Mozambique: visa and entry rules

Mozambique's borders: every crossing point

Mozambique's land border crossings, by the neighbours it shares a border with:

With South Africa: Ressano Garcia — Lebombo, the main crossing, on the Maputo - Johannesburg road; Ponta do Ouro on the coast.

With Eswatini: Namaacha — Lomahasha.

With Zimbabwe: Machipanda — Forbes on the road to Beira.

With Zambia: Zambezi in the north-west.

With Malawi: many crossings along the whole length of the border.

With Tanzania: Negomano — Kilambo on the Rovuma River, in the north. This direction runs through unsafe Cabo Delgado.

The main way in is Maputo International Airport.

Bringing a car into Mozambique

Traffic drives on the left.

Ask customs directly about the carnet and the temporary import period for Mozambique. The rules are revised, and what holds true for the neighbours may not work here.

Insurance has to be local, and it is bought at the border.

An International Driving Permit is required.

Ressano Garcia is overloaded, especially at weekends and on public holidays: all the traffic from Johannesburg to the ocean goes through it.

Travelling to Mozambique with a pet

An international veterinary certificate is required, certified by the state veterinary service of the country you are leaving.

A rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.

An import permit is obtained in advance from the veterinary service.

The exact list for import into Mozambique comes from the country's veterinary service, and the carrier will add rules of its own. Ask both: without the full set of documents the animal will not be taken on board.

Overstaying your visa in Mozambique

A fine is charged for exceeding your permitted stay and is paid on departure.

The fine is worked out on departure, and you will learn the figure at passport control. There is no finding it out in advance in Mozambique: the rates are revised and reference sources disagree. Allow for cash and for time.

Extensions are arranged in advance, before the permitted period expires.

For a serious overstay — deportation and an entry ban.