On August 14, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China pointed out that Uganda, citing the “One China Principle”, was requesting Taiwanese citizens to hold Chinese passports stamped with an entry permit before returning their Republic of China passports. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern over this matter and urged the public to temporarily postpone travel or business activities to Uganda.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, following the previous incident where two Taiwanese nationals were detained by immigration officials at Entebbe Airport near Kampala, the capital of Uganda, with one of them being deported, on August 12th, three Taiwanese businessmen and their family members holding Republic of China passports were detained at the airport upon arrival. Although they were eventually allowed to enter the country, they were unreasonably asked to present Chinese passports to receive their Republic of China passports back, claiming it was in accordance with Uganda’s “One China Policy.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan promptly responded to the situation, with the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland, which also oversees Uganda, and the Taiwan Business Association in Uganda providing necessary care and assistance to the affected individuals.
The Ministry stated that, “The Ugandan government has not officially announced any changes to the visa and entry requirements for our citizens; however, considering recent cases of Taiwanese travelers facing entry issues, we urge the public to carefully assess the necessity and potential risks of traveling to Uganda in the near future. Additionally, we remind local Taiwanese to remain vigilant and stay in close contact with our Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland.”
The Ministry added, “Our relevant offices, including the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland, will continue to gather information through channels, negotiate and coordinate with the Ugandan government, and provide necessary assistance to the affected individuals.”
“As of now, there are about 70 Taiwanese nationals in Uganda, with approximately 35 Taiwanese-invested companies contributing to local employment opportunities and showcasing a growing trend in Taiwanese tourist visits to Uganda in recent years, bringing substantial economic benefits,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The Ministry expressed serious concern over Taiwanese citizens facing entry issues at Ugandan airports recently and called on the Ugandan government to acknowledge Taiwan’s sovereign independence and the international reality that Taiwan is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China. They emphasized against implementing inappropriate entry restrictions based on political factors that could disrupt normal bilateral exchanges and interests.
The Ministry reminded Taiwanese citizens that in case of emergencies or accidents in Uganda, they should contact the emergency assistance hotline of the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland at +252-636-292-616, or call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Emergency Services Hotline for Overseas Nationals” at +886-800-085-095 for necessary assistance.