There are a lot of places in Africa that should be high up on your travel bucket list, and I believe that Zambia should be one of them! After all, aside from the fact that you can find the famed Victoria Falls on its borders, you’ll also find a lush wilderness and diverse wildlife that will fill you to the brim with awe. (Zambia Visa)
Though, if by chance you are worried about ease of entry, don’t fret because getting a Zambia visa is fairly easy — especially now that they offer the possibility of doing it online through an e-Visa application.
…But first, a disclaimer:
NO ONE can give you a guarantee on your Zambia visa’s approval — not even a lawyer, a consultant, a travel agent, or an embassy employee. Anyone who says otherwise is most likely going to be a scammer. That being said, what I can offer you here is a comprehensive guide with helpful tips to increase your chances of getting that Zambia tourist visa.
Activities to do in Zambia?
Come read my posts about it by reading my detailed travel guides now!
How to Apply for a Zambia Visa Online
Step 1: Determine if you are eligible for a Zambia Visa
As an alternative to visas issued at Zambia embassies, missions, and ports of entry, Zambia’s e-Visa facility is now available to travelers who ordinarily require a visa. However, many nationalities are now visa-exempt, while others may obtain a visa on arrival. As such, you should first check which of Zambia’s visa categories applies to your nationality before applying online.
This kind of Zambia visa will be valid for 3 months (90 days) from the approval date, and you must enter the country on any date within this period — failure to enter within this period renders the e-Visa invalid, and thus you will have to make a new application. Meanwhile, ordinary visitors and tourists may generally receive up to 90 days of visitor status within a 12-month period, although the full period may not be granted at once.
If you’re a national/citizen of any of the countries listed here, then you usually do NOT need to apply for a Zambia visa / e-Visa.
Naturally, if you do NOT find your country in the list, then you need to apply for a Zambia visa / e-Visa. Of course, you can apply through your local Zambian embassy, but if you want an easier, faster way, getting an e-Visa online is far better.
IMPORTANT: Some nationalities may obtain a visa on arrival or from a Zambian Mission Abroad, while others must apply online and receive approval before traveling.
Depending on your eligibility and purpose of travel, Zambia offers single-entry, double-entry, multiple-entry and transit visas, as well as the KAZA UNIVISA. Multiple-entry visas are issued through Immigration Headquarters via the e-Visa facility.
NOTES:
– If you are visiting less than 24 hours only, Zambia can issue a ‘day trippers’ visa. It currently costs US$10. It is issued at the port of entry, is not available online, allows a visit of less than 24 hours, and requires departure through the same port. It currently applies at Victoria Falls and Kazungula Border Controls. Take note that for this, you must also exit at that same port. This kind of visa also applies to tourists visiting Zambia and who also wish to visit a neighboring country and then re-enter Zambia again within 24 hours.
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– Eligible travelers visiting both Zambia and Zimbabwe can consider the KAZA UNIVISA, which costs US$50 and permits multiple entries between the two countries for up to 30 days, provided the holder remains within Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also covers day trips to Botswana through the Kazungula border. The KAZA UNIVISA is available online for travelers entering Zambia through designated ports and at specified ports of entry in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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Step 2: Prepare the required documents and information for your application
Before you lodge your Zambia visa application online, it’s best to prepare the following beforehand…
DOCUMENTS (In English)
- A recent digital passport-sized photo that shows your full face (with white background)
- Uploaded application documents or photos should be in JPG/JPEG, PNG or TIFF format.
- Scanned bio page (first page) of your passport (showing photo and other details)
- Ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the date that you intend to enter Zambia.
- Your passport should have at least six months’ validity from your date of entry into Zambia and at least three (3) full blank pages.
- Cover letter
- A signed document written by you, wherein you basically explain your reason for traveling to Zambia. This should be addressed to the Director General of Immigration. For a sample letter, you can see the one that I wrote here.
- Hotel booking details (with address and contact number)
- This is a document that is needed and which you must also upload for your online application.
- TIP: See here for a list of the ‘best hotels in Zambia‘.
- Flight reservation
- You can easily get a flight reservation online with OneWayFly for a small fee of only Php 1,000~. I highly recommend them because they are fast, easy, and legitimate; plus, I have been using them for years for all of my visa applications! (Read here for more info).
- Later on, in case you want to book your flight, my go-to platform is Skyscanner since it always looks for the best fares and flight combinations possible across all airlines.
INVITED BY SOMEONE IN ZAMBIA…? (Prepare the following too)
- Cover letter from host/sponsor in Zambia
- This should be signed and addressed to the Director General of Immigration by your host.
- It must also include the full physical address and telephone number of your host.
- Status of host
- i.e. copy of NRC/ Zambia Immigration Permit.
- Note that persons on Study, Visiting, Temporary Employment Permit, and Temporary Permits CANNOT invite visitors or act as hosts for a Zambia visa application.
OTHER INFORMATION (Vital info needed when filling up your e-Visa application online)
- Entry and exit date of your travel to Zambia
- A debit card or credit card
- ***Depending on your nationality, type of visa desired, and purpose of visit, there may be additional requirements that will be needed from you (which is not listed above). Rest assured, you will be informed of these requirements after you select your country, type of visa, and travel dates on the online portal for the Zambia e-Visa.
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Step 3: Process your Zambia Visa application online
To finally initiate your Zambia visa application, simply go to this website and click the button that says “New Application“. From here, you first need to register your own account and log in.
Rest assured, the next pages will be very easy and self-explanatory as it asks for important information regarding you and your intended Zambia trip.
I will NOT go into so much detail on this because every section will be pretty straightforward and easy to understand when you’re filling it up.
NOTE: Enter an active email address that you use because they will be communicating with you through it.
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Step 4: Do the visa fee payment
Once you’re done filling in the required details of your e-Visa application, the website will proceed to the payment page. Below are the fees required (in USD currency) as per the type of Zambia tourist visa/e-Visa that you are applying for…
- Single Entry = $25
- Double Entry = $40
- Multiple Entry = $75
- Transit visas apply to visa-required travelers transiting Zambia overland and are valid for a maximum of seven days. Travelers transiting directly by air and remaining within the airport precincts generally do not require a transit visa.
- Transit Visa = $25
- For those who are transiting through Zambia using land transport, and it will be valid for a maximum period of seven (7) days.
- KAZA VISA = $50
- Day Tripper = $10
NOTE: Single, double, and multiple-entry visas are valid for ninety (90) days or 3 months from the date of issuance, with the exception of nationals from the United States of America (since multiple-entry visas issued to them have a validity of three (3) years, on a reciprocal basis). Take note also that fees are subject to change; so kindly confirm the amount shown by Immigration before payment!
WHAT IS THE METHOD OF PAYMENT? You can pay the visa fee via debit or credit card on the online portal.
Once this visa fee payment is made, your application will be instantly submitted for processing and you will also receive an email that indicates your reference no. (which you can use later on to track the status of your application). In a separate email, you will also receive a receipt of your visa fee payment and you must print this and present it when you enter Zambia.
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!!! IMPORTANT: In this email, they will also be sending a confirmation link which you need to click in order to verify your email address and activate your Zambia visa application. If you do not confirm within 1 hour, your application will be canceled — so make sure that you click it.
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Step 5: Wait for the results of your E-Visa application
Within 3 or 5 working days — as dependent on your visa category — you can expect to receive feedback regarding your Zambia visa application via the email that you registered on the e-Visa online portal. Processing can vary though, so apply with enough time before travel and do not make travel plans that depend on approval arriving on a particular day.
You can track your Zambia visa application through your Zambia Immigration eServices account. Log in and go to “My Workplace,” where your application will be organized according to its current status. A submitted application will appear in the “Submitted” folder and, once a decision has been made, it will move to the “Approved” or “Rejected” folder. You should also receive the decision by email.
For my case, I got my approval letter in just 3 working days! If your application is successful, your Zambia e-Visa authorization/approval letter will be attached to the email that will be sent to you.
Simply print out this letter and then present it together with your passport and visa fee payment receipt upon arrival in Zambia.
Immigration officers at ports of entry can verify your e-Visa on their system; but remember that as is the case with all visas, it is their right and discretion to deny you entry even if you have an e-Visa authorization/approval letter.
But rest assured, as long as you have all your documents ready, you should be fine!
IMPORTANT: Zambia requires proof of yellow-fever vaccination for travelers aged 1 year or older arriving from a country with a risk of yellow-fever transmission. This requirement also applies if you have spent more than 12 hours in airport transit or on a layover in a yellow-fever-risk country. Travelers arriving directly from a country without yellow-fever risk generally do not need the certificate solely for entry into Zambia. Check current health requirements before departure because they can change!
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Apply early enough to receive your approval before departure. Just remember that the Zambia visa approval letter is valid for 3 months from the approval date — so you must enter Zambia on any date within this period. Failure to enter within this period renders your Zambia e-Visa invalid and thus you will you will have to make a new application.
Zambia Immigration does not publish a fixed minimum bank-balance requirement for the standard tourism e-Visa on its current tourism-document checklist. Requirements can vary by applicant and circumstances, so follow any additional supporting-document requests shown in your application.
Like I’ve mentioned above, it usually takes 3 or 5 working days. I got mine in just 3 days.
You can track your Zambia visa application through your Zambia Immigration eServices account. Log in and go to “My Workplace,” where your application will be organized according to its current status. A submitted application will appear in the “Submitted” folder and, once a decision has been made, it will move to the “Approved” or “Rejected” folder. You should also receive the decision by email.
I highly advise that you get travel insurance for your trip to protect yourself from any unwanted hassles such as travel delays, lost baggage, accidents, etc. To avail, I would highly recommend SafetyWing because they offer the best price and coverage.
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Overall
Applying for a Zambia e-Visa is relatively easy, and I hope that with this visa guide, I can help you prepare your documents and requirements better.
Let me know how it goes! Good luck!
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