VISA GUIDELINES

If one is not a citizen of a country that is exempted from having to apply for a visa (see the Do I need a visa? page), then one must obtain a visa either at the port of entry or at a Zambian Mission abroad. 

This page contains visa guidelines for different types of visitors.  Each visitor to Zambia must determine the main purpose of their visit .  This will determine what sort of visa one needs, and where to obtain this visa.  Citizens of specific countries (see "Exception Country" chart at bottom of this page) have specific rules that supersede the guidelines below.

Once one has determined the purpose of one's visit to Zambia and understand the basic guidelines, one can proceed to the Visa Fees section to determine how much one must pay for a visa upon application.

Please read carefully each section below that corresponds to the main purpose of one's visit to Zambia:

All tourists shall pay the prescribed visa fees.  See Visa Fees .

If the purpose of your visit is BUSINESS, the following guidelines apply:

Consultants and other experts that are entering Zambia to conduct business with an organization in Zambia can obtain a visa at the port of entry.  A "business" visitor must produce an invitation letter from the inviting institution.  Business visits by a single individual cannot exceed 30 days in a 12 month period.

If the purpose of your visit is PRIVATE, the following guidelines apply:

Nationals of countries, which require visas to enterZambia for the purpose of visiting friends or relatives, should be issued with visas at Zambian Missions abroad or ports of entry.  Those nationals who may wish to obtain such visas well in advance should apply for them to the Chief Immigration Officer – P. O Box 50300, LUSAKA-ZAMBIA, and zambiavisa@zamnet.zm or immighq@zamnet.zm.

see Visa Fees .

If the purpose of your visit is DIPLOMATIC / OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT / UNITED NATIONS business, the following guidelines apply:

Diplomats accredited to Zambia and diplomats visiting on official business are granted a gratis visa  at Zambian Missions abroad or port of entry on presentation of letters or diplomatic passports. Delegates on official government business can also obtain visas at ports of entry on presentation of official letters of invitation from the relevant Zambian Government Agency. 

If the purpose of your visit is TRANSIT through Zambia, the following guidelines apply:

Transit visas are only needed when an individual is travelling through for a limited period of time.  These visas are only valid for 7 days.  The fee for a transit visa is the same as a single entry visa.

VISA GUIDELINES SUMMARY

Purpose of Visit	Required Fee	Where visa obtained	Duration of Validity
Tourism	See Visa Fees schedule.	Port of Entry if locally arranged tour package. Otherwise Zambian Mission Abroad or Chief Immigration Officer.	Not exceeding 90 days in a period of 12 months
Business	Country specific.   See Visa Fees schedule.	Port of Entry†Zambian Mission Abroad or Chief Immigration Officer.	30 days in a 12 month period
Private	Country specific. See Visa Fees schedule.	Port of Entry†Zambian Mission Abroad or Chief Immigration Officer.	Duration of visit
Diplomatic / Official Gov't / UN	Gratis	Port of Entry†Zambian Mission Abroad or Chief Immigration Officer.	Duration of visit
Transit	Same as single entry visa.	Port of EntryZambian Mission Abroad or Chief Immigration Officer.	7 days

† If one is a citizen of the "Exception Country" chart below, visas must be applied for through Zambian Missions abroad.  See Missions .

EXCEPTION COUNTRIES

COUNTRIES THAT CAN APPLY FOR VISAS AT ZAMBIAN MISSIONS IN UK, INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA,  CHINA, CONGO DR AND MALAWI ALBANIA COOK ISLAND JAPAN PORTUGAL ANDORRA COSTA RICA LAOS PUERTO RICO ANGOLA CUBA LATIVIA QATAR ARGENTINA DENMARK LIECHTENSTEIN RUSSIA AUSTRALIA DJIBOUTI LITHUANIA RWANDA AUSTRIA ECUADOR LUXEBOURG SAN MARINO BELGIAM ERITREA MADAGASCAR SAO TOME AND PRINCE BHUTAN ESTONIA MEXICO SIERRA-LEON BOLIVIA ETH1OPIA MONACO SLOVAKIA REPUBLIC BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA EYREM MONGOLIA SOUTH KOREA BRAZIL FINLAND NAURU SPAIN BRITIAN FRANCE NEPAL SURINAME BRUNEL GAMBIA NETHERLANDS SWEDEN BULGERIA GERMANY NEW CALEDONIA TAIWAN BURMA (MYAMAR) GHANA NEW ZEALAND THAILAND BURUNDI GREECE NICARAGUA UNITED KINGDOM CAMBODIA GUATEMALA NIGERIA UNITED STATES CANADA GUYANA NORWAY URUGUAY CHILE HAITI PANAMA VATICAN CHINA HUNDUROS PARAGUAY VIETENAM COMOROS ICELAND PERU WESTERN SAHARA CONGO BRAZAVILLE INDIA PHILLIPINES CONGO DR ITALY POLAND

COUNTRIES THAT CAN OBTAIN VISAS AT ANY ZAMBIAN MISSIONS ABROAD OR AT PORT OF ENTRY ALBANIA COSTA RICA LAOS POLAND ANDORRA CUBA LATIVIA PORTUGAL ANGOLA DENMARK LIECHTENSTEIN PUERTO RICO ARGENTINA DJIBOUTI LITHUANIA QATAR AUSTRALIA ECUADOR LUXEBOURG RUSSIA AUSTRIA ERITREA MADAGASCAR MECEDONIA RWANDA BELGIAM ESTONIA MEXICO SAN MARINO BHUTAN ETH1OPIA MONACO SAO TOME AND PRINCE BOLIVIA EYREM MONGOLIA SLOVAKIA REPUBLIC BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA FINLAND NAURU SPAIN BRAZIL FRANCE NEPAL SURINAME BRUNEL GERMANY NETHERLANDS SWEDEN SWITZERLAND BULGERIA GUATEMALA NEW CALEDONIA TAIWAN BURMA (MYAMAR) GUYANA NEW ZEALAND THAILAND BURUNDI HAITI NICARAGUA UNITED KINGDOM CAMBODIA HUNDUROS NORWAY UNITED STATES CANADA ICELAND PANAMA URUGUAY CHILE ITALY PARAGUAY VATICAN