Government revises work permit, citizenship fees

People line up at for work permits and passports at the Internal Affairs ministry offices in Kampala on  February 22. PHOTO | RACHEL MABALA.

What you need to know:

  • Foreign professionals, like medical practitioners, accountants and auditors, will be charged $3,000 (Shs11m), which is $500 (Shs1.8m) lower than what they were paying initially per year. 

The government has brought down work permit fees for some investors and increased citizenship fees for people seeking to stay in the country. 

The work permit fees have been reduced to $400 (Shs1.5m) per year, from $2,500 (Shs9.2m). 

“The reduced fees will attract investors in the country,” Mr Jacob Siminyu, the spokesperson of the Internal Affairs ministry, said. 

The revised fees are contained in the statutory instrument No 12 of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control (fees) Regulations, 2021. 

The regulation was gazetted on February 22.
However, the government maintained work permit fees for dealers in agriculture, mining of minerals other than those stated above, expatriates, business and trade at $2,500 (Shs9.2m). 

Foreign professionals, like medical practitioners, accountants and auditors, will be charged $3,000 (Shs11m), which is $500 (Shs1.8m) lower than what they were paying initially per year. 

The government also introduced new fees for missionaries and volunteers in non-governmental organisations, who will part with $250 (Shs915, 000) per year in order to be issued with work permits. 

Mr Siminyu said a foreigner, who is not working and has no other reason, other than retiring in Uganda, will pay $1,500 (Shs5.4m). 

Foreigners interested in doing research and internship in Uganda will be charged $700 (Shs2.6m) per year. This is a new charge. 
For those who want to acquire citizenship in Uganda through marriage will have to pay between $1,000 (Shs3.7m) and $3,000 (Shs9.2m).

Dual citizenship fees by non-Ugandans have been increased from $500 (Shs1.8m) to $5,000 (Shs18.4m). 

However, the government reduced fees for Ugandans in the diaspora who want to get dual citizenship from $400 (Shs1.5m) to $200 (Shs 732,000). 

Ugandans registering adopted children in Uganda will pay $500. 
Annual fees on a dependant of a foreigner other than his or her child and spouse has been doubled from $500 to $1,000 (Shs3.7m).  
Mr Siminyu said many foreigners, who are legally in Uganda, have been bringing relatives for education or to keep them in Uganda after their studies.

The government slapped $1,550 (Shs5.4m) fee on any Tanzanian in Uganda as a retaliatory measure after the country continued to charge the same amount on Ugandans working in their country.