The terminal building at Kamuzu International Airport, seen across the apron at Lilongwe.
Travel planning

Malawi Visa and Entry Requirements

Everyone needs a visa for Malawi again. Apply online in advance through the immigration department, and treat advice saying you need none as out of date.
  • Country Malawi
  • Guide Visa and Entry
  • Reviewed 29 October 2026
  • Sources 6
  • Length 2 min read

Credit Samymag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Last reviewed 29 October 2026

Malawi is one of the countries where a visa is not a formality you can leave to the airline to explain. Every visitor needs one, and the simplest route is to apply online before you fly, which spares you a line and a cash payment at the airport.

Buy on arrival, or apply online first

Malawi waived visas for the nationals of 79 countries, the United States among them, in 2024, and revoked that waiver at the start of 2026. Advice written in between says you need no visa, and it is out of date.

Apply for the electronic visa in advance on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services portal. Its published fees are 75 US dollars for a single entry visa, valid for three months, 150 for a six month multiple entry visa and 250 for a twelve month multiple entry visa. It takes payment by Visa or Mastercard only, and the fee is not refunded if an application is rejected. Fees may differ by nationality, so go by the amount the portal shows you.

Visas have also been issued on arrival for US dollars in cash. If you intend to rely on that, confirm it with the department first and carry clean notes in the exact amount.

Before you fly

The health check form can be filled in ahead of time or scanned from a QR code when you land. Doing it in advance is faster.

  • A passport valid for at least six months after the day you arrive.
  • A visa, applied for online in advance and paid for by card.
  • US dollars in clean notes, in case a fee has to be paid in cash on arrival.
  • A yellow fever certificate if you are arriving from a country with a transmission risk.
  • Proof of polio vaccination, which is required in some circumstances.
  • The Traveller Health Check form, which the Ministry of Health and Sanitation asks arriving passengers to complete.

Customs, and what not to carry

Malawi has strict rules on what may be brought in and taken out, and anything that might be prohibited or dutiable has to be declared. The Malawi Revenue Authority is the body that sets and enforces them, and it is also the office to contact if you are unsure how the rules apply to you.

Two prohibitions are worth knowing before you shop rather than after. It is illegal to buy uncut precious gemstones. It is illegal to buy, sell or carry the parts of protected wild animals, ivory included, without a license, and being caught means prosecution rather than confiscation.

Sources

  1. Malawi Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services
  2. Malawi Revenue Authority: customs and duty
  3. TravelHealthPro: Malawi country guide
  4. Malawi eVisa: the official application portal
  5. Malawi Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services: visa fees
  6. Mail & Guardian: Malawi's visa reversal could backfire (8 January 2026)
This guide is general orientation, not legal, medical or governmental advice. Entry, health and safety requirements change frequently and depend on your nationality, your route and your dates. Always confirm with the relevant authority before you travel.