Rwanda has been ranked among the countries with the most open visa policies for foreign visitors, a position that comes as tourism revenues and visitor numbers continue to rise.
The country ranked 20th among 199 countries and territories in the Henley Openness Index, which measures how many nationalities can enter a country without obtaining a visa before travelling. Henley says the index is designed to assess a country’s openness to foreigners and its ability to attract visitors for tourism and trade.
The ranking comes as Rwanda’s tourism sector recorded higher revenues in 2025. Figures from the Rwanda Development Board show that tourism generated $685 million last year, up 6% from $647 million in 2024.
The number of visitors also increased by 9% to 1.49 million in 2025.
Rwanda allows passport holders from 127 countries to enter through visa-free arrangements, electronic travel authorisation or visas issued on arrival, according to the figures cited in the report.
The list includes travellers from the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Japan.
Rwanda’s openness extends across several international groupings. It ranks 120th among 159 World Trade Organization members, 45th among 56 Commonwealth countries and 75th among 132 members of the Group of 77.
The country ranks ninth among 29 French-speaking countries and third among four countries where Swahili is an official language. It is also ranked 48th among 60 countries where English is an official language.
For Rwandan passport holders, however, international travel remains more restricted. The passport provides access to 71 destinations through visa-free travel, visas on arrival or other simplified arrangements, according to the report.
Thirty-three destinations allow Rwandans to enter without a visa, while 35 provide visas on arrival or other simplified entry arrangements. Three require an electronic travel authorisation, while 127 require a visa before departure.
Within Africa, the Rwandan passport ranks 17th among the continent’s 54 countries on travel access.
Kenya allows Rwandan citizens to stay for up to 180 days without a prior visa. Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritius, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda allow stays of up to 90 days.
Europe remains considerably less accessible, with all 47 countries requiring Rwandan passport holders to obtain a visa before travelling. The same applies to the five Central Asian countries covered by the report.
Henley’s Openness Index is separate from its Passport Index, which measures how many destinations citizens of each country can enter without a prior visa.
