What if the best care your parent could get
cost far less than the care you're settling for?
Across the US and UK, families face an impossible trade-off: good care is eye-wateringly expensive, and affordable care often means crowded wards and rushed staff. Karibu offers a third path — a boutique 10-resident home in Kampala where a private room with round-the-clock nursing costs roughly what a single week of US nursing care does. For families open to it, the difference is life-changing — financially, and in the quality of your parent's days.
"Could I really send my parent that far?"
It's the right question to ask. Here's the honest answer to the six things every family worries about first.
"Isn't this abandoning them?"
The opposite, usually. With a maximum of 10 residents and nurses on site 24/7, your parent gets more attention than most understaffed homes back home can give — known by name, not managed in a queue.
"Will there be a language barrier?"
No. English is Uganda's official language — it's the language of care, conversation, hospitals, and government here. Your parent will be understood, and so will you.
"Is the medical care actually good?"
A qualified nurse is on site around the clock, with a direct line to a partner hospital in Kampala and a private ambulance arrangement. Care plans are reviewed monthly and coordinated with your chosen doctor.
"How do I stay involved from abroad?"
Weekly photo-and-written updates, scheduled video calls in your time zone, and one named coordinator on WhatsApp. And the money you save easily covers visiting in person more often, not less.
"Is it even legal to do this?"
Yes — through Uganda's Class H residence permit for retirees with income from abroad. We manage the entire process with partner immigration lawyers, so it's done properly and stays compliant year to year.
"What's daily life actually like?"
A warm, mild climate all year, a garden, home-cooked meals, music and company. Kampala is calm and green. For many residents, quality of life genuinely improves.
Average US care vs Karibu.
Here's an honest, like-for-like comparison — a typical US assisted-living home versus a private room at Karibu, including the cost of relocating and obtaining Ugandan residency.
- Monthly care$5,350
- Annual care$64,200
- Residence / immigration—
- One-time legal—
- First-year total≈ $64,200
- Monthly care≈ $1,950
- Annual care≈ $23,400
- Class H residence permit (12 mo)$1,500
- Legal facilitation (one-time)$2,950
- First-year total≈ $27,850
Other levels of US care compare just as favourably: US nursing-home private rooms average ≈ $9,700/month and memory care ≈ $6,200/month, versus Karibu's Premium Private Room at ≈ $2,350/month.
Figures are approximate and for illustration. US costs are recent national medians (Genworth Cost of Care) and run higher in many states. Karibu USD figures convert from our UGX rates at ≈ 3,700 UGX/USD and move with the exchange rate — see the live converter on our pricing page. Uganda Class H permit fees are published by Uganda's Directorate of Citizenship & Immigration Control; legal-facilitation fees are quoted per case. Flights are not included.
From first call to settled in — we handle it.
You don't navigate Ugandan immigration alone. Working with partner immigration lawyers, we manage each step so your only job is deciding to begin.
Free eligibility consultation
A video call to understand your parent's care needs and finances, and to confirm the Class H residence route fits. No cost, no obligation.
Confirm Class H eligibility
The Class H permit is for residents aged 60+ with an assured income from outside Uganda who won't take local employment. Our lawyers confirm the current income threshold and documents for your situation.
Document preparation
We help assemble everything the application needs — passport, police/Interpol clearance, proof of assured income, medical reports, and the required undertaking — checked by immigration lawyers before submission.
Permit application & approval
Your lawyers file the Class H entry permit with Uganda's immigration authority and track it to approval. Permits are issued for 6–36 months and renew repeatedly as long as the criteria are met.
Travel & arrival
We coordinate the journey and meet your parent at Entebbe arrivals — name on a sign, luggage handled, gentle drive to the home. Airport pickup is complimentary for confirmed residents.
Settle in — and we keep it current
Your parent moves into their room; you start receiving weekly updates and video calls. We manage permit renewals on an ongoing basis so residency never lapses.
Uganda Class H residence permit — the essentials
- For ordinary residents (typically aged 60+) with an assured income from outside Uganda who undertake not to take local employment.
- Requires documentary proof of assured income of at least USD 36,000/year, police/Interpol clearance, and a signed undertaking.
- Government permit fees: $750 (6 mo) · $1,500 (12 mo) · $3,000 (24 mo) · $4,500 (36 mo).
- Renewable for as long as the criteria continue to be met.
Source: Uganda's Directorate of Citizenship & Immigration Control (Class H entry permit). Requirements, thresholds, and fees are set by the Ugandan government and can change — our partner immigration lawyers confirm the exact, current requirements for your case before any application. Approval rests with the immigration authorities; Karibu and its partners facilitate the process but cannot guarantee an outcome.
The same home, the same standard —
just far more reachable.
International residents receive exactly what every Karibu resident does: a private or premium room, 24/7 nursing, home-cooked meals, physiotherapy, activities, and weekly family communication. Explore the detail:
Your questions, answered honestly.
Yes — when it's done properly. Residency is established through Uganda's Class H permit for retirees with income from abroad, handled end-to-end by qualified immigration lawyers we partner with. Your parent lives in a registered care home with nurses on site 24/7. We'll never encourage a move that isn't right for your family — if our home isn't the best fit, we'll tell you.
Class H is Uganda's entry permit for ordinary residents who have an assured income from outside Uganda and who undertake not to take local employment — which fits a retiree living on a pension or savings. Applicants are generally 60 or older and must show documentary proof of assured income of at least USD 36,000 per year. It's issued for 6–36 months and renews repeatedly. Our immigration lawyers confirm the exact current requirements for your situation.
A qualified nurse is on site 24 hours a day. We have a direct line to a partner hospital in Kampala and an arrangement with a private ambulance service. Care plans are reviewed monthly and whenever needs change, and we coordinate with your chosen doctor. Kampala has well-equipped private hospitals; for serious or specialist needs, care is close at hand.
Karibu Care Home has high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the building, so your parent can video call you directly from their room at any time — no scheduling needed. Beyond that, you receive a weekly written update with photos, scheduled video calls timed to your time zone, and a single named coordinator reachable on WhatsApp around the clock. Because daily costs are so much lower, many families find they can afford to fly out and visit more often than they could when care was eating their savings at home.
Of course. There's no long lock-in: the residence permit is time-bound and simply isn't renewed if you decide to return, and our minimum care stay is short. We'll support a smooth transition either way. The goal is the right care for your parent — not to trap anyone.
Yes. From the eligibility check to document preparation, the permit application, arrival, and ongoing renewals, we coordinate every step alongside partner immigration lawyers. You'll have a clear checklist and one point of contact throughout. Legal-facilitation fees are quoted upfront and separately from your care costs.
Possibly — it depends on your parent's home country, pension, and residency status, and we're not tax advisors. We'll happily connect you with cross-border tax professionals so you get proper advice before making any decisions. Pension income is typically unaffected, but always confirm for your specific situation.
Start with a free relocation consultation.
A relaxed video call to talk through your parent's needs, the numbers for your situation, and whether residency in Uganda makes sense. No cost, no obligation — just honest guidance.