A Zambian e-Visa approval letter is valid at any port of entry, including Kenneth Kaunda (Lusaka), Livingstone and Ndola airports and the Kazungula, Chirundu and Victoria Falls border posts. At each one, you present your passport, printed approval letter and payment receipt to the immigration officer and receive your visa sticker or endorsement.
This guide walks you through clearance at every entry point, including where you clear immigration, what to present and which visa product fits your trip. It’s an independent, unofficial guide for UK travellers; verify current rules on the official eVisa portal before you travel.
Designated Entry Points and eVisa Counters
Electronic visas are validated at Lusaka, Livingstone, and Ndola airports alongside Kazungula, Chirundu, and Victoria Falls Bridge. Holders of e-Visa approval letters can enter Zambia through any port of entry. Government fees are $25 single entry, $40 double entry, and $75 multiple entry; the Multiple Entry eVisa is issued online only through Headquarters and can’t be obtained on arrival.
If you’re travelling on a UK passport, you don’t need an eVisa at all. You enter visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism or 30 days for business in any 12-month period, with no border fee, according to FCDO travel advice. The exception: for travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the KAZA UNIVISA ($50, valid up to 30 days) allows unlimited crossings and day trips to Botswana through Kazungula; an overnight stay in Botswana invalidates it.
Documents to Present at the Counter
Border desks require a passport, a printed approval letter and payment receipt, plus a return ticket if you arrive by air. Here’s your checklist:
- Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your entry date, with at least 2 blank pages for stamps; 3 full blank pages are required where a visa is issued on arrival.
- Printed eVisa approval letter – a physical printout to hand to the officer. Officers can check the letter in their system, but a printout is strongly recommended.
- Printed payment receipt – the system-generated receipt issued when you pay the visa fee online.
- Return or onward ticket – required when arriving by air.
- Accommodation proof – hotel voucher, booking, or your host’s address.
- Yellow fever certificate – if you are travelling from a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk, or spent more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in such a country.
- Proof of sufficient funds – required at land and water entry points.
Apply only through https://evisa.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm; commercial intermediaries add a service fee to a form you can complete yourself, while sites presenting themselves as the immigration department are not operated by it. Standard processing takes 3 – 5 working days.
Airport eVisa Clearance: Lusaka, Livingstone and Ndola
At all three airports you clear e-Visa formalities at the immigration desks in the arrivals hall. The steps are the same at each one:
- Enter the arrivals immigration hall.
- Go to the immigration desks and join the queue for visa holders if one is signposted.
- Hand over your passport, approval letter and payment receipt so the officer can verify your details.
- Receive your visa sticker or entry stamp showing your permitted stay.
Visitors are entitled to 90 free days in any 12-month period, though the days are not always granted all at once. You can extend for free at a Department of Immigration office in-country – up to two 30-day extensions, 90 days in total.
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (Lusaka)
After the stamp, you collect baggage and pass ZRA customs.
Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (Livingstone)
This is the tourist gateway to Victoria Falls, and the arrivals hall handles both standard eVisas and KAZA UNIVISA. Card payment terminals are available here, which matters if any fee arises on the spot.
Ndola (Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe / Copperbelt International Airport)
Ndola serves the Copperbelt’s business traffic. It is a designated port of entry, so e-Visa holders clear immigration there like at any other port. Business applications are submitted online with an invitation from the host company.
Land Border eVisa Clearance: Kazungula, Chirundu and Victoria Falls Bridge
Kazungula Bridge One-Stop Border Post (Botswana – Zambia)
You cross the bridge over the Zambezi and enter the Zambian OSBP terminal, where officers verify your eVisa or KAZA UNIVISA. This is the standard return route from a Chobe safari in Botswana.
Chirundu One-Stop Border Post (Zimbabwe – Zambia)
Chirundu sits on the north – south corridor. Officers process eVisas and Transit Visas ($25, maximum 7 days, land transport only).
Victoria Falls Bridge Border Post (Pedestrian Crossing)
The walking protocol is unique here: you complete exit formalities on the side you are leaving and then clear immigration at the Victoria Falls border control on the Zambian side.
For short visits, the Day Tripper Visa costs $10, covers stays under 24 hours, and requires you to exit through the same crossing. It’s available only at Victoria Falls and Kazungula, never online. One warning worth heeding: a single-entry visa is used up once you enter and exit, so coming back from Zimbabwe needs a new visa. If you’re crossing back and forth, the KAZA UNIVISA ($50) is the safer choice.
Comparing Entry Points: Visa Products, Fees and Payment
Card payment at the immigration desks is confirmed at Lusaka and Livingstone airports; at land crossings check opening hours locally before you travel. Here’s the side-by-side view:
| Port of entry | Type |
|---|---|
| Kenneth Kaunda (Lusaka) | Airport |
| Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula (Livingstone) | Airport |
| Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe (Ndola) | Airport |
| Kazungula Bridge OSBP | Land border |
| Chirundu OSBP | Land border |
| Victoria Falls Bridge | Land border, pedestrian |
Don’t confuse your visa products – KAZA UNIVISA ($50, 30 days, Zambia plus Zimbabwe) is not the Single Entry eVisa ($25, Zambia only), the Day Tripper Visa ($10, under 24 hours, two ports only), or the Transit Visa ($25, 7 days, land corridors).
Common Mistakes at the Counters
Carry a printed approval letter, and if you may need cash, US dollar notes of the newer large-head series. These are the errors that actually stop people:
- Phone-only approval letter. Officers verify e-Visas in their system, but a printed approval letter is strongly recommended and is what you hand over at the desk.
- Wrong lane. Present your approval letter at the immigration desk so the officer processes you as a pre-approved applicant rather than a visa-on-arrival case.
- Passport number mismatch. Apply with the exact details of the passport you will travel on, as the approval letter is linked to that passport.
- Wrong visa category. The Day Tripper Visa ($10) only works at Victoria Falls and Kazungula for under 24 hours. Travellers who need a visa and stay longer, or exit through a different port, need a single, double or multiple entry visa ($25/$40/$75).
- Expired entry window. Your eVisa allows entry within 90 days of issue. Miss that window and you’re applying again.
- Unusable cash. If you pay in cash, bring newer large-head US dollar notes in good condition and in small denominations, as change may not be available.
Budget for airport charges too: international departure tax is the USD 25 equivalent, usually built into your airfare, otherwise payable in Zambian kwacha cash, plus a security charge of USD 3 for domestic travel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which airports in Zambia have dedicated counters for eVisa holders?
An e-Visa approval letter is accepted at any Zambian port of entry. For air arrivals that means Kenneth Kaunda in Lusaka, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula in Livingstone and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe in Ndola, where you clear immigration at the desks in the arrivals hall.
Can I show my Zambian eVisa approval letter on a smartphone screen at the border?
Officers can look your visa up in their system, but you are expected to bring the approval letter and payment receipt with you, so print both and hand them over with your passport at the immigration desk.
How long does immigration clearance take at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport with an eVisa?
No official clearance times are published. At the immigration desk in the arrivals hall you present your passport, printed approval letter and payment receipt, the officer checks your details and affixes the visa sticker or endorsement, so allow a comfortable margin for any onward connection.
What are the opening hours at Kazungula and Chirundu?
Opening hours for Zambian land border posts are not published by the Department of Immigration, so treat Kazungula and Chirundu as daytime crossings and confirm current hours with your operator or the border post before you travel.
Do British passport holders need an eVisa to enter Zambia at these border entry points and airport eVisa counters?
No. UK citizens enter visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism or 30 days for business in any 12-month period, with no border fee. The KAZA UNIVISA ($50, 30 days) is useful if you combine Zambia with Zimbabwe, and it also covers day trips to Botswana through Kazungula; an overnight stay in Botswana invalidates it.
What should I do if the border immigration system goes offline during my clearance?
Hand over your printed approval letter, payment receipt and passport. These are the documents the immigration officer is required to examine before affixing the visa sticker, which is why a paper copy matters if online checks are unavailable.
Can I get a KAZA UNIVISA at the Victoria Falls Bridge border counter using my pre-approved eVisa?
No. They are separate visa types with separate applications. The KAZA UNIVISA ($50) is available online or at Kenneth Kaunda and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula airports and the Victoria Falls and Kazungula border controls.
Where do I apply for a Zambian eVisa before travelling?
Apply through the official portal at https://evisa.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm, with e-Services at https://eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/. Processing takes 3 – 5 working days. Commercial sites can submit the same form for you but add a service fee on top of the government fee.
Sources and Further Reading
- Zambia Department of Immigration – For Visitors – designated ports of entry, visa fees, and extension rules.
- FCDO Zambia entry requirements – UK visa exemption, passport rules, and departure taxes.
- Zambia Immigration e-Services – online eVisa and KAZA UNIVISA applications.
- Ministry of Home Affairs – Department of Immigration – supporting document requirements and processing times.
Rules can change, so check the official portal before you travel.
