by Kumbi Chiweshe
If you are attending a global conference in Zambia you might need to apply for a Zambian visa. Zambia offers an online visa application portal for all nationalities. There are a number of nationalities that are visa exempt to Zambia or can simply get their visa upon arrival. Check below if you are listed under the visa exempt countries or visa on arrival country list, you might not need to read this blog.
Check out our blog about Kaza Univisa if you are interested in visiting Angola, Botswana, Namibia or Zimbabwe at the same time.
What Type of Visa Will You Need to Attend an International Event?
You need to apply for a tourist visa for Zambia to be able to enter the country. The tourist visa category is a type of visa issued for foreigners to attend international conferences, workshops, seminars, meetings, exhibitions and for any leisure related travel. This is a single or multiple entry visa for 30 days, it should cover your event days or weeks plus some time for sightseeing before or after your event.
Do you need a visa?
Before we get into the details of how to apply, it is important to know if you need a visa to travel to Zambia. Zambia is working towards an open visa regime, making it easier for travelers to visit Zambia.
There are three categories of nationalities: visa exempt nationals, eligible for visa on-arrival and nationals that are required to obtain a visa before travel.
List of Visa Exempt Nationals
If you fall under this category you don’t require a visa to enter Zambia. Please note that governments change visa regulations regularly, check the official Zambian Immigration Website to make sure you are visa exempt before your travel.
Aland Islands | Greece | Poland |
Angola | Grenada | Portugal |
Anguilla | Guadeloupe | Qatar |
Antigua and Bermuda | Hungary | Reunion |
Australia | Iraq | Romania |
Australian Antarctic Territory | Ireland | Ross Dependency |
Austria | Isle of Man | St. Helena |
Azores | Italy | St. Kitts and Nevis |
Bahamas | Jamaica | St. Lucia |
Bahrain | Japan | St. Martin |
Barbados | Kenya | St. Vincent and Grenadines |
Belgium | Kiribati | Samoa |
Belize | Kuwait | Saudi Arabia |
Bermuda | Latvia | Serbia and Montenegro |
Botswana | Lesotho | Seychelles |
British Antarctic Territory | Lithuania | Singapore |
British Indian Ocean Territory | Luxembourg | Slovakia |
British Virgin Islands | Madeira | Slovenia |
Bulgaria | Malawi | Solomon Islands |
Canada | Malaysia | South Africa |
Canary Islands | Maldives | South Korea |
Cayman Islands | Malta | Spain |
Channel Islands | Marshall Islands | Swaziland |
China | Martinique | Sweden |
Croatia | Mauritius | Tanzania |
Cyprus | Mayotte | Tokelau |
Czech Republic | Montenegro | Tonga |
Denmark | Montserrat | Trinidad and Tobago |
Dominica | Mozambique | Turks and Caicos Island |
Estonia | Namibia | Tuvalu |
Falkland Islands | Nauru | Uganda |
Falkland Islands Dependencies | Netherlands | United Arab Emirates |
Fiji Islands | New Zealand | United Kingdom |
Finland | Niue | United States of America |
France | Norfolk Island | Vanuatu |
French Guiana | Norway | Western Samoa |
Germany | Oman | Zimbabwe |
Gilbraltar | Pitcairn Islands |
List of Nationals that are Eligible to get Visa on Arrival
If you fall under this category you can apply for your Zambia visa at your port of entry. Please note that governments change visa regulations regularly check the official Zambian Immigration Website to make sure you are eligible for visa upon arrival.
Angola | Isle of Man | Samoa |
Anguilla | Jamaica | Serbia |
Antigua and Barbuda | Kenya | Seychelles |
Australian Antarctic Territory | Kiribati | Singapore |
Bahamas | Lesotho | Solomon Islands |
Barbados | Malawi | South Africa |
Belize | Malaysia | St Helena |
Botswana | Maldives | St Kitts and Nevis |
British Antarctic Territory | Malta | St Lucia |
British Indian Ocean Territory | Marshall Islands | St Vincent and Grenadines |
British Virgin Islands | Mauritius | Swaziland |
Cayman Islands | Montenegro | Tanzania |
Channel Islands | Montserrat | Tokelau |
Cyprus | Mozambique | Tonga |
Dominica | Namibia | Trinidad and Tobago |
Falkland Islands | Nauru | Turks and Caicos Island |
Falkland Islands Dependencies | Niue Bermuda | Tuvalu |
Fiji Islands | Norfolk Island | Uganda |
Gibraltar | Pitcairn Islands | Vanuatu |
Grenada | Romania | Western Samoa |
Ireland | Ross Dependency | Zimbabwe |
List of Nationals that Require Visa Prior to Travel
If you fall under this category you can apply for your Zambia visa via an e-visa portal. We recommend you apply at least 2 weeks prior to your travel date. Please note that governments change visa regulations regularly check the official Zambian Immigration Website to check if you still need to apply for a visa prior to your travel.
Afghanistan | Indonesia | Palestine |
Algeria | Iran | Papua New Guinea |
Armenia | Iraq | Philippines |
Azerbaijan | Ivory Coast | Qatar |
Bahrain | Jordan | Saudi Arabia |
Bangladesh | Kuwait | Senegal |
Benin | Kyrgyzstan | Sierra Leone |
Burkina Faso | Lebanon | Somalia |
Cameroon | Liberia | South Sudan |
Central Africa Republic | Libya | Sri-Lanka |
Chad | Macau | Sudan |
China | Mali | Syria |
Egypt | Mauritania | Tajikistan |
Equatorial Guinea | Morocco | Timor-Leste (East Timor) |
Ethiopia | Nepal | Togo |
Gabon | Niger | Tunisia |
Gambia | Nigeria | Turkmenistan |
Guinea Bissau | North Korea | Uzbekistan |
Guinea Conakry | Oman | |
India | Pakistan |
How do you Apply?
Applying for your Zambia visa is simple. The Zambia Immigration has an e-visa portal you can use to submit your application. There are several fraudulent websites that claim to provide e-visa support. Make sure you use the official government e-visa portal.
What type of visa should I apply for?
You can apply for a single or multiple entry tourist visa. Apply for a multiple entry visa if you plan to visit neighboring countries (Namibia and Zimbabwe). Please check your visa requirements for neighboring countries. This blog only covers visa requirements for Zambia.
What are the documents required?
- Certified copy of your valid passport
- Covering letter from applicant to the Director General of Immigration
- Passport size photo
- Return Airline Ticket (it can be your tentative booking, we advise you purchase your airline ticket after your receive your e-visa)
- Hotel booking (advisable not required)
Once you have all your relevant documents ready allocate 30min to submit your application online. You should get your visa within 5-10 working days.
Sometimes the Zambia Immigration can take longer than 2 weeks to process your e-visa. We recommend you apply for your e-visa as early as you can.
Questions?
Are you looking to host an international event in Zambia? Let us help you! Hallpax has destination experts who are dedicated to making your event planning process enjoyable and stress-free. We are passionate about the cities we work with, and with our in-person presence in Africa, we help our clients navigate their cities of choice with ease.
