Mozambique: Changes to Short-Term Tourist Visa, New Visa Waiver Program and eVisa System Forthcoming

August 19, 2022

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Country / Territory

At a Glance

  • Mozambique’s government authorities have announced revisions to the short-term tourist visa, transitioning this option to a joint tourist-business visa. The visa validity period will also increase to 90 days, up from 30 days.
  • Select nationalities will benefit from a new visa waiver program for tourists and business visitors. Authorities have not yet published an official list of eligible nationalities or permitted business activities.
  • Immigration and tourism ministries will implement a new eVisa system, which aims to reduce processing times. This system is expected to cover tourist and business visas, but specific categories have not yet been released.
  • These new systems and visa revisions are a part of Mozambique’s Economic Acceleration Stimulus Package, primarily intended to attract more investment and tourism to Mozambique.

The situation

Mozambique’s government authorities have announced revisions to the short-term tourist visa, which will become a joint tourist-business visa with a longer validity period. There will also be a new visa waiver program for select nationalities and the implementation of an eVisa system.

CHANGE DETAILS IMPACT
Short-term tourist visa transition to joint tourist-business visa
  • Mozambique’s short-term tourist visa will become a joint-tourist business visa, which will also offer a longer period of stay. The visa validity will increase to 90 days, up from 30 days.
  • Government authorities are expected to publish a list of permitted business activities, including scientific research, which originally was not a part of any specific visa options. Other expected activities may include, but are not limited to: attending meetings, conferences, seminars, interviews; delivering short-series talks or speeches (must be unremunerated); signing contracts; site visits; and meeting potential clients.
 This visa transition will allow foreign nationals more freedom in activities, whether it be business or leisure. The addition of scientific research as a permitted business activity may expedite advancements in Mozambique’s STEM industry. 
New visa waiver program
  • A new visa waiver program for business and tourism will be available to select nationalities, offering a 90-day stay in the country.
  • Select nationals of countries with ‘low immigration risk’ will be able to enter Mozambique without a visa, which will likely boost travel and therefore stimulate the economy.
  • The government is expected to publish a list of such countries when the official law is published.

 
New eVisa system
  • The eVisa system is currently undergoing development by immigration and tourism ministries.
  • This system is likely to include business and tourism visa categories, but further details have not yet been announced.
  • An eVisa is expected to allow a 90-day stay with the possibility of renewal.
 The eVisa category aims to automate certain visa processes, which will likely reduce processing times that have heavily increased since the start of COVID-19. 
  • Boosting economy and tourism. The short-term tourist visa revisions and new visa waiver program are part of larger government developments that aim to ease immigration restrictions in order to attract more investment opportunities and tourism to Mozambique.
  • Reduced processing times. Processing times have drastically increased since the start of COVID-19. This new eVisa system intends to streamline application processing, ease access to travelers, provide easier access to notification decisions, and as a result, reduce processing and overall lead times.

The Mozambique government is expected to publish a list of nationals who will be part of the visa waiver program, a date for the eVisa system launch (and related details) as well as permitted business activities for the joint business-tourism visa in the coming weeks. Once published, these rules are likely to become effective in 15 business days. Fragomen will report on related developments.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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