safe where they can make a decent living with their big families. Uhuru you are a lucky man indeed but do not start crying when African regime change comes along in many of the so called comfortable and prosperous African countries!
You cannot be happy with the United States foreign policies for many years and counting e.g in the African Congo, then in the Middle East, again in Indo China, back in Latin South America. What about present Afghanistan and Ukraine.
It is unfortunate indeed that the American ruling fraternity seem to love taking all sorts of destructive and brutal wars anywhere else other than in their own backyard! Despite having been given the responsibility of organising and developing the world economy using their local currency the dollar!
The principle/concept of reciprocity applies in foreign/international relations. Since Uganda gives Americans a 3-months’ visa, the U.S. is not at fault to reciprocate.
Moreover, some Ugandans overstay beyond the period of their legal stay in the U.S. Kenya gives Americans a 5-year visa.
May be Uganda should follow suit in order to incentivize American tourists to come to Uganda. I hope consideration/exceptions will be made for F and J visas that are for students and exchange visitors/scholars respectively.
If foreigners behaved in these countries all this would not happen. We were free to travel without any hindrance and the terrorism era set it. So may crimes in the USA even Europe are being committed by the people they welcome to their countries. Today look at the Scandinavian countries who is causing havoc? Stop supporting dictators and your countries zill be safe to live in
Uhuru, thanks.
Ugandans MUST stop Rwandese Museveni in UNITY, then form the kind of governance they want, then when Uganda becomes a real country again, USA… will be happy to just work with, help Ugandans begin real development, for the good of Ugandans.
D. Trump is the first developed world president to wake up the entire world to the NECESSITY of Good Governance in so called developing world being emptied of those who should be in place to ensure change & begining of development!
Developed world MUST stop giving billions for fake developments in shitholes as this only make stronger the useless rulers who ensure the people get poorer, powerless…while they get richer, go for health care in developed countries, die there at +80 under good care!
Ugandans MUST become e.g to developing world by saying NO to the tribalistic system, then UNITE under ONE National/Common Leader, to ensure Rwandese Museveni is stopped, without war that will only be dangerous, deadly to Ugandans!
Marc Mae, thanks.
USA, EU, UK must stop migrantion to their lands; migrates, especially those from former colonised lands, who hate them with passion while using their democracies that ensure they are given Public/Social Services!
Developed world must stop migration to their lands before it’s too late too late as things are getting worse for them!
Time USA, EU, UK stop financing UN that is ensuring bad rule in shitholes, thus migration to their lands! Formation of a real BLOCK & working to ensure their safety must be NOW!
Not to forget that those migrating are the educated little or highly & families, while the majority non educated are left so so poor upcontries/villages & ignored by even UN!
Why are USA, UK, EU, Canada still members & financing the defunct UN that is destroying the world by going along with dictatorship/bad rule, thus encouraging wars, migration?
Ah! UN helped Rwandese Museveni fill Uganda with migrants/refugees, while turning blind eyes to the dictatorship, poverty of Ugandans upcountry, in villages!
I agree with President Trump’s “America first” moves, wish we had a leader that was this zealous for the people of Uganda. I’ll take trade over aid any day.
I don’t agree with bad behaviour being the reason for this though. I think we are being punished for joining BRICS (China,Iran, Palestine support) which has been aggressively anti American. He is a man who continues to do what he says he’ll do