Zambia entry requirements for Canadian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Government of Canada): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Government of Canada): Valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Zambia, and should have at least 3 blank pages. Official text
Official source: Government of Canada – Zambia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Entry and exit requirements” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Whether Canadians need a visa for Zambia and how long a Canadian passport must be valid, as published by the Government of Canada, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Australian passport
Driving in Zambia, do you need an international driving permit? UK licence
Do Canadians need a visa for Zambia?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The official visa text does not match a wording we summarise.
Official text, “Visas”:
Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 90 days per calendar year
Business visa: not required for stays up to 30 days per calendar year
Student visa: not required for stays up to 30 days per calendar year
Volunteer visa: not required for stays up to 30 days per calendar year
Check that the authorised number of days stamped in your passport on arrival matches the length of your intended stay. While Canadian tourists are eligible for up to 90 days, immigration officials may only grant 30 days.
To stay in Zambia beyond your authorised period, apply for an extension at a Zambian immigration office or through Zambia’s e-service platform. Overstaying can result in fines, arrest, imprisonment or deportation.
The KAZA UNIVISA is a shared tourist visa between Zambia and Zimbabwe to simplify cross-border travel between the two countries in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Areas. It also allows day trips to Botswana. You can apply online through Zambia’s e-service platform or in person at the following locations:
- Kenneth Kaunda and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport
- Victoria Falls and Kazungula land border crossings
E-services platform – Zambia Department of Immigration
Also in the official “Entry and exit requirements” section:
Departure tax
Foreigners are required to pay a departure tax before leaving Zambia, which is usually included in the cost of international flight tickets. For domestic flights, passengers must pay a small fee in kwacha (local currency) before entering the departure hall.
Official source: Government of Canada – Zambia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Visas” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
How long must my Canadian passport be valid for Zambia?
In short: Valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Zambia, and should have at least 3 blank pages.
Our one-line summary of the official sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. Your airline may apply stricter rules.
Official text, “Regular Canadian passport”:
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Zambia and should have at least 3 blank pages.
Official source: Government of Canada – Zambia travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Regular Canadian passport” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
For Canadian passport holders. These rules are published by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) for Canadian citizens travelling on a regular Canadian passport. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not a Government of Canada site and is not endorsed by the Government of Canada. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Zambia (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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