MozGuide

Passport

Passports of all member nations of the United Nations are recognized by Mozambique. Your passport must be valid to a date six months after your intended return, or your visa application may be refused.

Visas

Whether you plan to arrive by air, rail or vehicle, the first bureaucratic obstacle to be negotiated before you purchase expensive scuba gear or state-of-the-art birding binoculars, is applying for a visa. The government of Mozambique evidently views visas as an easy way of obtaining much-needed hard currency and almost all passport holders (SADC countries & Malawians excepted), even citizens of Portugal, must apply (and pay) for a visa.

Citizens of SADC countries do not need visas - ALL other nationalities need visa - can get at border for $65 - 82.

Bureaucratic wheels usually take a long time to turn so it is prudent to apply for your visa at least two weeks before your intended visit (a stay of 30 days, within two months of issue, is allowed on a tourist visa unless extended).  Each visa office has its own idiosyncracies, but the normal processing time is four to eight days unless you are prepared to pay extra for an emergency (24hr or same-day) visa – not possible in Blantyre. If you need a multiple-entry visa (10 days allowed on each entry), you will require a fax or letter from a company registered in Mozambique to present along with your application. Transit visas valid for 24hrs from time of entry are issued on the same day in Blantyre. 

Cost of visas

In Johannesburg visas charges range from $65-82 depending on type (tourist, transit, double, multiple/business), period of validity, whether you use a visa service and how urgently you need it to be processed (this ranges from two weeks to same day). Consulates do not have uniform charges and delays.

Where To Get Your Visa

Legitimate visas are not issued at the borders or airports and must be applied for from the Mozambican Visa Section.  In South Africa the Embassy is in Pretoria and there are four consulates.  In Johannesburg: tel. (011) 327 2938, Pretoria: tel. (012) 4010300, Cape Town: tel. (021) 426 2944, Durban: tel. (031) 304 0220 or Nelspruit: tel. (013) 753 2089.  Outside of South Africa there are embassies or consulates in the following cities: Mbabane (Swaziland), Harare (Zimbabwe), Blantyre and Lilongwe (Malawi), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) or the Mozambique mission in the capital city of your country.  Mozambique does not have a consulate in Australia.

In South Africa, contact the Mozambique Consulate and Visa Section in Pretoria at (012) 343 0957 for further details and phone VIP Visa Services tel: Dene (mobile) 082 973 0454, or e-mail Mozambique Visa Services: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it who provide a wide range of options for obtaining a visa. Note that the Johannesburg and Harare consulates have a well-deserved reputation for treating applicants with absolute contempt so it may be better to apply in Blantyre (if coming from the north) or Mbabane (if coming from the south).

Validity

The fine for overstaying is US$100 per day. Unless you obtain a multiple-entry (valid for 10 days on each entry) or transit (valid for 24hrs) visa, your visa will be valid for 30 days from your arrival date. A stay of up to 90 days is permitted on a tourist visa as long as you extend it before each 30-day period expires. It is cheapest to pay for visa extensions in SA rands, Zimbabwe dollars or Malawi Kwacha, but United States dollars (in cash) may be required.

Extending Your Visa

If you require a visa extension, just hand in your passport at the local immigration office (lmigração - main towns only) at least 3 days before your present 30-day visa expires. 

Insurance and emergencies

Standard vehicle policies often do not cover Mozambique, but Cross Country Insurance Consultants, Johannesburg: tel. (011) 883 1154, www.allterrain.co.za and Travel-line, Johannesburg: tel. (011) 450 1765, fax 450 1935, offer comprehensive vehicle cover which includes Mozambique. As theft is fairly common in Mozambique, insure your personal belongings and your vehicle comprehensively for all risks.

Inform your embassy, high commission or consulate in Maputo (see page 48) of your arrival and departure dates as well as detailed travel plans. This will help to ensure some advice before you arrive and assistance in the event of your falling foul of the law or some other unexpected mishap. South Africans, for example, can visit their embassy in Maputo on the corner of Av. Eduardo Mondlane and Av. Julius Nyerere, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or tel. Ivor Rensburg in Maputo (01) 49 1404.