Malawi
Malawi is a long, narrow country in south-eastern Africa with no coast, stretched along the western shore of Lake Malawi, which fills the Rift Valley trench down its eastern side. Lilongwe, the capital, lies on the plateau at its centre; Blantyre is the city of the south, where the land rises to the Zomba plateau and the granite massif of Mount Mulanje, and the Nyika plateau stands high in the far north. The country calls itself “the warm heart of Africa”; English is its official language and Chichewa the language of most of its people.
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Visa requirements for Malawi
Whether a visitor needs a visa for Malawi depends on the passport. Holders of British, American, Australian, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand passports, among others, do not need one for a visit; holders of Indian and Nigerian passports, among others, do. For passports that need a visa, the Malawi e-visa is applied for online before travelling, and visas are also issued on arrival. A traveller unsure of the rule for a passport confirms it with a Malawian embassy or high commission before booking, and the passport must be valid for at least six months after the day of arrival.
Before you travel
No visa for many passports
Holders of British, American, Australian, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand passports, among others, do not need a visa for a visit to Malawi.
Passports that need a visa
Holders of Indian and Nigerian passports, among others, need a visa for Malawi. The rule depends on the passport, and a traveller unsure of it confirms it with a Malawian embassy or high commission before booking.
The e-visa, applied for online
For passports that need a visa, the Malawi e-visa is applied for online before the journey.
Visas issued on arrival
Visas are also issued on arrival in Malawi to holders of passports that need one.
Six months on the passport
The passport must be valid for at least six months after the day of arrival in Malawi.
The traveller health check form
A traveller health check form is completed for arrival in Malawi, either online in advance or on arrival.
The yellow fever certificate
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers coming from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. It is not asked of everyone.
Strict customs rules
Customs rules in Malawi are strict, and anything prohibited or subject to duty is declared to customs.
Visa types
Malawi e-visa
For holders of passports that need a visa for Malawi, Indian and Nigerian passports among them: applied for online before travelling.
Visa on arrival
For holders of passports that need a visa for Malawi: issued on arrival in the country.
Guides
Malawi is travelled by road from Lilongwe, and nearly every trip joins the same three things: the lake, with its beaches, islands and shoals of bright rock fish at Cape Maclear, the wildlife parks of the Shire valley, and the mountains of the south. Most visitors travel with a car and a driver on a loop through the south of about ten days, with every drive between towns made by daylight; the far north, with its high plateau and the islands of the northern lake, is a journey of its own. The country is small enough for each stage to be a few hours' drive from the last.
Malawi travel guide →
The full guide: Chembe and the rock fish of Lake Malawi National Park, the boat on the Shire at Liwonde and the woodland of Majete, hut to hut on Mount Mulanje, the Zomba plateau and the tea country, Nkhata Bay's coves and Likoma's cathedral, the Nyika grassland and Livingstonia, and the south by road from Lilongwe.
Money in Malawi →
Changing money in the cities, cash machines in the cities and larger towns, cards at larger hotels, lodges and supermarkets, kwacha in cash beyond the towns.
Eating in Malawi →
Nsima and its relishes, fish from the lake, the roadside and the market, tea from the south and coffee from the north, beer, gin and thobwa.
Getting around Malawi →
Arriving by air or overland, the main road and the lakeshore road, a car with a driver or a hire car, fuel and cash on the road, coaches and minibuses, boats on the lake.
Health & safety in Malawi →
Before the trip, everyday precautions, the road, swimming in the lake, Mount Mulanje and the rainy season, laws a visitor meets.
Cities & planning
Regions
Embassies & missions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Malawi?
It depends on the passport. Holders of British, American, Australian, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand passports, among others, do not need a visa for a visit, while holders of Indian and Nigerian passports, among others, do. A traveller unsure of the rule for a passport confirms it with a Malawian embassy or high commission before booking.
Do Indian or Nigerian citizens need a visa for Malawi?
Yes. The Malawi e-visa is applied for online before travelling, and visas are also issued on arrival to holders of passports that need one.
How long must my passport be valid for Malawi?
For at least six months after the day of arrival in Malawi.
What is the Traveller Health Check form?
A form every arriving traveller completes for Malawi, online in advance or on arrival. It is separate from the visa, so visitors who need no visa complete it too.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Malawi?
Only when coming from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers arriving from elsewhere are not asked for one.
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Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.