Do Australia passport holders need a visa to visit RW?
Australian ordinary passport holders do NOT need a visa in advance for short tourism in Rwanda. As a Commonwealth nation, Australia qualifies for a free 30-day visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders. An optional eVisa via the Irembo portal is also available before travel. Rwanda allows citizens of all countries to obtain a visa on arrival without prior application (policy effective since 1 January 2018). Australia, as a member of the Commonwealth, additionally qualifies for a fee waiver: Australian ordinary passport holders receive a free visa on arrival valid for a stay of up to 30 days, issued at Kigali International Airport and all land borders. No advance application is required, though travelers may optionally apply online via the Irembo government portal for a pre-arranged eVisa. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months and have blank pages. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if arriving from or transiting a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Because the route is a visa-on-arrival channel rather than full visa-free entry, the verdict is recorded as visa-on-arrival; for Commonwealth nationals such as Australians the fee is waived (0 USD) for the standard 30-day visit. Rwanda is in East Africa and is not part of the Schengen area, so Schengen/ETIAS rules do not apply.
VISA REQUIREDTOURISMSINGLE ENTRYLast verified 2026-05-30
For guidance only — visa rules change with little notice. Always confirm directly with the destination's embassy or foreign ministry before booking non-refundable travel. Information here applies to ordinary (non-diplomatic) passports unless noted.
Australia (PR)Living in Australia as a permanent resident? See PR-specific guidance→