Before you travel
Zambia visa requirements.
Since January 2025, 167 nationalities including British, US, Canadian and Australian citizens can visit Zambia visa-free. Others apply for a visa.
Photo Nicole Olwagen / Unsplash
Correct at the time of publishing, . Fees and entry rules are subject to change without notice, and many rules depend on the passport you hold. Confirm with the official source listed under each answer, or with your airline, before you travel.
Check the rules for your passport. Requirements differ by nationality, purpose and length of stay.
Check Zambia visa requirements →Checker provided by VisaHQ. Site designer Charnette Labs may earn a commission if you apply through them, at no extra cost to you. Famous Africa is not an immigration adviser and neither party decides these requirements.
Do I need a visa to visit Zambia?
Zambia's Department of Immigration sorts visitors into three groups: no visa needed, a visa available on arrival or online, and a visa approved before travel. Since 1 January 2025 nationals of 167 countries need no visa, among them the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and France. They must still hold a return air ticket, or enough funds if arriving by land.
Other nationalities, such as Brazil, Russia and Mexico, can get a visa on arrival or online, and some, such as India, Nigeria and Egypt, need approval before travelling. Online applications are made through eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm.
Sources: Zambia Department of Immigration: visa waiver for nationals of 53 more countries (25 December 2024); Zambia Department of Immigration: nationals who do not require a visa; Zambia Department of Immigration: for visitors
How much does a Zambian visa cost and how long can I stay?
Zambia's immigration fee table lists a single-entry visa at US$50, a double or multiple-entry visa at US$80, a transit visa at US$25 and a day-tripper visa at US$10. An older visitor page on the same site still shows US$25 for a single entry, so expect the higher figure. The day-tripper visa, for visits under 24 hours, is only issued at the Victoria Falls and Kazungula borders.
The UK government says British tourists may stay up to 90 days in any 12-month period, and the US government up to 90 days per calendar year for US citizens.
Fees were correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change without notice.
Sources: Zambia Department of Immigration: fees; Zambia Department of Immigration: for visitors; UK government (FCDO): Zambia entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 1 June 2026); US Department of State: Zambia travel information, for US citizens (guidance issued 3 September 2026)
What is the KAZA UniVisa?
The KAZA UniVisa costs US$50 and allows multiple entries between Zambia and Zimbabwe for up to 30 days in a 12-month period, including day trips into Botswana through Kazungula. On the Zambian side it is issued at Kenneth Kaunda and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula airports and the Victoria Falls and Kazungula borders.
It is available to a published list of nationalities, including British, US, Canadian and Australian citizens and most of the EU. If obtained online from Zambia, you must arrive through a Zambian port of entry.
Fees were correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change without notice.
Sources: Zambia Department of Immigration: KAZA UniVisa; Zambia Department of Immigration: for visitors
What passport validity and blank pages does Zambia require?
Zambia's immigration department asks for six months' validity and three full blank pages for a visa on arrival. The US government also advises three blank pages; the UK government says two. Carry three.
Zambia does not publish separate rules for children, beyond including under-16s on an adult's e-visa application. The US government advises carrying each child's birth certificate and a notarised consent letter from any parent not travelling.
Sources: Zambia Department of Immigration: for visitors; UK government (FCDO): Zambia entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 1 June 2026); US Department of State: Zambia travel information, for US citizens (guidance issued 3 September 2026)
When do I need a yellow fever certificate for Zambia?
A yellow fever certificate is required for travellers aged one year or older arriving from a country with yellow fever risk, or after more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in one.
Source: World Health Organization: country list of vaccination requirements (revised 3 January 2023)
Where this sits in planning a trip
Entry requirements are the traveller’s responsibility, but they shape an itinerary — a routing through a third country can change what is needed, and documents for children can take weeks to obtain. Famous Africa raises them early when planning rather than leaving them to the week before departure.