Mutukula Border OSBP | Customs and Immigration

Tz to Ug, 2 motorbikes with CdP, Dutch passports, e visa

We were here on Saturday morning, it was quiet and easy. The whole border took us less than an hour. No fixer needed, people very friendly. We didn't have to pay anything. The Uganda visa is a sticker that takes a whole passport page. Because we had the e visa already, they didn't need to see anything but the printed out e visa.

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crossing border on foot with east african visa in my passport. very smooth and quick. yellow fever certificate needed.

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Crossing from Uganda to Tanzania was ok. In case you want assistance: Francis efficiently organised the car paperwork, tel +256 775310524

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UG-TZ
Logistics as described in previous posts. If a bus of people hadn’t arrived right before us, we would have been through in under an hour. As it happened 90 minutes total.

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On our way from Nairobi through Uganda to Southern Africa. The Mutukula border is a One stop. There is a Forex Bureau on the left entrance of the Tanzania Immigration Building- NMB. It has one counter which is also a payment counter for truck drivers. So, be ready to hang onto some patience.

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TZ-UG. As described in earlier posts, but few changes: no pcr test required for vaccinated people, so we skipped the white tents. According to custom officer no need to pay any road tax if travelling with CdP. And finally it took us just one hour to cross this border. Dutch passports. For us the easiest border so far.

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Crossed border with bicycle. $25 for PCR with 1h result. I went through border processes before I got result but showed receipt at first desk- Tz immigration. Didn’t do customs. Was offered a visa on arrival. Needed print out of e-visa so visa on arrival is more convenient. Printing for 2000TS near Tz gate.

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Border crossing UG-TZ:
Everything as describrd before:
Came to security gate from Masaka and signed in the book. Drove through and turned left following the road to border crossing TZ side.

Drovr through black gates and parked car.
Walked past the ATM, and went to last door on the left to enter building. This is the health port. You better fill in the health form of Ministry of Health before you come to the border. Saves time.
They wanted to see the PCR, but we said we thought we could do it here. Got a rapid test for 25$ pp (heard that others paid only 10$). They wanted to see the yellow book at first but then they didn' t check it (yellow fever).
After that we walked past the xray machine to get to immigration. Both Uganda and TZ immigration desks were next to each other, so stamp out at one and in at the next. Payed Visa at NMB Bank. Found out that you can enter TZ with a 3 months visa several times.

Next to them is where we got the tip for our car. Payed at the bank again. We had to walk back to Uganda border to get the tip signed out, but its only 500m to get there.

All in all it took us 2 hours. At the exit gate they were asking for our fire extinguisher, but because it took so long to get it out he then said it was OK. And we were driving into Tanzania again.

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TZ - UG

There was an official border worker who said he would help us, he had badge and everything is official. However, he does work with fixers so you will be pressured into paying at the end.
He did help us get through the border but you may be fine yourself.
This was our worst border in Africa for corruption, it's been other people's easiest border. Completely depends on the day.

Our Step by Step:
Drive past first blockade
Drive past tz osfb building
Park along the road before the next big gate.
Go to the right to prefab for covid result
Didnt accept ours 5 days old. They also dont accept any other pcr result other than their own.
Had to pay for pcr, they said no antigen
He checks passport and puts details into book
We talked and ended up paying 10 usd but in tsh so 23000.
Went outside to covid test guys, they said had to pay 25usd there. Other guy scammed us.
We waited and he showed up, we told him why did we pay him if we have pay again, he said this is Africa. Put the pressure on and he gave us back our 23,000.
Back outside to covid test, gave passports, they filled in everything, paid 25usd or 60000 tsh each and got receipts.
Done a mouth swab, results take 1 hour. Gave barcode to guys at desk again.
Went to photocopy documents, 2000tsh.
In a little hut to the left of the main gate.
Stamped out tip in small yellow building at front gate
Go to main  building, customs, usd60 for road fund, cash only. Invoice in ush as 213,000. Paid in tsh as 144,000. Includes a 20,000tsh agent fee for the guy in the office.
Go upstairs to BLO office, he checks paperwork for car. Then you can move your car inside the gate, park just on the left for them to Inspect it.
Full vehicle Inspection including inside. Pepper spray is illegal so just tell them you have it and surrender it. No tasers allowed either (I didnt have one, this is just info)
Get covid results then, pass
Go to immigration, stamp out of TZ, fill in form on table provided.
Go to Ugandan immigration, checked passports, he said usd50 for visa, we told him we are Irish get a free Visa. We didn't pay for anything.
Went back to car, the official guy told us that we now owe ush310,000. Completely unexpected
100,000 for BLO
100,000 for security
100,000 interpol
60,000 for supervisor
Argued that interpol was for police clearance, we already had that and stamped. They removed that charge
Argued 100,000 to 50,000 for security. That included fixer walking us out through the other security gates and he paid the security there. Security refused to open the gates for us without it.
Paid 60,000 for his supervisor who was way more helpful and did step in. Couldn't argue that
Final payments at end :
Security 50,000
Supervisor 60,000
BLO 100,000
So ush 210,000
Tsh 138,000

All bribe and corruption money that we had to pay

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UG-TZ today: 1) Sign the book at first gate 2) drive to Tanzania side and park your car 3) Go to Port Health, they’ll check your PCR, or if you don’t have one (like we didn’t), they’ll do a free rapid test. You need the rapid or a PCR even if you’re vaccinated! There is a PCR testing facility on the UG side, 2 big, white tents but you’ll have to go out again of the gate you drove in, turn left and walk around through the right hand side, black iron gate to that side (NOTE: This is also where the Uganda Revenue Authority’s office now is where you stamp your TIP/CDP out of UG!). PCR results take 1-1,5 hrs. So I’d recommend the rapid. 4) If you went for PCR, then go back to the big, yellow building where you drove and where your car is (it reads Mutukula-Tanzania in its wall), all in one building (except the UG revenue authority) 5) Do immigration UG exit, TZ entry. You can get visa on arrival ($50 single entry/ordinary visa), and you pay the visa to the NMB Bank desk around the corner. You get a pay slip and we could also pay it in UG or TZ shillings, too (we paid in UGX) — no need to use your USD. 6) Take receipt back to immigration desk, they’ll stamp your visa to your passport. 7) Go to the TZ Customs/Excess counter, few meters further from immigration desks, you’ll get your car’s TIP papers here ($20/month+$5 road levy: 2 months $45, 3 months $65), you can get the TIP even for the whole 90 days at once here, just ask for it. Pay that again at the NMB desk. Now there is a UG desk here too, but no staff. The UG Customs (URA/Uganda Revenue Authority) is in the other building (read above where), you can walk there and stamp your car out. So, note that the URA is not anymore in the ”little yellow building” before the black gate, it is further on where the PCR test tents are (behind them). The new, big building is ready now. 9) You’re done! Drive out of the gate, an officer will check your passport and TIP/CDP and you’re out in Tanzania. Much smoother and quicker procedure this way than it was from TZ to UG. We spent only 2,5 hrs altogether. Absolutely no need for a fixer.

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No longer possible to cross the border without a PCR Test as an vaccinated person. EVERYONE has to do a test. Test can be done directly at the border. Takes 1 hour for the result. Costs 65.000TSH or 95.000UGX must be payed cash. (ATM is at the Tansania side).
Everything else as described in the last postings.

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TZ-UG: all as described on posts 21.5./16.8.2021 below - drive all straight to the Uganda Gate (black Iron gate with a red sign entrance gate). park your car outside on the right (overtaking all trucks) and walk inside to get your covid test (tents on the right hand side). cost is now 85'000 TZS / 125'000 UGX (US Dollars can be exchanged at the exchange burreau a little further back, just next to the exit gate). Vaccinated travellers don't neet to test, valid PCR test also not required. After testing, go back outside the gate and to the small yellowish building next to it for customs (opposite where you parked your car). Both TZ and UG in one building, no signs, no IDs, no uniform but working well, paid 20$ temporary road license (travelling with CDP). The customms officer assigned us to another guy that took us to the printer inside the main building and bank for reiceipt and payment (did not ask for money, so seemed legit). then drive your car inside the gate, they wanted to see chassis number at the gate and checked our luggage once inside while waiting for the test results. Once the results are ready, proceed with immigration in the one-stop building inside right hand side (behind the "port health building"). That's it - about 3h incl. waiting for test results, on a Saturday over lunch and some trucks etc. There is one other barrier just after the exit gate with military guys and a lady wanted to register our car, but we showed them the border paperwork and could proceed.

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UG-TZ, I entered the Ugandan side by accident, because the gate was open, so don’t do what I did haha, hand left before the first gate and it will take you around to the TZ one stop. I didn’t have to sign in at the gate. Park where all the cars are, go past the first door where the bank is, and at the next door you need to show some kind of covid test, mine was a couple of weeks old. Fill out https://afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz/#/home. Can do this before and have it already paid, if not they give you a form to take to the bank, which is through the door you walked past that says exit. They will then test you. The rest was fast and simple. Way easier than TZ-UG

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TZ-UG: As mentioned, no need for a PCR test. Keep driving straight until you can’t drive any further, park at the side of that gate. Walk through the small man gate on the left, the small building there is customs. Try not to speak to anyone with a name tag hanging around their neck, they don’t work there, they’ll try and scam you. After walking through the gate the testing tent is over on your right, the first guy on the left is who you pay $50 equivalent in shillings to, you no longer have to go to the bank for this, if you don’t have UGX there’s a couple of exchange places straight ahead of the gate that you walked through. Once you’ve done your test, start with all the rest, u have 2hrs to kill, go back to that customs by the gate and give them copy of tip, there’s a place behind there that will copy if need be. Walk to the one stop area, it’s over to the left of the testing tent, there’s UG customs opposite immigration, give them copies of registration and they will give you 90 days TIP (think this is where I paid $60 road tax), take that to customs by the gate again, then u should be able to drive through, they’ll check the vehicle inside and out. Park about half way through. Wait for covid results (can probably get stamped out of TZ), they msg u on WhatsApp when they’re ready. Take results to immigration, pay $50 visa. Drive out and they check your vehicle over again at the next gate.

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We did Tanz to Uganda.

Park before the entrance gate to the Uganda side.

At the moment go straight in and get you Covid test at the 2 tents. Anyone travelling from Tanzania has to do a Rapid test at the border. They did not want to see our PCR test results even though we had them and they were within the 120hr period specified.

You will then have to go to a bank and pay USD $50 pp for a covid test. Return to the tent with the deposit slip and they will test you.

The test is a "Genexpert" and takes about 2 hours after which you can collect your result at the large Building with the Port Health Sign.

The whole Covid testing system is very organised and efficient. Biggest hastle is the payment by Bank deposit, not sure if this can be organised beforehand.

If you are Vaccinated (and have your vaccination card) you do not have to get a test.

Once you have been tested you can then start formalities for the car while waiting for the test result. This is mostly straight forward but can be slow.

Once you have your test result you can continue with immigration. If you have applied online for an E-visa make sure it is fully approved and you have printed out the approval letter. The immigration process will then be very quick as the Tanz and Uganda officers sit at the same counter.

If you have applied for an E-Visa and it is still pending or deffered you will be in for a massive hastle! Probably better to rather then apply for a new Visa. Not too sure on the process for new Visa butni thibk this will also lead to "delays".

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UG to TZ: Had to show a Covid test certificate on entering the building. Showed my 11 days old from Kenya which they stamped without reading it. TZ immigration officer also wanted to see one and said that this was expired. I told him that I don't need any to enter Tanzania and after some arguing he proceeded.
UG customs officer did not show up this day so I had to drive back to the gate for an UG exit stamp in my CdP. Worked flawlessly. TZ customs had IT connection problems to the headquarters' system and I had to wait about 1 hour. But they invited me behind the desk to serve myself from a chai/coffee/banana flatrate and gave me a cozy leather chair. I did not have the impression that harassment was intended. We rather had a lot of fun :-D All in all I spent 120 minutes.

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when you get to uganda border in Mutukula one stop border everything is easy To process your documents and everything and we were done within 15 m but dont allow anyone To prétend to guide you they will corrupt you

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What people say for directions is true. That’s all. It took me 24 hrs to process a TIP and 250.00$US. The corruption here is staggering. One fellow offered to have me across the border in 30 minutes for 500.00$US. Never again! And nothing to do with COVID-19. They could care less. Even Uganda police wanted money and they didn’t do a thing. Now I have 2 weeks to get through and out of Tanzania to Malawi. Not fast enough for me!

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UG to TZ:
1) Sign in security book at first gate.
2) Drive to the OSBP on the TZ side.
Everything done in one building, clearly signposted.
3) Check temperature and filled in book.
4) Immigration desks and do whats necessary: UG exit then TZ entrance.
5) UG customs: completed and signed CDP and cleared vehicle from Uganda Revenue Authority system. Received proof of the fact.
6) TZ customs: completed and signed CDP. Received TIP form for payment.
7) Proceed to NMB bank desk to pay TIP (USD 20 equivalent for one month). Only accept TZ Shillings so changed USD for TZ Shillings and while there changed the UG Shillings for TZ Shillings. The bank does the exchange for you like any normal forex.
8) Took form back to TZ Customs and stamped the vehicle in.
9) Drive to gate where security personnel check TIP and let you proceed.
Quite efficient. Allow for 90 to 120 minutes.
[NOTE: crossing this border as at 5 June 2020 was only permitted through prior arranged Ugandan governmental authorisation].

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This is a rather confusing border with no flags on official buildings and unclear signage. Going from Tanzania to Uganda, hand over 1 copy of your TIP at the small building on your left just before the gate--and don't leave until they fill out the Ugandan paperwork and give you paperwork to take to the bank where you can pay in USD ($20). Then return with your receipt and they'll issue your 30 day TIP. Then enter the "One Stop" area and park your vehicle. The large building on the right house both Tanzanian and Ugandan immigration offices. They were both polite and efficient at processing our passports and issuing our East Africa visas for $100 USD (though the officer asked why we didn't apply online). For some reason you bypass the office labeled 'Customs' located across the hall from immigration. Our real confusion was that the customs printer was down so we had to go to that building to pick up the printed form between each step. You may be asked for your original insurance documents to go get copies by a man showing you a name badge. Don't hand them over. He is NOT a border official and is trying to scam you.

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Easy border, only one stop. We got the Eastern Africa tourist visa for 100 usd, wich allow you to be in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenia for 90 days.
Everything in 15 mins.

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one stop border post between Uganda and Tanzania. hardly any info on it available online and what is available is incorrect. internet says it is 24h but it is not. opening times 7am to 9pm. large border with many trucks and busses. time it wisely.

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