South Sudan grants Egyptians and Tanzanians full visa exemption and updates entry regulations for foreigners
Updating the visa policy for entry into South Sudan
Written by: Mohamed Ragab
The government of South Sudan announced an update to its visa policy, granting citizens of Egypt and Tanzania full visa exemption, in a move that reflects the strength of bilateral relations with the two countries and comes as part of a comprehensive review of immigration and residency regulations.
Under the new policy, Egyptian and Tanzanian citizens are now able to enter South Sudan without needing to obtain a visa in advance or pay any visa fees, making them the only two African countries to benefit from this full exemption.
Visas are mandatory for the rest of the African countries.
In contrast, authorities in Juba confirmed that citizens of all other African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, will still be required to obtain an entry visa and pay the prescribed fees before traveling to South Sudan, according to the new immigration regulations.
The government explained that the update also includes a reorganization of visa fees, both for single-entry and multiple-entry visas, as part of a comprehensive review of policies regulating the movement of travelers.
Updates to regulate entry traffic
The authorities confirmed that the new regulations aim to clarify entry requirements for travelers coming from African countries and from around the world, which will contribute to organizing immigration procedures and facilitating the movement of visitors in accordance with the approved legal frameworks.
This decision comes as part of the South Sudanese government's efforts to modernize the immigration system and improve services provided to travelers, while maintaining security and regulatory controls for the entry of foreigners into the country.
Egyptian-South Sudanese relations
Granting Egyptian citizens full visa exemption reflects the distinguished level of relations between Egypt and South Sudan, which have witnessed remarkable development in recent years in the areas of water, infrastructure, education, health, training and capacity building.
Tanzania also has close cooperative relations with South Sudan, particularly within the framework of the East African Community, which promotes movement and exchange between the two countries.
Egypt and South Sudan have close ties that have strengthened since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, with Cairo being one of Juba’s most prominent partners in the areas of development and capacity building.
Recent years have witnessed a regular exchange of official visits between the leaderships of the two countries, along with increasing cooperation in the areas of water resources, education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure.
