Fire and rescue services
Call 112.
Medical emergencies
Call 112 or go to the hospital.
Police
Call 112 or go to the local police station.
Be aware that 112 emergency calls may not be answered.
We advise:
Exercise normal safety precautions in Rwanda.
Higher levels apply in some areas.
Call 112.
Call 112 or go to the hospital.
Call 112 or go to the local police station.
Be aware that 112 emergency calls may not be answered.
We advise:
Exercise normal safety precautions in Rwanda.
Higher levels apply in some areas.
Exercise normal safety precautions in Rwanda overall.
Exercise normal safety precautions in Rwanda overall.
Reconsider your need to travel within 10 kilometres of the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the town of Gisenyi.
Reconsider your need to travel within 10 kilometres of the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the towns of Gisenyi due to:
See Safety
Exercise a high degree of caution within 10 kilometres of the border with Burundi.
Exercise a high degree of caution within 10 kilometres of the border with Burundi due to:
See Safety
Full travel advice: Safety
Full travel advice: Health
Full travel advice: Local laws
Full travel advice: Travel
Full travel advice: Local contacts
Grenade attacks and other violence have occurred in the past, including in Kigali. People have been killed and injured in these attacks.
Targets for attacks have included:
To protect yourself from attacks:
To protect yourself against other crime, avoid walking or travelling after dark. Stay alert during daylight hours.
Avoid protests, rallies and demonstrations. Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.
More information:
We advise reconsider your need to travel within 10km of the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as:
Don't cross the border into the DRC. We advise do not travel to the DRC. If, despite our advice, you travel to the DRC, review the travel advice for the DRC.
We advise exercise a high degree of caution within 10km of the border with Burundi as:
If you intend to cross the border into Burundi, review the travel advice for Burundi.
Monitor local media and other sources for news that may affect your safety.
If you're planning to visit the Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans), book with a reputable travel agent. Only visit the park as part of an organised tour group.
You need permission from the Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) before visiting the park or Nyungwe Forest.
The ORTPN may provide a military escort because of the risk of rebel attack.
Petty crime targeting foreigners doesn't happen often. Crimes include:
Theft from hotel rooms and vehicles also occurs.
When driving, keep your valuables out of sight. Close the windows and lock the doors.
Cyber security
You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.
Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.
More information:
Rwanda experiences natural disasters and severe weather, including:
If there's a natural disaster:
The rainy seasons are from:
Flooding and mudslides occur throughout Rwanda at these times.
Heavy rain may affect infrastructure and disrupt essential services. This can restrict travel if roads close.
North-western Rwanda is in an active earthquake zone. Earthquakes and volcanoes are a threat.
Ask your host or hotel about what to do if there's an earthquake.
After an earthquake:
More information:
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave.
Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of someone you know, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.
More information:
If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Rwanda. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.
Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:
More information:
The Rwandan Ministry of Health has established measures for travellers arriving from areas of the DRC that are affected by Ebola virus disease.
If you are arriving in Rwanda from an Ebola affected area, you're required to undergo thermal scanner screening.
If you're transiting through DRC, the Rwandan Ministry of Health can impose a 21-day quarantine period before you travel.
More information:
Malaria occurs widely throughout the country, including in Kigali.
Other insect-borne diseases also occur, such as dengue, chikungunya, African tick-bite fever.
To protect yourself from disease:
Consider taking medication to prevent malaria.
Protect yourself from HIV/AIDS infection if engaging in activities that expose you to risk.
If you're a victim of violent crime, including rape, get medical help as soon as possible.
Waterborne, foodborne and other infectious diseases are common. These include:
Serious outbreaks sometimes occur.
To protect yourself from illness:
If you're bitten or scratched by an animal, get medical help straight away.
Don't swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to waterborne diseases, such as bilharzia (schistosomiasis).
Get medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.
More information:
Medical facilities are very limited throughout the country.
If you're in an accident or get sick, you may need to be evacuated by air ambulance to Nairobi, Kenya. You may need to travel further if your condition is serious. Medical evacuation can be very expensive
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Follow local laws in Rwanda's parks and tourism sites.
To visit parks:
Penalties for drug-related crimes are severe. They include long prison sentences and heavy fines.
More information:
The public or police may harass LGBTI travellers for same-sex sexual activity, or public displays of affection.
It's illegal to take photos of government buildings.
A permit issued by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority is required to fly a drone recreationally or commercially in Rwanda.
Plastic bags are banned. Authorities may confiscate them when you arrive at the airport and in public places. They may also fine you.
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws apply overseas. If you commit these offences, you may be prosecuted in Australia.
More information:
Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering.
Citizens of Commonwealth countries receive free 30-day tourist visas on arrival.
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the High Commission of Rwanda in Singapore or the Consulate General of the Republic of Rwanda in Australia for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.
Working or Volunteering in Rwanda
You need a valid permit to work or volunteer in Rwanda. The permit is available through the Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration.
More information:
You no longer need a COVID-19 test to enter Rwanda. Additional COVID-19 testing is no longer in place on arrival at or departing Kigali International Airport.
COVID-19 testing is available at your own cost at health centres and other designated sites. You can book and pay for COVID-19 tests through the online platform available at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre website, check the website for the most up to date guidance.
You'll need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever.
More information:
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you’re just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
Australian emergency passports are only accepted with pre-approval from the Rwandan immigration department.
Passport with 'X' gender identifier:
Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.
More information:
Rwanda is a cash-based society but presently electronic payments and online banking should be used wherever possible.
Only large hotels accept credit cards. Find out which credit cards your hotel accepts before you travel.
You can only cash traveller's cheques at commercial banks.
Not many ATMs accept international cards.
Most shops and businesses won't accept or change US dollars dated before 2006.
Measures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 are being strictly enforced.
Face masks are no longer mandatory in Rwanda but people are encouraged to wear a face mask in public indoors/closed spaces.
Some meeting venues and national parks require a negative COVID-19 test. Testing is available at health facilities and other designated sites for 5,000 RWF (or US$5) for rapid antigen tests, and 50,000 RWF (or US$50) for PCR tests (required for all visits to see primates in Volcanoes, Nyungwe and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks).
The government is regularly reviewing these measures. Refer to Rwanda's national health implementation agency for regularly updated official information on COVID-19 measures.
You're more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident in Rwanda than in Australia.
To drive in Rwanda you'll require both your Australian driver's licence and an International Driver's Permit.
Main roads between Kigali and other major towns are generally good.
You'll likely need a 4WD to use unsealed secondary roads, particularly during the rainy season.
Avoid driving at night. The US Embassy doesn't let its staff drive outside of Kigali city limits after dark.
Police roadblocks are common throughout the country. They may stop you. Police may search your vehicle and luggage.
Road safety risks include:
More information:
Use only licensed taxis with an orange-stripe.
Confirm the fare before you leave.
Avoid minivans (shared taxis) and motorbikes, especially at night. They're risky due to reckless driving, poor maintenance and petty crime.
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Rwanda's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
Rwandan airports have extensive airports security checks. You should allow sufficient time to get through security.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
Call 112.
Call 112 or go to the hospital.
Call 112 or go to the local police station.
Be aware that 112 emergency calls may not be answered.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Rwanda. The Office of the Canadian High Commission to Rwanda in Kigali provides limited consular help to Australians in Rwanda. The Office doesn't issue passports.
Full consular help is available from the Australian High Commission in Kenya.
Office of the Canadian High Commission to Rwanda
59, KN16 Ave, Kiyovu, Kigali, Rwanda
Postal Address: P.O. Box 1177, Kigali, Rwanda
Telephone: (+250) 252 554 800
Fax: (+250) 252 554 810
Email: kgali-cs@international.gc.ca
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 8am – 12pm
Limuru Road, Rosslyn
Nairobi, Kenya
PO Box 3008 - 00621
Phone: +254 20 4277 100
Website: https://kenya.highcommission.gov.au/
Email: australia.hc.kenya@dfat.gov.au
Facebook: Australian High Commission, Kenya
Twitter: @AusHCKenya
Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.