Rwanda filming permit: step by step

A Rwanda filming permit is not one document but a small set of permissions. Which ones you need depends on what you are making, who is making it and how you will film.

For most international crews, the list looks like this:

• Photography and video shooting permit for public filming of documentaries and fiction films, applied for on IremboGov.¹
• Media accreditation for foreign media from the Rwanda Media Commission, for journalists and correspondents.²
• A UAS (drone) activity permit from the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, if you fly a drone.³
• Location permissions from owners and managers of private, protected or sensitive sites.
• Entry visas for every crew member, and a plan for bringing in equipment.⁴⁵

Corporate, NGO and documentary crews usually need the shooting permit. News crews need accreditation, and often both. If you are unsure which applies, describe the project honestly in the application and ask before you travel.

The photography and video shooting permit is listed under Media on IremboGov, the government's online services portal. According to the IremboGov guide, the service is provided by the Ministry of Youth (MINIYOUTH) and covers public filming for documentaries and fiction films by Rwandan and foreign production companies and individuals.¹

The steps are short:

• Go to IremboGov, open Media and choose the photography and video shooting permit. You can apply with or without an IremboGov account.
• Enter the applicant details. Foreign applicants use their passport number.
• Upload the required attachment and continue.
• Confirm your details, add a phone number or email address, and submit.
• Pay using the billing number that starts with 88, choosing a payment method.

The guide gives a processing time of four days. For foreigners, it lists fees of 30,000 Rwandan francs for 15 days, 50,000 for one month, 100,000 for three months and 200,000 for twelve months.¹ We checked these on 26 October 2026 against a page last updated in December 2025. Check again before you pay, because fees can change.

If your crew is working for a news organisation or a foreign media house, apply for media accreditation through the Rwanda Media Commission. It is also done on IremboGov, under Media, as Accreditation for Foreign Media.²

You will need a passport-size photo, a copy of a press card or service card, and an application letter from your media house, all as JPG files of no more than 1000KB. The form also asks for company details, project details, an address and contact person in Rwanda, and previous work.² You need an IremboGov account to apply, and once approved the e-accreditation badge is sent by email.⁶

At the time of checking, the fee was 30 US dollars for Rwandan correspondents of foreign media and EAC journalists, and 100 US dollars for other foreign journalists. The official processing time is three days after payment.²⁶ Industry guidance from Pact is more cautious: it says accreditation is required for each crew member and usually takes at least three weeks.⁷ Apply early and keep proof of your application with you.

The IremboGov guide states that the shooting permit does not exempt a crew from formalities that local authorities may request on site, including authorisations for drones and special equipment.¹

For drones, the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority requires operators to hold an activity permit. You create an account on the RCAA drone portal and submit an applicant information form and a concept of operations form.³ The RCAA page does not give a processing time, so allow for this and do not plan any aerial shot until the permit is in hand.

Some places need extra care. Pact notes that unauthorised photography of military sites, government buildings, airports and public monuments is prohibited, and that penalties may include arrest, fines and confiscation of equipment.⁷ Heritage sites have their own process: the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy publishes a shooting authorisation form that asks for a synopsis, CVs for the whole crew and a recommendation from a Rwandan institution related to your work.⁸

Private land, schools, health facilities, hotels and offices need the owner's or manager's written agreement. National parks need early contact with the park management.

Rwanda's immigration authority states that citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without prior application, and that visas can also be applied for online before departure.⁴ Check the visa type and fee for each crew member's passport before you book.

For equipment, plan early. Pact's country guide says Rwanda is not an ATA carnet country, so carnets cannot be used.⁷ The US government's commercial guide says Rwanda Revenue Authority customs permits the temporary entry of equipment with prior permission, after a written request and proof that the goods will be taken out of the country. Duty and tax are due if the goods are sold.⁵ A detailed kit list with serial numbers makes this much easier.

Pact also notes that very little camera, grip and lighting equipment exists locally, and that Nairobi is the closest place with all the standard kit.⁷ Confirm what your local partner can supply before you decide what to bring.

A permit lets you film in public. It does not give you consent from the people in your frame. Explain who you are and what the film is for, in a language people understand, and record consent before an interview. In Rwanda that often means Kinyarwanda, as well as English or French.

Take extra care with children, refugees and anyone in a vulnerable situation. Ask a parent or guardian, avoid identifying details where harm is possible, and never stage hardship.

In our own practice, we brief crews on local etiquette, carry permit copies both in print and on phones, and keep a local producer with each unit to speak with authorities and communities.

Copy this list into your production plan and tick it off before you fly.

• Project described clearly: title, synopsis, dates, locations, crew names.
• Photography and video shooting permit applied for on IremboGov, with the right duration tier.¹
• RMC media accreditation for each journalist, if working for media.²
• RCAA activity permit for any drone, with a concept of operations.³
• Heritage site authorisation, if filming at a museum or heritage site.⁸
• Written permission from private, institutional and park locations.
• Visas checked for every passport.⁴
• Kit list with serial numbers and a written request for temporary entry.⁵
• Consent forms in Kinyarwanda, English and French, plus a child safeguarding plan.
• Printed and digital copies of all permits, and a local contact for checks.