Immigration
The 1999 Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, with generous refugee law
The Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act 1999 governs entry, permits and citizenship. The Refugees Act 2006 is among the most liberal in the world, granting refugees the right to work, move freely and receive land for cultivation.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control issues permits; the Refugee Appeals Board hears status appeals.
- Deadline — Work permit: classes issued by activity, generally for one to three years
- Deadline — Refugee status: determined by the Refugee Eligibility Committee
Governing law
- Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, 1999Cap 66
- Refugees Act, 2006No. 21 of 2006
- EAC Common Market Protocol
In practice
The Refugees Act 2006 and its 2010 regulations make Uganda an international outlier: refugees receive plots for cultivation in settlements rather than closed camps, may work and move freely, and can access national services. With one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, this framework rather than the general permit regime is the substance of Ugandan immigration law.