Visa policy of Malawi


Visitors to Malawi must obtain an e-Visa unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries or countries eligible for visa on arrival.

Visa exemption

Citizens of the following countries and territories can visit Malawi without a visa for up to 90 days:
Date of visa changes

Visa free
  • 7 February 2024: Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, China Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Maldives, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon, Islands, Sri Lanka, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
Cancelled:
  • 1 October 2015: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu.
  • 9 September 2016: Ireland
  • 3 January 2026: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guyana, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States.
Visa on arrival
  • 1 October 2015: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China,* Colombia,* Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos., Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,* Romania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, San Marino, Serbia,* Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, United Arab Emirates,* United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vatican and Vietnam
  • 9 September 2016: Ireland
Cancelled:
  • 17 May 2016: Morocco and Niger
  • 9 September 2016: Algeria, Angola, China,* Colombia,* Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, India, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nepal, Oman, Qatar,* Senegal, Serbia,* Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates*
  • 25 March 2020: All ”Visa on arrival” countries are required to have e-Visa. Malawi does not issue visas on arrival anymore. There is no information available if this is permanent change or temporary due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* - these countries are in both lists

Holders of diplomatic, service or official passports of any country traveling on duty do not require a visa for 90 days. And Laissez-Passer holders of United Nations, African Union, African Development Bank, International Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa and Preferential Trade Area.

Visa on arrival

IATA Timatic indicates that visas are no longer issued upon arrival. However, travel advisories from several countries, as well as the Malawi Department of Tourism, state that visas are still available on arrival. Until the situation is fully clarified, boarding may still be permitted, but travelers should be aware of potential risks. Malawi Immigration recommends applying for an eVisa in advance.
According to documents published by the High Commission of Malawi in the United Kingdom and the Malawi Department of Tourism, citizens of all countries that are not visa-exempt may obtain a visa on arrival. This does not apply to citizens of the following countries:

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Malawi launched an e-Visa application system on 1 November 2019.