Joining several other African nations that have opened their borders for visa-free travel, Malawi has gazetted a list of 79 countries that will no longer require a visa for entry into the country.
The news was confirmed on Wednesday last week, when Homeland Security Minister Ken Zikhałe gazetted the list of 79 countries that will now be able to enter and travel in Malawi with the aim of boosting tourism and business in the country.
Citizens from the 79 countries and nationals from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) will no longer require visas to enter Malawi, as per AfricaNews. The visa exemption, however, does not apply to countries imposing visa requirements on Malawian citizens.
Diplomatic passport holders and government officials are already exempt from visa requirements entering the country.
Additionally, multiple entry visas have been extended to up to 12 months in Malawi under these new regulations.
As per TravelNews, the gazetted list of countries now permitted to enter Malawi visa-free include: Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Belgium; Belize Papua; Brunei Samoa (Western); Canada; China; Cyprus; Dominica; Fiji; Finland; France; Gambia; Germany; Ghana; Grenada and Guyana; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Kiribati; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Nauru; Netherlands; New Guinea; New Zealand; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Russia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Solomon Island; Sri Lanka; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Sweden; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tuvalu; the UK; and the US.
“This monumental decision isn’t just about visas; it’s about unleashing the untapped potential of our beloved Malawi and inviting the world to experience its wonders first-hand,” says Malawi’s Tourism Minister, Vera Kamtukule, in a comment to local media.
