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Like any other country, you will be required to have a visa before being allowed entry into Zambia. This is true for all countries except for some countries whose citizens are exempt from the visa. 

Chances are that you are not exempt from obtaining a Zambia visa, and you will need to get one before you can travel to Zambia

In this article, we'll provide a guideline for you to deal with the process of getting your visa for Zambia. From the visa requirements, prices, processes, and exemptions, we hope this article makes your planning for an African safari to Zambia easier.

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zambia visa

Zambia Visa Types

Zambia has many types of visas you can apply for depending on what fits your travel plans. In the table, we have summarised them so that you can know what to apply for depending on your exact plans.

 #  VISA TYPE VISA DESCRIPTION
 1   Single Entry Visa  Entering Zambia only one(1) time
 2   Double Entry Visa  Entering Zambia two(2) times
 3   Multiple Entry Visa  Entering and exiting several times within the duration of the visa
 4   Day-tripper Visa  Visiting Zambia for one(1) day
 5  KAZA Univisa  Multiple entries into Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Chobe in Botswana for up to 30 days total.

Zambia Visa Requirements

To apply for a visa to Zambia, you will need to have the following items and documents prepared. Whether you are applying through an embassy office, online, or getting your visa on arrival, make sure to prepare these requirements ahead of time.

  • A current passport that is valid for at least 6 months
  • Passport-sized photo of yourself
  • Copy of return flight ticket
  • Hotel booking or any other form of tourist accommodation
  • A signed cover letter addressed to the Director-General of Immigration

Zambia Visa Fees / Price

Depending on the type of visa you choose, a Zambia visa will cost between 20 and 150 Dollars (USD).

Please remember that these figures do not include payment processing fees and the final amount you pay might include some extra amount of around 1 USD.

#  ZAMBIA VISA TYPE   VISA FEE (USD) 
 1   Single Entry Visa  50 USD
 2  Double Entry Visa  80 USD
 3  Multiple Entry Visa  150 USD
 4  Day-tripper Visa  20 USD
 5  KAZA Univisa  50 USD

If you only intend to visit Zambia, the single entry visa is sufficient for you but if you plan to visit nearby Zimbabwe or Chobe in Botswana, the KAZA Univisa is ideal since you will be saving on your visa payments.

Zambia Visa Process

There are 3 ways for you to acquire your Zambia tourist visa. You can either apply at a nearby embassy, via the online platform or apply for your visa on arrival.

Please note that visa on arrival is not available for all countries and you need to check the list to be certain that you are eligible for visa on arrival.

1. Visa Application At Zambia Embassy

Depending on where you are, you can visit the Zambia embassy in your country and physically apply for your visa. You will need to find out the working time so that you can visit and apply for your visa.

Make sure you carry the necessary items (requirements) such that you can complete everything quickly.

2. Zambia Visa Application Online

Online visa application is the most flexible way of getting your Zambia tourist visa. Simply visit the Zambia Immigration website and create an account.

You will be asked to fill in all your information as well as attach the required documents. After filling out your information, you just pay online and wait for the response about your visa.

3. Zambia Visa Application On Arrival

If you are a citizen of any of the countries that are eligible for Zambia's visa on arrival, you will need to simply have your required documents in order and apply for a visa when you reach Zambia.

The countries that are eligible for visas on arrival are shared below, make sure your country is one of them before choosing this method.

How Long Does It Take To Get a Zambia Visa?

Depending on your method of visa application, your Zambia visa can be instant or take up to 5 days. Here is the table to show how long each method of visa application takes.

VISA APPLICATION METHOD  WAITING TIME 
 1   Applying at the Zambian embassy  5 to 7 days
 2  Applying online  3 to 5 day
 3  Applying on arrival  Under 1 hour

Visa Exemption For Zambia

Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to go to Zambia. All that is needed is a passport with at least 6 more months of validity.

  • Angola
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Botswana
  • Cyprus
  • Dominica
  • Eswatini
  • Fiji
  • Grenada
  • Hong Kong
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Montenegro
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Romania
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Vanuatu
  • Zimbabwe

Visa exemption allows the above countries' nationals to visit Zambia for up to 90 days for purposes of leisure or 30 days for business - within 1 year.

Please note that the list of visa-exempt countries could change without much notice, so, even if you are exempt, always double-check before the start of your trip.

Zambia Visa On Arrival

Citizens of the following countries can obtain a Zambia visa on arrival at any of the ports of entry - land ports and airports.

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Belarus
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Canada
  • Cape Verde
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo (Brazzaville)
  • D.R Congo
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Djibouti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Eritrea
  • El Salvador
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Laos
  • Liechtenstein
  • Madagascar
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Myanmar
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • San Marino
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Saint Lucia
  • South Korea
  • Suriname
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Western Sahara
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • European Union (except Cyprus, Ireland, Malta & Romania)
 

KAZA Univisa

It is not uncommon for visitors to Zambia to want to explore neighbouring Zimbabwe and the KAZA Univisa would be the visa to choose from so that you can visit both countries multiple times during your holiday. The KAZA Univisa allows holders multiple entries into Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana's Chobe for a period of, not more than 30 days.

Please remember that the KAZA Visa allows you to visit Botswana for a day trip in which you would have to return to Zambia or Zimbabwe on the same day.

In Zambia, it is issued at Livingstone Airport, Victoria Falls, Kazungula, and Lusaka Airport border crossings. It can also be obtained from Zimbabwe if your journey starts from there.

Only 65 countries and territories are eligible for the Kaza visa. Citizens of the following countries can get the KAZA visa and easily move between Zambia and Zimbabwe multiple times.

  • Andorra
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Burundi
  • Canada
  • Cape Verde
  • Comoros
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Haiti
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Marshall Islands
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Samoa
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
 

Zambia Visa Extension

You can apply to extend your visa by visiting the office of the Department of Immigration in Zambia. You can apply for an extended period of 30 days and this can only be done twice.

Visa extension is free of charge.

Final Thoughts

Zambia is a well-established safari destination and the visa policy and processes have been made easy for visitors who want to come and explore the country's abundant wildlife, culture, and scenery.

As with any visa policy, the details can always change without much notice and we advise that you check before starting your journey.

Since it is possible to apply online, we recommend that as the best method as it allows you the peace of mind that comes with proper planning.

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