Zimbabwe visa for UK citizens: fees, visa on arrival and e-visa

Yes. GOV.UK says you must have a visa to visit Zimbabwe, and that most visitors get it on arrival. You can also apply for an e-visa online before you travel. Your passport needs an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive, and 3 blank pages.

This guide is for travellers leaving the UK on a full British citizen passport, the group that GOV.UK entry requirements for Zimbabwe are written for. It covers the three visa routes with their fees in dollars and pounds, the passport rule, the yellow fever certificate, cash limits and the safety points the FCDO stresses. Work, study, volunteering and business travel follow other rules, which GOV.UK sends back to the Zimbabwean authorities.

The visa on arrival is the usual route. GOV.UK says it is usually granted for 30 days and tells you to take enough US dollars in small notes to pay for it. The e-visa is bought online before you leave, as a single or double entry visa at different prices, and the KAZA Univisa is the option for Zimbabwe and Zambia together.

The Zimbabwe eVisa platform FAQ lists the United Kingdom among the countries whose visitors pay for and obtain a visa when they enter Zimbabwe. It adds that a multiple entry visa on arrival is available only to the UK, USA and Canada, and that the Department of Immigration may change your visa type during processing, which may affect the cost. The cost that counts is the one stated in your approval response.

One route is closed. GOV.UK says it is no longer possible to get a visa from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London.

The fees come from the Department of Immigration fees page, where the British online visa is listed at $55 for a single entry and $70 for a double entry. The KAZA Univisa is sold at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls airports and at the land borders at Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe-Zambia) and Kazungula (Zimbabwe-Botswana).

The Department of Immigration lays the process out in four steps on its home page, and the application runs on the official evisa.gov.zw platform.

1. Fill out the secure application form online.
2. Submit your documents, check the details, then pay the visa service fee on the secure payment page.
3. Wait for the email with your e-visa and permit confirmations.
4. Print the e-visa to board the plane. On arrival in Zimbabwe, the officer stamps your passport.

The e-visa FAQ gives the timings. Processing takes seven working days on average, and it asks you to apply at least 3 weeks before your travel date. You can enter on any date within the validity period.

At least 6 months after the day you arrive, with 3 blank pages. GOV.UK gives the reason for the blank pages: you may need to enter Zimbabwe and exit through a neighbouring country, or leave at short notice.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport reported lost or stolen. To return to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. A Zimbabwean temporary travel document is not valid for re-entry to the UK, and GOV.UK warns that you could be stranded in Zimbabwe if you travel on one.

Only if you arrive from a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk. GOV.UK says you must then have a certificate to prove you have had the vaccination, and the TravelHealthPro Zimbabwe page covers medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations.

The GOV.UK health page for Zimbabwe asks you to check the latest vaccine recommendations at least 8 weeks before the trip, and to look at the NHS travel vaccinations page for costs and locations. It also says healthcare quality is variable and can be very poor outside the major cities, and that private clinics will not treat patients until they pay and often ask for large amounts of cash before admitting emergency cases.

Declare cash or travellers cheques worth $10,000 (about £7,430) or more. GOV.UK says you will get a certified declaration to show you brought the money in, and that it is illegal to leave Zimbabwe with cash worth more than $2,000 (about £1,490).

On the ground, GOV.UK says Zimbabwe has a multi-currency system and you can use US dollars for most transactions. Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) replaced the Zimbabwean dollar in April 2024, and the US dollar remains legal tender. Change is rarely available, so carry small notes, and do not accept torn or damaged notes in change. Exchanging foreign currency anywhere other than at the official dealers, such as banks and bureaux de change, is illegal.

GOV.UK describes a moderate level of crime. Mugging, pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common in city centres, especially after dark, and street lighting can be poor. There have been smash-and-grab robberies from vehicles at the main intersections along the route to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, on Liberation Legacy Way (Borrowdale Road) and Churchill Road in Harare, and on the Masvingo-Beitbridge road.

The law catches visitors out in several ways. It is illegal to photograph government offices, airports, military sites and embassies without special permission, and to photograph police or protests. It is also illegal to wear camouflage clothing. The GOV.UK safety and security page for Zimbabwe also covers power blackouts, demonstrations and the rainy season, which runs from November to April and can leave roads damaged or impassable.

Go through these points a few days before you leave.

1. Count 6 months from your arrival date to your passport's expiry date, and check it has 3 blank pages.
2. Decide between the e-visa and the visa on arrival, and if you choose the e-visa, apply at least 3 weeks ahead.
3. If you pay on arrival, pack US dollars in small notes. The KAZA Univisa costs $50 (about £37) if you plan to cross to Zambia.
4. Check whether your route includes a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk.
5. Declare cash of $10,000 (about £7,430) or more, and do not leave with more than $2,000 (about £1,490).
6. Read the FCDO advice again the day before you fly.

Rules change with little notice. Our entry requirements hub lists the destinations we have checked for British passports. Another country where the visa is sorted at the border is covered in our Egypt visa guide, and the travel tips for UK travellers gather the wider preparation points. If Zimbabwe is part of a wildlife trip, our guide to safari holidays from the UK covers where to go and what to arrange first.

• Do I need a visa for Zimbabwe with a British passport?

  Yes. GOV.UK says you must have a visa to visit Zimbabwe and that most visitors get their visa on arrival (GOV.UK, checked on 6 November 2026).

• How much is the Zimbabwe visa for British citizens?

  The Department of Immigration fees page lists the British online visa at $55 (about £41) for a single entry and $70 (about £52) for a double entry. The cost stated in your approval response is the one that applies.

• How long is the Zimbabwe visa on arrival valid for?

  GOV.UK says the visa on arrival is usually granted for 30 days. It tells you to take enough US dollars in small notes to pay for it.

• Can I get a Zimbabwe visa from the embassy in London?

  No. GOV.UK says it is no longer possible to get a visa from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London.

• How long does the Zimbabwe e-visa take?

  Seven working days on average, according to the eVisa platform FAQ, which asks you to apply at least 3 weeks before your travel date.

• What is the KAZA Univisa and what does it cost?

  GOV.UK says it is valid for travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia and for day trips into Botswana, costs $50 (about £37) and is valid for 30 days. It is sold at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls airports and at the Victoria Falls and Kazungula land borders.

• How long must my passport be valid for Zimbabwe?

  Its expiry date must be at least 6 months after the date you arrive, and it needs 3 blank pages, according to GOV.UK.

• Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Zimbabwe?

  Only if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. GOV.UK says you must then have a certificate to prove you have had a yellow fever vaccination.

• How much cash can I take in and out of Zimbabwe?

  GOV.UK says to declare cash or travellers cheques worth $10,000 (about £7,430) or more, and that it is illegal to leave with cash worth more than $2,000 (about £1,490).

• Can I pay for things in US dollars in Zimbabwe?

  Yes. GOV.UK says you can use US dollars for most transactions, that change is rarely available and that you should carry small notes.