The government of Zambia has announced that it will be easing visa restrictions and opening up the country to new business opportunities by expanding its list of visa-exempt countries for travel to Zambia for tourism and business purposes. This move is aimed at attracting foreign investment and boosting the country’s economy by making it easier for international businesses to operate in Zambia. The visa waiver will allow citizens from 43 countries, including Canada, Australia, China, the UK, US, Saudi Arabia, and most EU countries, to enter Zambia and stay for more than 30 days without a visa. Business visitors will also be able to stay for more than 30 days and will need to apply for a temporary employment permit online.

This news was reported in a statement released by the government of Zambia, and it has been revealed that citizens from these countries will be eligible to stay in Zambia following the visa waiver for more than 30 days and can extend their stay for over 90 days. The statement released by the government reads, “Foreign nationals intending to conduct business for more than 30 days must submit a temporary employment permit application through this website. Such applications must be submitted by an employer, registered immigration consultants or lawyers.” By simplifying the process for obtaining a permit and allowing businesses to stay in the country for extended periods of time, the government is making it more attractive for companies to consider setting up operations in Zambia.

“The government’s decision to expand the list of visa-exempt countries for travel to Zambia is great news for businesses in the country,” said Tanya Fooks, Co-Founder of Business Network Zambia. “It will encourage new business networking opportunities and diversify the pool of business opportunities and professionalism in Zambia. Once the government strongly considers nomadic visas, which will allow digital nomads to work and live in Zambia for extended periods of time, we believe that Zambia will really see the benefits of opening up travel and business and how it can drive economic growth and development in the country.”

The visa waiver will came into effect October 1, 2022, but the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, has stated that more time is needed to put the necessary measures in place to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy change. Mwiimbu explained, “As you may be aware, policy changes as this one requires putting in place a legislative framework to ensure that their implementation is within the confinement of the law.” The government has also announced that it will be recruiting new staff to enforce compliance with immigration laws and regulations.

While the visa waiver will make it easier for citizens of the eligible countries to enter Zambia, it is important to note that the final decision on granting permission for entry still lies with immigration officials at the port of entry. Mwiimbu emphasized that the visa waiver does not guarantee entry into the country. However, it is expected that this expansion of the visa-exempt list will make it more convenient for internationals to visit Zambia and will contribute to the growth of the tourism and business sectors in the country.

Zambia has been actively working to ease entry rules for internationals in recent years, and this latest move is just one example of the country’s efforts to attract foreign investment and boost its economy. By making it easier for foreign businesses to operate in Zambia and providing more opportunities for local businesses to benefit from new business ventures, the government is hoping to stimulate economic growth and development. The more Zambia opens its doors to foreign businesses and makes “doing business in Zambia easier,” the more local businesses can expect to benefit from new business opportunities and the overall prosperity of the country can be improved.