Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Rwanda, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own and criminal penalties will vary from country to country. Persons violating Rwandan laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Rwanda strictly enforces its laws about appropriate speech regarding the genocide. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Rwanda are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. In Rwanda, you may be taken in for questioning if you do not have your passport with you or if you take pictures of certain buildings. If you break local laws in Rwanda, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

Non-biodegradable plastic bags are banned in Rwanda. Travelers carrying them upon arrival at the Kigali International Airport may have them confiscated.

There are also some things that might be legal in Rwanda, but still illegal in the United States.

It is a crime prosecutable in the United States to engage in sexual conduct with children and use or disseminate child pornography in a foreign country. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods, regardless of local law. If you break local laws in the Rwanda, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not.  To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

Telecommunications: Telephone communication to and from Rwanda is generally reliable. Cellular telephones are available for purchase in many large towns and cellular service is reliable along most major routes in Rwanda. There are three main cellular providers: MTN, Tigo and Airtel. Internet service is increasingly available throughout Rwanda, but high-speed connections are often unavailable or unreliable and expensive.

Currency: Travelers should expect to pay for most expenses, including airplane tickets, in cash. Most Rwandan banks and businesses do not accept traveler’s checks. The Rwandan franc is easily exchangeable for hard currencies in banks and cash exchange bureaus. Most banks and exchange bureaus will not accept U.S. currency printed before 2006 so travel with newer U.S. currency notes. Additionally, many exchange bureaus offer preferential rates for $100 bills and hotels or exchange bureaus may refuse to accept smaller bills.

International ATMs are increasingly available in every major city in Rwanda. ATMs in Rwanda accept only Visa cards; MasterCard cards may be used for cash withdrawals for a fee at Access Bank locations co-located with Western Union offices. Beware of ATM skimmers at some ATMs which can steal card data for fraudulent use. Several banks in Kigali and Western Union branches can handle wire transfers from U.S. banks.

Credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants, and large grocery stores in Kigali, and to a lesser extent at some hotels and restaurants in other cities. Be sure to confirm the available method of payment with businesses in advance.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: There are no laws that criminalize sexual orientation or consensual same-sex sexual relations; however, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face societal discrimination and abuse.

For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Rwanda you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.  For further information on LGBT travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Rwanda, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from is found in the United States. Persons with disabilities face limited access to transportation and public buildings though newly-constructed buildings have improved access and facilities. While sidewalks are ubiquitous along major routes in Kigali, they are not found in most other cities and they do not include curb-cuts.