The US B1/B2 visa is the hardest major destination for Ugandans — a 57.58% adjusted refusal rate in FY2025 and a mandatory in-person interview at the US Embassy on Ggaba Road. Kampala survived the 1 August 2026 consolidation as a regional hub, so it now also serves applicants redirected from posts that closed.
Key Warnings
Insider Tips
Go to ceac.state.gov/genniv. Complete the DS-160 non-immigrant visa application form. This takes 45–90 minutes. Save your confirmation page with the barcode — you cannot reopen it after submission.
Pay the non-refundable $185 MRV (Machine Readable Visa) application fee at ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ug/niv. Note the payment options available for Uganda.
After payment, book your interview at ais.usvisa-info.com. The US Embassy Kampala is located at Plot 1577 Ggaba Road, Mutungo. Book 3–4 months before planned travel — interview slots fill quickly.
Gather bank statements (6 months), employment letter, DS-160 confirmation, appointment letter, passport photo, and strong evidence of ties to Uganda (land title, property, family, employment).
Arrive at the US Embassy Kampala on Ggaba Road on time. The interview is typically 3–5 minutes. The officer will ask about travel purpose, employer, finances, and ties to Uganda. Answer clearly and confidently.
If approved, your passport is retained and returned with the visa stamp — typically within 5–10 working days. Courier or collection options available.
Uganda is on the visa bond list. If the officer approves the visa, a bond of up to USD 20,000 may be required through Pay.gov before it is issued. It is returned if you depart on time or do not travel.
United States rejected 57.58% of applications. Avoid these mistakes:
Every applicant is presumed to intend to immigrate until they prove otherwise. The officer is not looking for a reason to refuse — the law starts from refusal.
Fix: Show a residence abroad you have no intention of abandoning: property, a job you return to, dependants, ongoing commitments. Bring the evidence rather than describing it.
Unstable employment, thin assets and no dependants read as little reason to return. Younger and self-employed applicants carry more of this burden.
Fix: An employer's letter confirming approved leave and a return date does more than a bank balance. The self-employed should bring business registration and tax filings.
The interview is short and the officer is comparing what you say against what you filed.
Fix: Re-read your own DS-160 before the interview and keep every answer identical.
57.58% rejection rate — US Department of State adjusted refusal rate for B visas, FY2025 — Uganda 57.58%. Adjusted rate = (refusals − overcomes) ÷ (issuances + refusals − overcomes). The State Department PDF is not directly retrievable, so this is taken from a single report of that table; treat as indicative until confirmed against the source PDF.
US entry ban on travellers recently in Uganda extended to 10 November 2026
The CDC order first signed on 18 May 2026 bars the introduction of non-US citizens who were in Uganda, the DR Congo or South Sudan during the previous 21 days, with no exemption for lawful permanent residents. It has been renewed in 30-day steps; the order issued on 11 October 2026 runs to 4:59 pm EDT on 10 November 2026. It applies regardless of nationality or visa held.
Visa bond programme made permanent, bonds of up to USD 20,000
The State Department's final rule of 3 August 2026 replaced the 12-month visa bond pilot with a permanent programme. Consular officers may require B-1/B-2 applicants from designated countries to post a bond of up to USD 20,000 as a condition of issuance, paid through Pay.gov after the officer decides the visa can be issued. The bond is returned if the traveller departs on time or does not travel. The designated list, announced on travel.state.gov, included Uganda and Nigeria in the State Department's fact sheet of 18 March 2026.
FY2025 US refusal rate for Uganda is 57.58%
The State Department's FY2025 adjusted refusal rate for Uganda B1/B2 applicants is 57.58%. The figure previously shown on this page, 40%, came from FY2023 data and understated the current position.
$250 Visa Integrity Fee applies to visas issued from 1 October 2025
The Visa Integrity Fee introduced by the July 2025 budget act adds USD 250 per person to every nonimmigrant visa, collected at issuance rather than application, for visas issued on or after 1 October 2025. As of August 2026 the State Department has still not published universal implementation guidance, so some consulates collect it and others do not. It more than doubles the cost of a B1/B2 visa where it applies.
Kampala is now a US regional visa hub — expect longer waits
The State Department ended routine visa processing at 25 African posts on 1 August 2026 and consolidated the work into 20 regional hubs: Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé. Kampala is one of them, so it now serves applicants redirected from Bujumbura and Juba in addition to its own caseload. Appointment availability is likely to tighten even though the process itself is unchanged.
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