Zimbabwe to review its visa regime

Zimbabwe is planning to revise its visa policy to help attract more tourists, trade and investment into the country.

Immigration Department principal Clemence Masango said government is working on measures to abolish visas to that visitors will be able to jet in from any country without any permit complications. 

Zimbabwe has one of the most restrictive visa regimes in Africa after it was ranked number 21 by the Africa Development Bank on the Visa Openness Index out of the 54 countries in the continent.

Source: Zimbabwe revises its visa regime (16/01/18)

More arrests over Victoria Falls visa fraud

THREE more immigration officers have been arrested in Victoria Falls, bringing to 10 the number of officers arrested for altering visas for visitors at ports of entry.

Billy Nyasha (31) Shepherd Nyabanga (28) and MaClean Nhunge were arrested at Kazungula Border Post after allegedly pocketing a combined $840 thereby defrauding the State.

They appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa on Friday charged with fraud.

Ms Maphosa released them on $200 bail each to May 10. They were ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to reside at their given addresses.

Allegations are that the trio, acting separately, attended to British and Canadian visitors who should pay $55 and $75 respectively for a single entry visa.

Nyasha, Nyabanga and Nhunge allegedly recorded lesser amounts on receipt books and pocketed the difference.

Their actions allegedly prejudiced the State of varying amounts of money, all amounting to $840.
For the State, Mr Takunda Ndovorwi said the crimes were committed between April 21 and April 23.

"Nyasha attended to one British national who he recorded as an American. The visitor paid $55 but the accused only receipted $30 which he also didn't remit thereby prejudicing Government of $55," said the prosecutor.

Nyabanga allegedly prejudiced the State of $430 after misrepresenting on the nationalities of tourists entering the country, while Nhunge is alleged to have defrauded the State of $355 after doing the same.

The three join Promise Miti (37), Maboreke Enock Takura (29), Nonhlanhla Nyathi (39), Aron Mamvura (40) and Patience Chivi (31) as well as Kushinga Goremusandu and James Marowa whose ages were not given who appeared before the same court last week for similar crimes committed at the Victoria Falls International Airport. The seven were also remanded to May 10 on $200 bail each.

Source: More arrests over Victoria Falls visa fraud (02/05/17)

More: 16 immigration officers nabbed in one month (16/05/17)

Suspended Uni-Visa facility to bounce back

The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza) Uni-Visa between Zimbabwe and Zambia, which was suspended last year, is set to be re-introduced after the two neighbours agreed to revive it. The two Sadc countries are understood to be at an advanced stage of drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would lead to the re-introduction of the “free trade” facility while offices of the Attorney Generals in the respective countries are working on the legal aspect of it.

This came out of a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority in Victoria Falls yesterday to deliberate on challenges facing the tourism industry especially in the resort town. Chief Immigration Officer Clemence Masango said 50,000 stickers have already been sourced for the re-introduction of the Kaza Uni-Visa.

“The Uni-Visa was suspended in December 2015 because of two reasons whereby the two countries had run out of stickers and also after the expiry of the MoU. The two countries have been deliberating on whether to continue with the facility and mobilise funding for stickers,” said Masango.

He said stickers had already been dispatched to various centres where the facility should be implemented. “We are happy to report that we have managed to source 50,000 stickers and the only outstanding issue is the signing of MoU so that there is a legal standing to it.

“The two countries are addressing these issues at Cabinet level while Attorney General’s Office will advise on the developments,” added Masango. He said a similar process was underway in neighbouring Zambia.

The Uni-Visa was launched in 2014 after being mooted at the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) to ease movement between the two countries as a pilot projects towards a similar development in the Sadc region. The facility stopped last year owing to a number of reasons.
Meanwhile, the ZTA board led by its chairperson Chipo Mutasa, Ross Kennedy and ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke are on a fact finding mission in the resort town to hear concerns of the industry from operators.

Source: Suspended Uni-Visa facility to bounce back (29/06/16)

Zimbabwe Revamps Visa Regime

As part of efforts to boost the tourism sector, government has relaxed the visa regime for 37 countries including China while it has removed visa requirements for all visitors from the Southern African Development Community. Zimbabwe uses a migration management system with a three tier visa model classified into categories A, B and C. Category A refers to countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirements while those in category B obtain visas at the port of entry on arrival. Category C nationals are required to apply for visas prior to travel.

Addressing journalists in Harare on Thursday, Immigration principal director Clemence Masango said with immediate effect China, along with 36 other countries, had been moved from Category C to B. The other countries include Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Algeria, Turkey and Cuba. All SADC countries have now been migrated to Category A.

"This new position completes the circle and process for us in respect of all SADC countries in line with the fulfilment of the spirit and objectives of the SADC protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons," Masango said.

Only Angola and Madagascar had remained outside category A.

Masango however said while China is now in Category B, there are still some conditions attached to the eligibility criteria for its nationals.

"Only Chinese tourists travelling as a group cleared by tour operators and travel agencies in China qualify. Secondly, Chinese business persons and other citizens of China as approved by their Government will continue to apply for visas online, a process which takes about five days to complete."

A total 83 countries still remain in Category C and their nationals need to apply for and obtain visas prior to travelling to Zimbabwe.

"This new position is in response to the voice of players and interest groups in the tourism and hospitality industry who want to see more facilitation of movement of persons than control," he said.

Masango said the Visa regime revision is part of an ongoing process and consultations will continue with a view to further relax visa controls in order to make travel easier and Zimbabwe a more favourable and accessible destination.

Masango also said consultations are ongoing to re-institute the KAZA-UNIVISA project which stopped in December last year with a view of resuming the system in this month.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said the process is a positive step in the right direction but more needs to be done as well.

Official figures show that Zimbabwe has been receiving between 3 800 and 5 500 Chinese tourists per annum, against total arrivals of between 80 000 and 100 000 in neighbouring countries despite Harare and Beijing having signed the Approved Destination Status agreement in 2003 aimed at encouraging nationals from the Asian giant to prioritize Zimbabwe.

Source: Zimbabwe Revamps Visa Regime (03/03/16)

KAZA "Univisa" - working well in Victoria Falls, but there are problems elsewhere.

First feedback from visitors to the Victoria Falls area indicates that the newly-introduced KAZA UNIVISA (which was launched in November last year and allows entry to both Zimbabwe and Zambia for a single visa payment of US$50) is working well – PROVIDED that your travel focus is the Victoria Falls/Livingstone/Kazungula area.

Visitors from 40 eligible countries are able to obtain the new 30-day KAZA Visas at Harare, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and Livingstone airports, the Victoria Falls road border (Zimbabwe/Zambia) and the Kazungula road border (Zimbabwe/Zambia/Botswana). 

However, visitors who want to cross between Zimbabwe and Zambia but who are not entering or exiting in the Victoria Falls/Kazungula area are having challenges. 

It seems that the immigration authorities at the Kariba and Chirundu road borders are not operating the new visa system.  This means that visitors who have already obtained a KAZA-Visa are being inconvenienced in having to pay extra for another visa if they wish to cross the border at these points. 

Full article: Wild Zambezi Blog (02/02/15)

'S.A and Botswana drop Yellow Fever requirements for Zambia travellers

THE Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) is pleased that South Africa and Botswana have finally agreed to drop yellow fever certification as a requirement for travellers from Zambia, following the World Health

Organisation (WHO) declaring Zambia a yellow fever free zone.

TCZ chairperson Felix Mulenga said the decision which was long-awaited, would significantly increase international tourist arrivals.

South Africa is Zambia's leading source market for international arrivals, accounting for around 20.1 per cent of total arrivals in 2013.

Health Minister Joseph Kasonde announced on Monday this week that South Africa and Botswana had with immediate effect lifted the requirements of yellow fever certification for travellers from Zambia.

Mr Mulenga said in an interview that the removal of the yellow fever certification for travellers from South Africa or through South Africa to Zambia would significantly improve the tourist arrivals from that country.

"We are happy that South Africa and Botswana have decided to drop their demands on the yellow fever certification because this was creating a negative impact on the growth of the tourism sector in

Zambia. As you know South Africa is an important market for Zambia and currently is Zambia's leading source market for tourists," Mr Mulenga said.

In 2013, the Southern Africa region recorded total arrivals of more than 22 million representing a market share of global arrivals of approximately 2.5 percent and a 39.9 percent share of Africa's total arrivals.

South Africa accounted for 191,048 tourist arrivals in the year under review, followed by Tanzania with 184,187.

Mr Mulenga said the yellow fever issue was an impediment to tourist arrivals as it affected the growth of the sector and that with the new development Zambia would attracted desired levels of tourists and compete favourably in the region and beyond.

Source: S.A, Botswana Yellow Fever Move Welcome (28/01/15)

Zimbabwe - Zambia tourism cooperation: Victoria Falls bridge open border policy a hoax?

The view of the globe was on Zimbabwe and Zambia in August of 2013. The focus was on having the global travel and tourism industry and government leaders attend and participate at the UNWTO General Assembly. This high-profile event was jointly hosted by both Zimbabwe and Zambia, and delegates attended events in both countries and stayed in hotels in both countries.

The short drive over the famous Victoria Falls bridge took 5 minutes. There was no border control, no customs - delegates hardly noticed they were changing countries many times during the assembly.

Both the presidents and vice presidents and both tourism ministers for both nations attended and spoke at this important United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly.

The bridge connecting both countries was open. The president of Zimbabwe and the president of Zambia called the opening of the bridge an historic moment and pledged to work together to keep this bridge open to make travel and tourism between Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Livingston, Zambia easier in the future.

Tourists would be able to enjoy this wonder of the world without delay and experience it as one attraction.
This idea was echoed by the secretary General of UNWTO and many other tourism leaders.

A year and a half later this seems to have been wishful thinking.

Here is a report from a tourist that recently visited beautiful Victoria Falls.

While visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, we walked across the Victoria Falls Bridge to Zambia. This sounds easy enough to do, but while planning the trip there was a lot of conflicting information about what visas and vaccinations are necessary in order to do this. This may not be the most exciting post, but I am trying to make a clarification for those who have the same questions we did.

We visited Victoria Falls in August 2014. We made this trip as a day trip from Kasane, Botswana, hiring a driver for the day. We chose not to drive into Zimbabwe from Botswana as we read from countless sources that taking a rental car into Zimbabwe is a hassle that is just not worth it.

Our family of six left Kasane at 8 am. The Kazungula border post is located just ten minutes from Kasane. This is the border crossing to take in order to get to Victoria Falls from Kasane.

The first step is to clear customs and immigration on the Botswana side, which is very quick and straightforward. This requires a quick visit into the border control office to get your passport stamped. From here you get back into your car, drive thirty seconds across the border, then clear customs and immigration on the Zimbabwe side. Here is where things slow down. In the morning there are usually large groups of tourists heading to Victoria Falls, so be prepared to wait a half hour or longer to get through this part. It took us one hour to clear customs in both countries.

In order to enter Zimbabwe, a visa will have to be purchased, and there is the option of a single entry or double entry visa. If you are planning on only walking across the Victoria Falls Bridge into Zambia without entering Livingstone, Zambia, only the single entry visa is necessary. If you plan on entering Livingstone, Zambia (going through customs in Zambia) and later re-entering Zimbabwe, then a double entry visa is necessary. We purchased the double entry visa just so we were covered, at a price of $45 USD per person. A single entry visa costs $30 USD. As it would turn out, only a single entry visa was necessary for what we wanted to do.

From the Botswana Zimbabwe border it is a one hour drive to Victoria Falls.

The Victoria Falls Bridge is located outside of Victoria Falls National Park. To walk across the bridge, park in the lot across from the main entrance to the park, make a right out of the parking lot, and walk ten minutes down the road toward the bridge.

Before being allowed to walk onto the bridge it is necessary to clear customs on the Zimbabwe side, since technically you will be entering Zambia halfway across the bridge. You will be given a piece of paper stamped with the Zimbabwe stamp. Keep this piece of paper because this gets you back into Zimbabwe.

From here, walk across the bridge, enjoy views of Victoria Falls and go bungee jumping if your heart desires. Halfway across the bridge is the Zambia border. It is a ten minute walk from the bridge into Zambia to reach their border post.

Once you are finished visiting the bridge, present the stamped piece of paper at border control to re-enter Zimbabwe and you are on your way.

In summary, to just stand on the Victoria Falls Bridge, only a single entry Zimbabwe visa ($30 USD) is necessary. Once at the Victoria Falls border post you will be given a piece of paper with a stamp on it that will get you back into Zimbabwe from the Victoria Falls Bridge.

If you choose to pass through border control in Zambia and later want to re-enter Zimbabwe, you must purchase a double entry visa ($45 USD) for Zimbabwe. Later in your trip, if you plan on entering South Africa, you must also have your Yellow Fever Vaccination. Without this vaccination, you will not be allowed to enter South Africa if you have been to Zambia.

Source: Zimbabwe - Zambia tourism cooperation: Victoria Falls bridge open border policy a hoax? (25/01/15)

Zambia declared free of Yellow Fever by WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Zambia a yellow fever-free zone after stating that travellers from Zambia to other countries do not require vaccination certificates for the disease to enter other countries in the world.

 Dr Kasonde, the Zambian Health Minister, said the Government had since written to South Africa and Botswana to relook at their demands for certification from travellers from Zambia.

Scientific findings by the WHO conducted in Zambia in 2013 had proved that there was low yellow fever potential exposure status as communicated by the body's director general to the Ministry of Health.

"This means that travellers from Zambia do not need vaccination certificates for yellow fever in order to enter any country in the world. Of course, the final decisions are made by respective countries. We have written to South African and Botswana governments drawing their attention to the scientific findings and we await their responses," Dr Kasonde said.

Source:  AllAfrica 18/12/14

Zimbabwe & Zambia to launch UNIVISA on November 28

Zimbabwe and Zambia will this month introduce a joint travel visa to ensure international tourists visit both countries without immigration hassles, state media reported Sunday.According to the Sunday News, the Kavango Zambezi (Kaza) universal visa (UNIVISA) would be launched in Victoria Falls on November 28 as part of measures to facilitate tourist arrivals and increase revenue.

(with thanks to Ilala Lodge Facebook Page) Quoting Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi, the paper said the proposed UNIVISA is expected to benefit tourists from 40 countries.
“The UNIVISA project is being pursued by Zimbabwe and Zambia and it is being funded by the World Bank,” Mzembi is quoted as saying.
Under the new system, tourists would acquire visas at ports of entry for US$50 each.
The visas would be valid for 30 days and would allow holders to tour Zimbabwe and Zambia without restriction.
The arrangement is expected to be expanded to include Namibia, Botswana and Angola following a six-month pilot phase.
Presently, tourists have to secure separate visas to enable them to enter Zimbabwe and Zambia and are subjected to conventional immigration procedures.
Source: Zimbabwe, Zambia to launch UNIVISA project on November 28 (09/11/14)

Victoria Falls to pilot SADC univisa

Zimbabwe's Tourism deputy minister Retired Brigadier-General Walter Kanhanga has said the country is working on plans to introduce a single visa system at all its borders to allow easy access that will promote tourism in the region,

Kanhanga said government was working on a uni-visa pilot programme in Victoria Falls which is set to be adopted at all border posts to allow easy movement by tourists and enhance trade within Southern Africa.

"We are working on a pilot project of a single visa system at Victoria Falls. We are at an advanced stage of adopting the single visa system and should we succeed, it will be the model that will be used at all our borders," Kanhanga said.

The single visa system will ensure one visa will allow entry in all Sadc countries and will therefore reduce the hassles for tourists traveling in the region, who had blamed the cumbersome processes of obtaining visas.

Source: Zimbabwe to adopt single Sadc visa, Bulawayo24 (11/09/14)

Single Visa System Gets Major Boost

The World Bank has availed US$700 000 towards the creation of a single visa system among Sadc member states, with Zimbabwe and Zambia set to host the pilot project.

Sadc wants to implement a single visa system (univisa) to allow easy movement of tourists and business persons as a way to promote intra-regional trade.

The World Bank project focuses on the harmonisation of visa requirements for the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza) countries, high-level consultation events, modernisation and advocacy events for visa facilitation.

Kaza has five countries -- Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Angola.

The bank is providing support for the progressive implementation of visa facilitation activities for the TFCA and Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (Retosa) leading to the ultimate goal of implementing a Sadc univisa initiative.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi said the upcoming Sadc summit to be hosted in Zimbabwe in August would deliberate on the modalities of setting up a functional univisa regime.

"It will be a topical issue at the Sadc summit next month -- in fact, one of the regional integration showcases for the conference. We are on course [with implementing the project] and have been bailed out by the World Bank at the initial stages," said Mzembi.

The funding will also facilitate high-level consultation between partner countries including representation at the highest level from designing the protocol and legislative amendments that will facilitate the implementation of the univisa.

The approach towards removing barriers for visa simplification and streamlining of immigration processes included interventions in harmonisation of visa requirements for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola.

The project also entails reviewing the existing visa situation among the partner countries, identifying immigration and customs regulations of the countries that would require harmonisation in order to facilitate implementation of the Kaza univisa.

Information availed by the bank shows that there are basically four stages involved in the implementation of the project, with the first stage involving Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The second stage incorporates all five Kaza countries to include Angola, Botswana and Namibia.

The third stage will involve setting up a pilot project that covers Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland as pilot Sadc countries before the final stage that will implement a univisa for all Sadc member states.

The bank notes that although most Sadc member states have liberalised some aspects of tourism services already under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, such as hotel services, there are other aspects that have not been liberalised.

For example, the industry relies upon various transport services to deliver clients while immigration and entry/exit control regulations have a direct influence on the supply of international tourism services.<

Tourism competitiveness in the region cannot be realised without ease of cross border access, the bank notes.

The envisaged benefits of a univisa, modelled more or less along the lines of Europe's Schengen visa system, include increased competitiveness of the Sadc region and an increase in the efficiency and transparency of immigration procedures for tourism.

The univisa regime will also lead to the elimination of administrative impediments such as time delays and improved ease for the issuing of visas and distribution of visa revenues to the pilot countries.

Cross border travel will become easier, less time consuming and bureaucratic while encouraged multi-country visits and longer stays will lead to increased economic performance of the tourism sector resulting in increased welfare and increased employment.

Source: Single Visa System Gets Major Boost - AllAfrica.com (13/07/14)

Zimbabwe agrees Uni-Visa with Zambia

Zimbabwe and Zambia have agreed to implement a uni-visa regime starting next month to boost tourist arrivals between the two countries.

The neighbouring countries now expect to precede a common visa for Southern Africa, tourism minister Walter Mzembi said on Monday.

Mzembi said the concept has been approved by both governments after the two countries ran a pilot project when they co-hosted the United Nations World Tourism Organisation 20th general assembly in August last year.

Source: Zimbabwe agrees Uni-Visa with Zambia (Bulawayo News24 - 20/05/14)

Kaza aim for regional visas

The five member countries involved with the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) are aiming to have uniform visas by the end of this year, Zambian Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has reported following a meeting for KAZA Ministers of Tourism, Wildlife and Natural Resources in Angola.
Ms Masebo said a common visa would be a milestone for the region as it would allow for the free movement of people and goods within the five-member countries and ultimately promote tourism in the region. “One of the points to note from the just-ended Angola meeting is that by December 31, 2013, it is hoped that we shall have the common KAZA-TFCA visa between five member countries. This will allow for free movement of people and goods and it will be a milestone for tourism promotion,” Ms Masebo said.
“We have come from a very successful KAZA-TFCA Ministers meeting in Angola. During the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in Livingstone, this month, delegates will be taken to KAZA-TFCA projects in Zambia,” Ms Masebo said.

Victoria Falls, Katima Mulilo and Kazungula borders to be computerised by June

The Zambian Post
2 May 2013
Zambian Immigration Department says computerisation of its systems at three border posts... is expected to be completed by June.
Immigration acting public relations officer Mubanda Chansa said Techno Soft Company has been awarded the contract for the works. Government recently released over KR500,000 for computerisation of Victoria Falls border post in Livingstone and Katima Mulilo and Kazungula border posts, as the country steps up preparations to host the 20th Session of the UNWTO general assembly, which will be held in southern Africa for the first time.
Ms Chansa said in an interview in Livingstone yesterday that the department has since bought equipment needed for the project which includes 20 computers, 15 web cameras and finger print scanners... Ms Chansa said the border posts will be linked to the headquarters in Lusaka which will in turn expedite the verification and issuance of travel documents.
The computerisation of Victoria Falls, Katima Mulilo and Kazungula border posts is meant to ease the movement of travellers to and from Zambia, during, before and after the UNWTO general assembly, whose aftermath is anticipated to increase the flow of tourists into the country.
Read full article here.

Change to Visa Requirement Into Zimbabwe

Historically, any person holding a single entry visa who may have left Zimbabwe (E.G. a day-visit to nearby Chobe National Park or a day-visit to the Zambia side of the Victoria Falls) but intended retuning to Zimbabwe to overnight was not requested to reapply for an additional visa upon return.

However, with immediate effect, Zimbabwe will be charging for re-entry visas for anybody who has left the country on a day trip. This information received today (Monday October 18, 2009) seems to have been in place for a few days already.

Any passengers leaving Zimbabwe on a day trip MUST purchase a multiple entry visa for Zimbabwe on arrival at first entry.

The same rule applies in the opposite direction,  if you arrive into the Victoria Falls International Airport, you will need to purchase a visa to enter Zimbabwe merely to take an overland transfer to Botswana.

Source: Change to Visa Requirement Into Zimbabwe (19/10/09)