Southern African countries launch Schengen-style visa: All you need to know

The KAZA univisa is like to Europe's Schengen Visa, which allows entry into multiple European countries

A new multi-country visa, similar to Europe’s Schengen Visa, will soon allow entry into various countries in Southern Africa. Five nations in the region committed in late May to expanding the use of a special common visa to make tourist movement easier, aiming to boost tourism arrivals.

KAZA region agreement

Officials from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—members of the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area—pledged to broaden the use of the univisa. This special visa, currently utilised in Zambia and Zimbabwe for day trips to Botswana through Kazungula, will now be extended.

"We must simply say that this will happen," stated Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema during a KAZA summit in Livingstone, Zambia. "I am grateful that my colleagues have reached consensus on the univisa." Botswana's Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, also confirmed his country's full adoption of the univisa.

Lifting ban on ivory trade

In addition to the visa expansion, the KAZA member states are advocating for the lifting of the ban on elephant and ivory trading imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1989. This ban was initially put in place to combat the significant decline in elephant populations.

The KAZA countries argue that lifting these restrictions would enable them to sell ivory stocks valued at approximately $1 billion, with proceeds directed towards conservation efforts. The KAZA area encompasses several national parks and conservation forests, such as Chizarira National Park, Chobe National Park, Hwange National Park, Kafue National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, and Sioma Ngwezi National Park. Visitors can also enjoy attractions like Ngonye Falls and Lake Kariba, along with various opportunities for adventure, camping, and wildlife safaris.

Similarity to Schengen Visa

The KAZA univisa is similar to Europe’s Schengen Visa, which allows entry into multiple European countries. The Schengen Area consists of 29 European nations that have abolished their internal borders to facilitate free movement. Covering 4,718,084 km² and home to over 448 million people, it includes most European Union (EU) countries, excluding Ireland and Cyprus, and non-EU members like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein.

As of now, the KAZA UNIVISA can only be used and is only available at the following ports of entry in Zambia and Zimbabwe. It costs $50 and allows tourists to obtain one visa to visit both countries multiple times. The visa is valid up to 30 days in any given period of 12 months, as long as the holder remains within Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also covers those who visit Botswana for  day-trips through Kazungula Borders.