VISAS for Southern & East Africa

• As soon as you have confirmed your trip, it is imperative to check visa requirements with foreign embassies/consulates of the countries that you intend to visit, as they may vary according to your nationality.
• Visas obtained at the port of entry (arrival) are payable in USD cash only, and we recommend small denominations of dollars as officials are not in a position to give change.
• US dollars are accepted in most regions; however, notes dated before 2003 are no longer accepted. Please ensure to bring notes in smaller denominations: USD 50, USD 20, USD 10, USD 5; high denomination notes may not be accepted.
• The use of credit cards is not recommended in Zimbabwe.
• It is recommended that travellers obtain their visas prior to arrival, where possible, in the event that the airport is busy.

Country visa specifications are detailed below

There are two visa categories for Botswana:

1. Non-Visa Category: No visa is required.
   No action or fee is needed. The stamp on arrival is for 30 days, and this can be extended. Many countries do not require a visa.
2. Visa Category: Visa is required.
   Click here to check if you need a visa for Botswana »

Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system is now operational. This means that guests no longer need to apply for a Kenya Visa. All travellers, including infants and children (except citizens of Kenya and EAC partner states), arriving in Kenya are now required to apply for an ETA online.

Application Requirements:

• Valid passport (6-month validity from the date of arrival in Kenya, with a minimum of one blank page)
• Passport-style photo
• Contact information (home address, email address and phone number)
• Itinerary details (arrival & departure flight tickets)
• Accommodation booking confirmation
• Credit card, debit card, Apple Pay for payment of $34 per person

Medical requirements, dependent on country of residence/travel history:

• Yellow Fever Certificate (if arriving from a Yellow Fever endemic country)
• Additional vaccinations

Travellers are eligible to apply for ETAs within 3 months of their arrival date in Kenya. Following the application, a confirmation will be sent to the email address submitted in the application. Upon approval, the ETA will be sent to the same email address.

Standard processing time for ETAs is three working days, and the status of applications can be checked at any time on the ETA website using the ETA reference number.

All previous visa entry requirements for Kenya are now replaced by the requirement of ETAs. All e-visas currently in process will be issued and travellers with existing e-visas will be granted access to Kenya within the validity period of 90 days, without the additional requirement of an ETA. If the parents had added the child under 12 years on their application or applied for an e-pass for the child, then the child does not need an ETA.

There are three categories of visas for Namibia:

1. Those countries whose citizens do not need a visa.

2. Those countries whose citizens can get a visa on arrival

3. Those countries whose citizens need to apply for a visa prior to arrival. Click here to apply online »

Follow this link to see if you require a visa for travel to Namibia: click here »

Visas are valid up to three months from the date of issue, for stays of up to three months from entry.

33 additional countries will be required to apply for visas. The nationals from these countries, however, will qualify for visas on arrival upon paying the prescribed fees and meeting the entry requirements in respect of Namibia.

Application Requirements:

• a return ticket.
• Medical insurance.
• proof of means of sustenance while in Namibia.
• not wanted by any country for criminal activities.
• A passport valid for at least six months on the date of arrival.

The fee has been set at one thousand six hundred Namibia Dollars (N$ 1 600) per applicant.

There are 2 visa categories for South Africa

1. Non-Visa Category: No visa is required.
   The arrival stamp is for 90 days, and this can be extended. This is the list of visa-exempt countries »
2. Visa Category: A Visa is required.
   If you are not on the exempt list, then you need to apply for a visa before travel. Apply for an e-visa here »

Notes

• Visitors’ visas are for international travellers (citizens of other countries) who have permanent residence outside South Africa and who wish to visit the country on a temporary basis for tourism or business purposes for a period of 90 days or less.
• Visas are not issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board.
• If you arrive without a visa, immigration officials are obliged to put you onto a flight back to your home country.

• Citizens of all countries are allowed to get a visa upon arrival in Rwanda without prior application.
• Citizens of member countries of the African Union, the Commonwealth, and La Francophonie can get free visas upon arrival in Rwanda for a visit of 30 days.
• Citizens of all countries that are not visa-exempt have the option to submit an application online or at the Rwanda Diplomatic Missions of the country of residence before departure. Those applying online have the option to pay online or upon arrival.
• The visa fees are USD 50 for a single-entry visa or USD 70 for a multiple-entry visa.

If you wish to apply for a visa before arrival, you can apply here. Please note the translate button on the top right in this link.

Mozambique has introduced a new travel requirement for passport holders from certain visa-exempt countries. Travellers must register their trips at least 48 hours before departure through the official electronic travel authorisation (ETA) platform.

According to the official notice, travellers who fail to register in advance may risk being denied boarding or entry into Mozambique.

Upon arrival, travellers from the specified countries must present proof of their pre-approval along with supporting documents.

• The MZN650 (€9) fee is payable on arrival.
• Leisure travellers must show proof of accommodation, a return ticket and evidence of sufficient funds.
• Business travellers are required to present an invitation letter from their hosts, a return ticket and financial proof.

It is highly recommended that all travellers get an e-visa in advance through the immigration platform: Tanzania eVisa

Applying for an e-Visa in Tanzania:

• The Visa applications will be processed within ten days; therefore, applicants are strongly advised to observe the stipulated time frame while making their applications.
• After making payments, applicants are required to wait for approval of their Visa before they start their journey. Approval notification will be sent to their email. Or they can access the Visa Grant Notification by checking the Status of their Visa online.

Application Requirements:

• A JPEG pic of your passport biometric page.
• A JPEG pic of yourself (smaller than 300KB). Don’t worry if you don’t have an official passport photo – a clear image of yourself against a plain background will do.
• Your round-trip flight ticket – either PDF or JPEG will work.
• Contact info for your first destination – Your Timeless Africa Safaris travel manager will provide this info.
• Your mother’s and father’s names and nationalities.
• Make note of the security question you choose, as it will be required to check your visa status later.
• Where it asks for ‘host details’, write ‘Self’, as this will save you having to complete the rest of that section.
• A valid Visa or MasterCard for online payment.

Further notes:

• US citizens must choose multiple-entry visas (single-entry visas are not available to Americans), and the cost is USD 100 rather than USD 50.
• When selecting the ‘Reason for travel’, select ‘Holiday & Leisure’ to continue the process.
• When selecting your host for the trip, please select ‘Self’.
• To complete the process, you will be asked to upload your return tickets.
• Yes, all visitors to Tanzania must have their own visa to enter the country unless their nationality is visa-exempt. This includes children (under the age of 18) who have their own passports.
• Tip: if you experience Firefox internet browser issues, we suggest using Google Chrome as an alternative.
• Once you have applied, log in to the system and check the status of your application any time between 10-14 days after applying. With a bit of luck, it’ll be approved and ready!
• Print out the confirmation document: though you might have it on your phone/device, the paper version will be required on arrival, so have this ready.

Please note that visas are also available on arrival however, we always recommend applying online prior to arrival to avoid delays. If you need to apply for a visa on arrival, we recommend the following:

• Ensure you have time to spare – at least 2 hrs (bear this in mind if you have a connecting flight)
• The correct amount of US dollars to pay in cash
• A pen to complete the forms – if provided by the airline, complete the form before you land and head straight for the visa booth

All visitors to Zanzibar (excluding residents) must apply for mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance. This insurance must be purchased from Zanzibar Insurance Corporation and is in addition to any travel insurance already obtained from a home country.

The following policies are available for application:

• Individuals: Allows up to 2 visitors on the policy.
• Family: Allows 3 – 9 visitors on the policy.
• Group: Allows 10+ visitors on the policy.

How much it will cost:

Each policy setup includes charges, which can be paid using a debit or credit card at the end of the application.

• Adults: USD 44 per visitor, inclusive of all charges
• Children aged 3-17 years of age receive a 50% discount
• Infants aged 0-2 are free of charge

Per the government notice, travellers arriving without a valid ZIC travel insurance risk being refused entry into Zanzibar at the immigration checkpoints.

Click here to apply online: https://visitzanzibar.go.tz/insurance

Application Requirements: for each visitor to be included on the insurance policy.

• Name and personal details.
• Passport information.
• Photograph of the biodata page of your passport (PDF, JPEG, jpg, png) – no larger than 5MB.
• Arrival and departure dates.

Application Steps:

• Step 1: Complete traveller details (Nationality, date of birth, etc.)
• Step 2: Passport details. Image dimensions should not exceed 1920 x 1080 pixels. (This is very important and often the reason your image may not be accepted.)
• Step 3: Your travel dates within Zanzibar
• Step 4: Select insurance type: Individual (for 1-2 travellers); Family (3-9 travellers); Group (10 or more)
• Step 5: Add all travellers’ details (if you are travelling on your own, untick the box ‘travelling in a group’
• Step 6: Check all details are correct – scroll down to add the security code (the code only appears once you have clicked in the grey block), then tick ‘I AGREE’
• Step 7: Payment page

If you need further answers, click here for FAQ’s

Zambia has three categories of visas:

1. Category A
   Citizens of select countries do not need a visa to enter Zambia. No action is required; you will be granted entry at any border post. Click here to view the Category A list. »
2. Category B
   Citizens of these countries can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport or border post upon payment of the visa fee.
   We do not recommend pre-applying online for Category B.

3. Category C
   Citizens of these countries must obtain a visa before travelling to Zambia. Click here to view the Category C list »

Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA) Uni-Visa

The KAZA Uni-Visa allows travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe with multiple entries during its 30-day validity.
It also covers day trips to Botswana via the Kazungula Borders, but it is not valid for overnight stays in Botswana (a new visa would be required in that case).

• Validity: 30 days, multiple entries between Zambia and Zimbabwe
• Fee: USD 50 (cash recommended)
• Eligibility: Available only to specific nationalities; please check before applying
• Application: If applying online via the Zambia e-visa portal, your first port of entry must be Zambian

Visa Types and Costs

Zimbabwe has three categories of visas:

• Category A
  Citizens of select countries do not need a visa to enter Zimbabwe. Click here to view the list »
• Category B
  Citizens of these countries can obtain a visa on arrival at any airport or border post for a fee. Click here to view the list »
• Category C
  Citizens of these countries must obtain a visa before travelling to Zimbabwe. Click here to view the list »

Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA) Uni-Visa

• Validity: 30 days, multiple entries between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
• You can cross between the two countries as often as you like within this period.
• It also covers day trips to Botswana via the Kazungula Borders, but not overnight stays (a new visa is then required).
• Fee: USD 50 (cash recommended).

Eligible countries only. If applying online via Zimbabwe e-visa website, your first port of entry must be Zimbabwe.

Visa Types and Costs

• • Cash is recommended for visa payments.
  • Multiple-entry visas cannot be obtained at the port of entry.

Online Tourist Visa: All travellers are required to apply for their Ugandan visa online before arrival through the official website: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/

Visa Types and Costs

Application Requirements

You will need the following to complete your online visa application:

• A valid passport (with at least six months’ validity)
• A return or onward ticket
  
• An international health certificate; travellers may be required to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate upon entry.

Important Notes

• A visa approval must be obtained before travel, as visas are not issued upon arrival.

• Processing times may vary; applicants are advised to apply several days before their intended departure.

• Always carry a printed copy of your visa approval for presentation at immigration upon arrival.