KAZA UNIVISA

AlanSAlanS
in Botswana, South Africa & Zambia
Ok, I've read the forum posts and online sources and would appreciate info from anyone with actual RECENT (last 6 months) experience getting a KAZA UNIVISA- not a standard single or multiple entry visa.

A number of sources have stated it is only possible "to get" the KAZA UNIVISA, which is a sticker, at the following ports of entry:

"Zambia: Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, Victoria Falls Border, Kazungula Border

Zimbabwe: Harare International Airport, Victoria Falls International Airport, Victoria Falls Border, Kazungula Border"

For those who entered Zambia via Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone, how long did it take to get the KAZA visa and through immigration? Were you provided and did you complete an application during your flight there or did you receive and complete it at immigration? Or did you apply online*? Was the application very detailed? Did you collect the necessary information ahead of time?

*Although many sources say you "can only get" the KAZA at the listed locations and can not apply online, the Zambia Department of Immigration website says:

"You can also apply for the KAZA UNIVISA online [e-Visa], only if you are arriving at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, Victoria Falls Border and Kazungula Border Control, on the Zambian side."

So, did anyone apply for a KAZA via the e-Visa application process online? If so, were there any gotcha's? How did this process work- Did you apply and pay online and get a "letter of notification of your visa approval" (or electronic version of a letter) then presented that to immigration to get your KAZA sticker? I haven't attempted the process, but that is how I interpret what it says on the Zambia Department of Immigration website. As those of us who have been to Africa know, "it is Africa," and how things are supposed to work may not always be how they actually work.

Update: A lot more digging yielded this article from May 2018. While it reports on progress in Zimbabwe and doesn't answer all my question or fully clear things up about the KAZA visa, it is the most recent semi-authoritative article I have found. Due to the political situation in Zimbabwe, I wouldn't trust it to be reliable.

Update #2: Step by step instructions for Zambia e-visa application from a Nov '18 blogger article. (does not address the KAZA)

More info.

Update #3: This page from the Zambia Immigration Department eservices website appears to indicate that it is possible to apply for a KAZA e-visa- I clicked on "Available visas", "KAZA Entry Visa" and "Apply for visa" which took me to the multi-page application form. I didn't want to go too far since we are more than 90 days out (valid period) and I don't have all the required stuff- I don't even know what they will want and if it differs from the regular visa applications.

Unless someone weighs in with good info or a better idea, once I'm w/in 90 days from the day we leave Zambia, I will gather the stuff for a standard e-visa (digital versions of documents, photos, etc.), then attempt to complete the form.



















Comments

  • BritishBritish
    Obviously it’s a couple of years ago. Back then as far as Mr B remembers you could not get an E visa. So we stood in line for a very very long time at Kenneth Kaunda airport no air conditioning while the girl at the desk laboriously hand wrote out every sticker and then put it in your passport. That’s all we remember.
  • AlanSAlanS
    edited January 2019
    British wrote:
    Obviously it’s a couple of years ago. Back then as far as Mr B remembers you could not get an E visa. So we stood in line for a very very long time at Kenneth Kaunda airport no air conditioning while the girl at the desk laboriously hand wrote out every sticker and then put it in your passport. That’s all we remember.

    A lot more digging yielded this article from May 2018. While it reports on progress in Zimbabwe and doesn't answer all my questions or fully clear things up about the KAZA visa, it is the most recent semi-authoritative article I have found. Due to the political situation in Zimbabwe, I wouldn't trust it to be reliable.
  • taxaretaxare
    OK Alan, you asked for experience in the last six months, but you will have to accept my experience of May 23, 2018. I did Not apply for the visa in advance. Upon arrival in LVI we waited in line for immigration (it was slow). We requested a multiple entry Zambia and Zimbabwe visa, gave her US$50 cash for each one, she went to the next booth to the official that had a big roll of the KAZA VISA, she put them into a printer and then stuck the visas onto our passport page. The kaza visa showed it was valid for 30 days, under entry it says "multiple", under category it shows "UNIVISA" and issued at Livingstone Airport. Once we had gotten up to the booth it was very easy.
  • AlanSAlanS
    edited January 2019
    taxare wrote:
    OK Alan, you asked for experience in the last six months, but you will have to accept my experience of May 23, 2018. I did Not apply for the visa in advance. Upon arrival in LVI we waited in line for immigration (it was slow). We requested a multiple entry Zambia and Zimbabwe visa, gave her US$50 cash for each one, she went to the next booth to the official that had a big roll of the KAZA VISA, she put them into a printer and then stuck the visas onto our passport page. The kaza visa showed it was valid for 30 days, under entry it says "multiple", under category it shows "UNIVISA" and issued at Livingstone Airport. Once we had gotten up to the booth it was very easy.

    MOST EXCELLENT!     In a few months, I think I will attempt to apply online. If it doesn't work we will just get them on arrival.

    Please clarify- you each provided $50 and received a KAZA VISA (you didn't provide $50 (for Zambia) + $50 (Zimbabwe) each for a KAZA VISA?)

    A few more questions if you don't mind-

    • What visa paperwork was required? Did you get and complete it on the aircraft or upon arrival at the airport/immigration desk?

    One of the sources I read said that to improve tourism, Zambia and Zimbabwe are contemplating eventually eliminating the visas requirement for people from most countries.

    • In an earlier post, you said it took over a half hour to get through immigration. Were people who already had visas (or visa approval letters) in the same line?

    • All told, about how long did it take from deplaning to Tauck pickup?

    • Which flight did you arrive on: SAA at 1220? or BA at 1240 (we are on the 1220 SAA flight)

    • Could you tell if people on the transfer came from your flight (1220 or 1240) or both- i.e. do they wait for the second flight to arrive?

    In my planning I am allocating 1 hr. for immigration and baggage + another 40 min. for van + boat transfer*. That gets us to the Royal Livingstone by 1400. Our pickup for the microlight flights is sched for 1500.

    * Your tour stayed at the Royal Chundu, not the Royal Livingstone, so had a different transfer/times, correct?

    Again, much thanks for the info!!



  • SealordSealord
    I’m impressed by your optimism. We were on the BA flight, ours scheduled to arrive at 12:45. I don’t know the flights or the times, but we waited for another flight. I thought we got to the hotel around three, and we called Bushtracks upon arrival. That being said our hotel receipt shows that we checked in at 17:12. I don’t think that is accurate. ... perhaps that when they did the paperwork. I do remember and have a photo of us having beverages while ‘waiting’ for the boat to the hotel. In any case, as you know I flew international and domestic flights for many years. I would not pay in advance for the schedule you have posted . (;-)
  • AlanSAlanS
    edited January 2019
    Sealord wrote:
    I’m impressed by your optimism. We were on the BA flight, ours scheduled to arrive at 12:45. I don’t know the flights or the times, but we waited for another flight. I thought we got to the hotel around three, and we called Bushtracks upon arrival. That being said our hotel receipt shows that we checked in at 17:12. I don’t think that is accurate. ... perhaps that when they did the paperwork. I do remember and have a photo of us having beverages while ‘waiting’ for the boat to the hotel. In any case, as you know I flew international and domestic flights for many years. I would not pay in advance for the schedule you have posted . (;-)

    OK, Debby Downer :-) . Always the optimist. We have a fallback- afternoon of the next day.

    But, ya gotta admit, anyone who can make a connecting flight at Schiphol with a scheduled 1 hr connection time in only 30 min. should be able to do just about anything :-)
  • SealordSealord
    AlanS wrote:
    OK, Debby Downer :-) . Always the optimist. We have a fallback- afternoon of the next day.

    But, ya gotta admit, anyone who can make a connecting flight at Schiphol with a scheduled 1 hr connection time in only 30 min. should be able to do just about anything :-)

    Yup ... I’ve made a lot of close connections, but I try to plan for a couple hours. But I’ve also operated flights that were not late by minutes, or hours, ... but ‘days’. More than once my passengers went to a hotel before takeoff. And as mentioned in a different thread, we nearly missed a Tauck trip to Russia when we were delayed in London for three days. Then we did the trip with no luggage, just carry-on.
  • taxaretaxare
    AlanS wrote:

    MOST EXCELLENT!     In a few months, I think I will attempt to apply online. If it doesn't work we will just get them on arrival.

    Please clarify- you each provided $50 and received a KAZA VISA (you didn't provide $50 (for Zambia) + $50 (Zimbabwe) each for a KAZA VISA?)

    A few more questions if you don't mind-

    • What visa paperwork was required? Did you get and complete it on the aircraft or upon arrival at the airport/immigration desk?

    One of the sources I read said that to improve tourism, Zambia and Zimbabwe are contemplating eventually eliminating the visas requirement for people from most countries.

    • In an earlier post, you said it took over a half hour to get through immigration. Were people who already had visas (or visa approval letters) in the same line?

    • All told, about how long did it take from deplaning to Tauck pickup?

    • Which flight did you arrive on: SAA at 1220? or BA at 1240 (we are on the 1220 SAA flight)

    • Could you tell if people on the transfer came from your flight (1220 or 1240) or both- i.e. do they wait for the second flight to arrive?

    In my planning I am allocating 1 hr. for immigration and baggage + another 40 min. for van + boat transfer*. That gets us to the Royal Livingstone by 1400. Our pickup for the microlight flights is sched for 1500.

    * Your tour stayed at the Royal Chundu, not the Royal Livingstone, so had a different transfer/times, correct?

    Again, much thanks for the info!!



    Alan, you are really taxing my memory here :) We flew BOS-LHR-JNB-LVI with short layovers each stop, so after such a long day of flights, I was pretty foggy upon arrival at LVI. Let me try:

    -$50 per VISA per person
    -I just don't recall filling out a form, sorry...
    -We were on the BA flight arriving at 12:45, the SA flight had already arrived and we were behind them. We were in row 2 on the flight so we were first off the plane.
    -I don't believe there was a separate line for those with VISAs. There was a line for "officials" on the left and one for "groups" on the right, everyone else went to the middle windows
    -It was about one hour from deplaning to getting in the van to the Royal Chundu. We came in two days early, so we were the only pickup. Since the Royal Chundu is an hour from Livingstone and we were so tired, we couldn't have planned an activity that day (you have much more energy than I do!!)
    -The microlight flight air strip is not far from the Royal Livingstone
    -I would recommend scheduling the microlights no earlier than 1600

  • BritishBritish
    edited January 2019
    I also think you are being too optimistic Alan. If you are not the only pick up from the airport to go to the hotel, you also have to rely on the slowest person, and they can be very slow, we encounter that all the time when traveling with Tauck. I would schedule your microlight for the next day or arrive even a day earlier.
    I think we wer in line for 1 1/2 hours to get our stickers
  • AlanSAlanS
    edited January 2019
    taxare wrote:
    Alan, you are really taxing my memory here :) We flew BOS-LHR-JNB-LVI with short layovers each stop, so after such a long day of flights, I was pretty foggy upon arrival at LVI. Let me try:

    -$50 per VISA per person
    -I just don't recall filling out a form, sorry...
    -We were on the BA flight arriving at 12:45, the SA flight had already arrived and we were behind them. We were in row 2 on the flight so we were first off the plane.
    -I don't believe there was a separate line for those with VISAs. There was a line for "officials" on the left and one for "groups" on the right, everyone else went to the middle windows
    -It was about one hour from deplaning to getting in the van to the Royal Chundu. We came in two days early, so we were the only pickup. Since the Royal Chundu is an hour from Livingstone and we were so tired, we couldn't have planned an activity that day (you have much more energy than I do!!)
    -The microlight flight air strip is not far from the Royal Livingstone
    -I would recommend scheduling the microlights no earlier than 1600

    Thanks again!
    British wrote:
    I also think you are being too optimistic Alan. If you are not the only pick up from the airport to go to the hotel, you also have to rely on the slowest person, and they can be very slow, we encounter that all the time when traveling with Tauck. I would schedule your microlight for the next day or arrive even a day earlier.
    I think we wer in line for 1 1/2 hours to get our stickers

    We arrive in LVI two days early also- ATL - JNB on Delta, arriving 3 days early in JNB @ 5:00 pm, and spending the night there at the Intercontinental. Our SAA flight departs JNB at 10:40 the next morning and arrives LVI at 12:20. We'll be sitting up front and hopefully first to deplane and able to get at or near the front of the line. Depending on whether there will be other transfers we could be outta there fairly quickly.

    I've looked at Google maps so am familiar with the locations involved. The airport by land + boat transfer is a normal Royal Livingstone arrival option along with taking the van all the way to the hotel. So, if it looks like things are running tight, one possibility is to forego the boat trip, have the van drop us off at the Batoka airstrip, and take our bags to the Royal Livingstone. We would rather not do that. If all goes according to my original plan, we still have an extra hour at the Royal Livingstone before pickup for our flights. I'll contact Tauck to see if they can tell me if any others are arriving on our flight and call the Royal Livingstone to verify it is possible to be dropped at the airfield. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it! : )
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