Zambia-Zimbabwe UniVisa no longer issued

 

Update January 2017: Univisa issued again

Last year we wrote about KAZA UniVisa, the tourist visa that allows tourists to visit both Zambia and Zimbabwe, mainly targeting those visiting Victoria Falls. In bad news, the issuing of UniVisa has been suspended, at least temporarily. There has been no official statement by either country, the issuing of UniVisa was stopped after UniVisa stickers ran out, first in Zambia, then in Zimbabwe. No information is available whether the visa will be reinstated.

We are again in a situation where a visitor who wants to visits both countries will have to get two visas. A Zambian single entry visa costs 50 USD, while double and multiple entry visas both cost 80 USD. A day trip visa to Zambia costs 20 USD. The day trip visa requires the visitor uses the same port for exit and entry, so it cannot be used for transiting through the country.

Zimbabwe visa costs 30 USD (single entry), 45 USD (double entry), 55 USD (multiple entry). Multiple entry visa is NOT available at the port of entry. Certain nationalities will have to pay higher fees. British and Irish nationals have to pay 55 USD for single entry and 70 USD for a double entry visa to Zimbabwe.

The most economical way of visiting both countries will be entering Zimbabwe and getting a double entry visa (55 USD), then do a day trip to Zambia (visa cost 20 USD). So the total cost will be 25 USD more expensive than UniVisa, yet the latter was much more flexible option.

It can be only hoped that UniVisa will be reinstated in the future. But it is unlikely to happen anytime soon, given all the government bureaucracy, poor governance, general neglect, and mistrust between countries. For now, UniVisa is yet another example a good initiative that never properly materialised.