South Sudan has imposed a $50 visa fee on citizens of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, introducing a new cost for workers and businesses operating in one of East Africa’s most commercially important frontier markets.
Under the revised charges, published on the country’s electronic visa portal on Monday, Somali and Burundian citizens will pay $100 to enter South Sudan. Tanzanians and Egyptians can enter visa-free, while South Africans can visit without a visa for stays of less than 30 days. Nigerians will pay $100.
The fees implement an immigration policy introduced last week and mark a departure from the East African Community’s push to remove restrictions on the movement of people, labour, and services across the eight-member bloc.
South Sudan joined the EAC in 2016. The regional grouping says citizens of its partner states should generally be able to travel within the bloc without visas, an ambition anchored in the Common Market Protocol and intended to support the free movement of workers and capital. The EAC describes free movement as a central pillar of the common market.
The different treatment of EAC citizens is likely to raise questions over reciprocity and Juba’s compliance with those commitments. Tanzanians will continue to enter free of charge, while travellers from six of South Sudan’s seven other EAC partners face fees of between $50 and $100.
The new charges will have their greatest impact on Kenya and Uganda, South Sudan’s main links to regional markets. Both countries supply the landlocked nation with food, manufactured goods, fuel, and professional services, while their citizens account for a significant share of the traders, drivers, bankers, and aid workers travelling to Juba.
Kenyan transport companies move goods to South Sudan from the port of Mombasa through Uganda, with drivers and support staff routinely crossing the border. Although $50 is modest for large companies, repeated payments could increase operating costs for logistics businesses whose employees make several journeys every year.
The rules could also complicate labour mobility. South Sudan has long drawn accountants, engineers, teachers, healthcare workers, and other professionals from neighbouring countries, particularly Kenya and Uganda. The fee adds to the cost of accepting assignments or taking short business trips to Juba.
Kenyan lenders are among the most exposed companies. KCB Group, Stanbic Bank, and Equity Group operate subsidiaries in South Sudan, while other regional companies maintain employees, suppliers, and clients in the country.
The banks rely on staff movement between Nairobi and Juba for roles in technology, risk management, audits, and compliance. Visa charges will not alter their balance sheets, but could add another layer of cost and administration in a market already affected by currency volatility, high inflation, and political uncertainty.
Travellers are required to apply through South Sudan’s official e-visa portal, pay online, and download an approved document before travelling. The government says applications can be processed within 72 hours.
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