Zimbabwe: electronic visa on arrival again available

Citizens of 118 countries and territories can once again apply for an e-Visa on arrival before traveling to Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s electronic visa (e-Visa) issuance portal has just had a facelift.

A new design, an updated e-Visa application process and the return of a feature previously popular with visitors from over a hundred countries are all part of this update to the government website www.evisa.gov.zw.

Since last year, tourists from 118 countries and territories, including European and North American citizens, have been unable to apply for an e-Visa prior to their trip to Zimbabwe, as the authorities require these visitors to obtain a visa on arrival in the country.

In order to simplify the entry process for eligible travellers, Zimbabwe is now reintroducing its electronic visa on arrival, in the form of an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

After completing the online form, authorized tourists and business travelers wishing to opt for this simplified immigration solution are invited to pay for their e-Visa online, to save time on arrival, or to validate the application without payment, the ministerial fees being in this case to be paid at the “Visa on arrival” counter upon entry into Zimbabwe.

It should be noted that citizens of the 45 countries exempt from entry visas to Zimbabwe can also complete their immigration formalities online before their departure (“Entry without Visa”), free of charge.

Zimbabwe New e-Visa sample

The format of the Zimbabwe e-Visa has also changed, and now features a QR code.

“The possession of a electronic travel authorization (eTA) is not the final authority to enter the Republic of Zimbabwe. Admissibility will be determined at the point of entry. Engaging in any form of business or employment in Zimbabwe without a requisite permit is an offence. Please present your passport and this eTA when requested by airline or immigration officials”, Zimbabwean immigration authorities explain on the document.

118 countries and territories eligible for Zimbabwe e-Visa on arrival

Online, four types of electronic visas on arrival are offered by the Zimbabwean immigration authorities:

• e-Visa on Arrival – Single Entry – 1 month: US$30.00
• e-Visa on Arrival – Double Entry – 3 months: US$45.00
• e-Visa KAZA Univisa on Arrival – Single Entry – 1 month: US$65.00
• “Entry without Visa”: Free of charge

Zimbabwe’s visa regime is divided into 3 categories. Each category has different requirements for the nationalities classified under these categories:

• Category “A”: Visitors who do not require a visa to travel to Zimbabwe (the entering declaration can be submitted online prior to travel);
• Category “B”: Visitors who are not required to apply for a visa before travelling to Zimbabwe, but must pay for and obtain a visa upon entry (the entry declaration can be submitted online prior to travel);
• Category “C”: Visitors who must pay and obtain a visa before travelling to Zimbabwe.

Category “A”: Visitors who do not require a visa to travel to Zimbabwe

Travelers from the following 45 countries and territories are exempt from visa requirements to enter Zimbabwe, but can apply online for an “Entry without Visa” to optimize the immigration process on arrival:

• Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Leeward Islands, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda and Vanuatu.

Category “B”: Visitors who are not required to apply for a visa before travelling to Zimbabwe, but must pay for and obtain a visa upon entry

Citizens of 118 countries and territories below can obtain a visa on arrival in Zimbabwe, after (if desired) applying online for an e-Visa on arrival:

• Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French West Indies, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norfolk Island, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vatican and Venezuela.

Category “C”: Visitors who must pay and obtain a visa before travelling to Zimbabwe

Nationals of the following 54 countries and territories are required to apply for a visa (electronic or consular) before travelling to Zimbabwe:

• Afghanistan, Anguilla, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, East Timor, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Yemen.