You’ll need a visa to visit Zimbabwe
It is no longer possible to get a visa from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London. Most visitors use the visa on arrival service. The current cost is $55 US Dollars for a Single Entry Visa and $70 US Dollars for a Double Entry Visa. Take enough cash with you in small notes to pay for your visa at the airport. For more information, visit eVisa Zimbabwe.
Make sure you travel with the correct documentation otherwise you risk arrest and deportation. You aren’t allowed to conduct any business or seek employment if you have a tourist visa. Volunteering and missionary work over a period of 30 days is considered work and a temporary employment permit is required to engage in these activities while in Zimbabwe. You must have the correct visa or work permit in order to work. Check current entry requirements with the Zimbabwe Embassy in London before you travel.
Visitors are typically being given entry permission for 30 days but you should check that the number of days given at the port of entry covers your intended period of stay. You can apply to have this period renewed and extended if required. It’s illegal to give a false statement in support of a visa.
Anyone intending to carry out journalistic activity must arrange prior accreditation through the Zimbabwean Embassy in London. Journalists should not carry out any reporting or official photography without the proper accreditation as there is a risk of arrest, detention in difficult conditions, a fine and deportation. The Zimbabwean government has made clear that they will penalise any journalists found to be working in Zimbabwe without accreditation.
The Zimbabwe Government uses a broad definition of journalism. This may include any form of interview, filming or photography. You should also carefully consider risks associated with engaging in social media activities such as posting comments, blogging or sharing photographs, which could be construed as journalism.
KAZA Univisa
The KAZA Univisa is valid for travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia and day trips into Botswana. It’s available at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls airports and at the land borders at Victoria Falls (Zambian border) and Kazungula (Botswana border). It costs US $50 and it is valid for 30 days.
Air Travel
Air Zimbabwe has been refused permission to operate flights to the EU because the airline has been unable to demonstrate that it complies with international air safety standards. British government employees travelling to and within Zimbabwe have been advised to use carriers that aren’t subject to the EU operating ban.
A full list of airlines banned from operating within the EU is available on the European Commission website. Refusal of permission to operate is often based on inspections of aircraft at EU airports. The fact that an airline isn’t included in the list doesn’t automatically mean that it meets the applicable safety standards.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation last audited Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority in 2010. The report found that the level of implementation of the critical elements of safety oversight in Zimbabwe was close to the global average. You can find a list of recent incidents and accidents on the website of the Aviation Safety network.
The FCDO can’t offer advice on the safety of individual airlines. However, the International Air Transport Association publishes lists of registered airlines that have been audited and found to meet a number of operational safety standards and recommended practices – IATA Operational Safety Audit and IATA Standard Safety Assessment. These lists aren’t exhaustive and the absence of an airline from this list doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s unsafe.
Passport validity
Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months and have three blank pages left in it to enable you to enter Zimbabwe and exit via one of the neighbouring countries, if leaving at short notice becomes necessary.
Travelling with children to, from and through South Africa
If you’re travelling with children to, from or through South Africa, see our South Africa travel advice page for information and advice about the documents you’ll need to carry.
UK Emergency Travel Documents
Zimbabwe recognises UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) as valid travel documents. ETDs are accepted at ports of entry and exit and must be valid for the period of intended stay.
It may be necessary to produce a police report if your passport has been lost or stolen and you have been issued with an ETD as immigration officials want to see evidence of entry stamps on departure/exit.
Arms embargo
There is a United Kingdom arms embargo against Zimbabwe. It is an offence in UK law to take firearms into Zimbabwe at the current time, even if you intend to bring them back to the UK at the end of your visit.
Dual nationals
A growing number of British nationals who have travelled from the United Kingdom to Zimbabwe recently on Zimbabwean one-way temporary travel documents have found themselves stranded in Zimbabwe as these documents are not valid for re-entry to the United Kingdom. In some cases this has caused serious inconvenience.