Has anyone recently purchased their Zimbabwe Multiple Entry Visa in Zimbabwe? DH and I will be entering at Victoria Falls Airport and the choice is between using a rather expensive Visa Service in the States or purchasing onsite. Complication is that we will be with a group that will not want to wait an extended time period for us to purchase the visa at the airport. If you have purchased your visa in Victoria Falls airport, how long did it take you? Does anyone predict that it might be best to purchase a Visa now for a late May trip rather than wait? Thanks!

I did it 6 months ago. It probably took about 20 minutes total. It was pretty easy to do and would do it that way again if I return.

It really depends if you are in the front of the line or the end of the line, which depends on where you are sitting on the plane and how many other planes have landed ahead of you.

I am going to Victoria Falls with a group in May, but I was told not to purchase the visa through an agent, just wait until we arrive at the airport. The cost is $70 for a multiple entry visa.

flgirl -

That ZIM Visa price seems high. But then, it's been a few years since I've been.

Do you need "double-entry"? For arrival at VFA, then visiting Bots/Zam and return to Zim;

or "multiple-entry"? for in/out any number of times during term of Visa?

Whichever, it's quite easy to obtain on arrival. They want USD.

Also, as I recall, there is a Departure Fee if leaving from VFA airport, which usually isn't included in your air ticket price. Verify this and cost so you have sufficient funds.

Sandi,

The visa fees recently increased and yes, you must pay it in cash. The company called it multiple entry as we will be traveling from Zim to Botswana and then back to Zim to fly to Cape Town.

Thanks for the info on the departure fee. I'll be sure to bring plenty of USD.
Anita

Figured fees went up since.

But, your routing is "double" entry, not multiple! There's a difference in price between the two. No need to pay more than you have to!

Sandi,

Amen to that - this trip is costing me a fortune - but it's a trip of a lifetime, so I'm not complaining
Anita

sandi,
Does that apply to a S.Africa arrival and departure with stops in Zimb. and Botswana. Would I obtain the visa in S.Africa?
Any idea how much(or a link)? I'll probably get it on site like the last time and not futz with mailing etc. if possible.
Thanks ahead

traveltheworld~agree, buy it when you land, it's pretty fast. I'm sure others in your group will be doing the same thing and won't leave without you.

cybor~There's no fee for SA visa. They will stamp your passport with the visa when you land in SA.

The departure tax from VFA was $10.00 pp two years ago but probably went up in price.

cybor -

As Dennis mentions, for SA, no fee for US passport holders for Visa. But, you do have to have 2-blank facing pages in your passport.

From SA into VFA, you pay Visa fee on arrival, then if heading into Botswana before rentering VFA for flight back to SA, it would be "double-entry" so additional cost above the actual Visa price.

There was no fee for Visas in Botswana, they simply stamp your passports on entering and departing. Unless this has changed; do verify.

Dennis - seems the departure fee from VFA was reduced. When we were, it was $20/person.

Thank you!

When you arrive at VFA you will have to wait in line for a visa, whether single or multiple entry. As someone wrote earlier, the length of the line and the amount of time you wait depends on whether you are at the front or back of the plane and whether another flight arrives at the same time. But the lines for single entry and multiple entry visas are the same so the people you are travelling with will be in the same situation. When we were there, we purchased a multiple entry visa and it took about 15 minutes in line. The visa purchase itself is just a very quick handover-of-money, visa-stuck-in-passport.