A picture showing travelling documents. Photo credit: Curtesy

The Ministry of Interior has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media and in some media outlets claiming that South Sudan has introduced a new visa policy granting visa-free entry exclusively to nationals of Egypt and Tanzania, alongside revised visa fees for other foreign nationals.

Over the weekend, several media platforms and blogs reported that the government had approved a new immigration policy allowing only citizens of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Republic of Tanzania to enter South Sudan without a visa.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry clarified that no such policy has been adopted.

The Ministry said neither Interior Minister Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu nor the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports and Immigration has issued any directive, policy decision, or statutory instrument introducing changes to the country’s immigration or visa regime.

“The Ministry of Interior unequivocally dismisses these claims as false, misleading, and without any official legal or administrative basis,” the statement said.

It added that any amendments to immigration regulations are made through established legal procedures and are communicated exclusively through official government channels before taking effect.

The Ministry urged the public, diplomatic missions, development partners, airlines, media institutions, and the international community to disregard the misleading reports and rely only on official information issued by the Ministry of Interior and the Government of South Sudan.

Meanwhile, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member Hon. Kim Gai Ruot also rejected claims that Tanzania had only recently been granted visa-free access to South Sudan.

In a separate statement, Kim said Tanzanian citizens have been allowed to enter South Sudan without a visa since the government implemented the arrangement in line with the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol.

He noted that Tanzania had already been allowing South Sudanese citizens to enter the country without a visa since 2017 under the same regional framework.

According to Kim, citizens of all EAC Partner States enjoy rights under the Common Market Protocol, including visa-free entry through official border points, free movement of persons, the right of residence, the right to work, and the right to establish and operate businesses, subject to the laws of each Partner State.

He said reports suggesting that Tanzania has only now been granted visa-free entry into South Sudan are false and ignore an arrangement that has existed for years as part of the country’s commitment to regional integration.

Kim called on media organizations, news agencies, and members of the public to verify information with the relevant authorities before publishing or sharing reports that could create confusion and undermine the spirit of East African integration.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the timely dissemination of accurate information on immigration policies and other matters of national public interest.

South Sudan began implementing visa-free entry for citizens of East African Community (EAC) Partner States on 1 August 2019, following an immigration directive issued after the country’s accession to the regional bloc. The directive instructed immigration officers at airports, land border crossings, and South Sudanese diplomatic missions to facilitate visa-free entry for EAC citizens in accordance with the EAC Common Market Protocol, which guarantees the free movement of persons among member states, subject to national laws.