Malawi Business Visa - Definitive Guide

A business visa for Malawi is to be issued when a business person is willing to travel to the country for business-related activities. These activities include attending business meetings, exhibitions and conferences, business meetings for a branch of your own company or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. The holder can even tour the country on this permit.

The validity of the visa can vary depending on certain factors. It can be single-entry permit or a multiple-entry permit. There are two kinds of multiple-entry permits, one of which is valid for 6 months and the other one is valid for 12 months. The stay permitted per visit is 30 calendar days.

The process for the application of a business visa for Malawi is mainly offline and is carried out by the Malawi High Commission. The application must be done by following the guidelines provided by the High Commission and you need to match the eligibility criteria for the same. The process is given as follows:

1. You can start by downloading the visa application form.
2. Choose the kind of permit you require.
3. Fill out the application form thoroughly. It must be filled out in block letters.
4. Attach all the required documents to the application form.
5. You can then submit the application form to the Malawi High Commission.
6. After approval, you can then proceed to pay the Malawi visa fees.

When you are filling out the application form for the issuance of a Malawi business visa for Indian passport holder, you must make sure that proper details are being provided including nationality, date of birth, and others. The details must match the information in the travel documents. If there are any issues found with the information provided or the application itself, your application may get rejected. Such a visa rejection can affect your future applications to Malawi or to any other country. Therefore, it is safer to acquire professional assistance which will minimize the errors to be caused.

The eligibility criteria must be fulfilled when you are applying for any permit, including business visa for Malawi. These are the parameters that decide whether you are an ideal candidate to issue the permit for or not. Major eligibility criteria are listed as follows:

• You must have proof of business ownership and purpose of visit

• You must have proper proof of your business enterprise to show it to the authorities.
• If you have been invited to a business conference or to attend a business or client meeting, an invitation letter from the company must be provided to the embassy.
• You must meet the health requirements

• You must be healthy enough to travel to Malawi.
• You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
• You must be of good character. You may not be granted the visa if -

• You have a history of a criminal conviction.
• You have been deported or banned from another country.
• You are found to be a threat or risk to the country.
• You must have truthful intentions, which means -

• • • Your documents and the application must be complete.
    • Any personal conditions affecting the process must be known to the authorities.
    • If applications were made previously, they must be provided at the time of a new application.

There are different kinds of requirements for the permit that can vary from case to case as well. The common requirements for the issuance of a business visa for Malawi are as follows:

• A passport valid for at least 6 months
• Two recent passport size photographs
• Covering Letter from applicant / company etc.
• Itinerary
• Confirmed Air Tickets
• Invitation Letter
• Proof of Accommodation - Hotel Booking
• Proof of sufficient funds - Bank Statements for the last 3 months
• Photocopies of Applicant’s Passport
• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

• One copy must be provided
• Photo size: 35 mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 3 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.
• Both the ears must be visible.
• Teeth should not be shown in the photograph.

The processing time required for the issuance of a business visa for Malawi or a visa certificate is about 3 to 5 days. There are several factors that affect the processing time of the permit. Such as the workload at the embassy office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others.

The fee to get a business visa for Malawi is to be paid to the High Commission after the approval of the application. The fee will differ for a visa sticker and a visa certificate. It can also change depending on the number of entries you require and the validity of the permit.

When you have submitted the application form for business visa for Malawi to the Malawi High Commission, there are certain things that you need to note -

• When the fee for the application is paid, the processing of the application will begin.
• You must note that the fee is to be paid only after the application has been approved.
• The High Commission will provide a visa sticker on the passport when all the documents are submitted.
• In case the visa sticker are out of stock, you will be provided with a visa certificate that is valid for 30 days.
• The processing of the permit will take time, therefore, ensure that you are submitting the documents at least a week before your intended date of travel.
• If there are any other changes that are to be made in the application, the High Commission must be informed.

The status for the processing of Malawi business visa can be checked offline by contacting the embassy. In case you have applied through a professional visa agency, you can check the status of the permit on the website or contacting them offline.

After the submission and processing of a business visa for Malawi, you will receive a visa sticker in your passport. In case the visa stickers are out of stock, you will be given a visa certificate. There are certain things that you need to remember after you have received your permit:

• Before you travel

• Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
• You should travel to Malawi within the validity of your visa.
• Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
• Issue health insurance and travel Insurance from a certified company for safety.
• At the Border

• • • Get your documents checked and your passport verified at the Immigration.
    • If you have a visa certificate, pay the fee for a visa sticker and affix it to your passport.
    • Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
    • Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.
• When you enter Malawi
  • • Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
    • The business visa does not permit you to employ or reside as a citizen in the country.
    • It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
    • The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
    • Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for a visa extension in time.
    • If you have a change of plans and you need to stay longer, you can apply for an extension or a different kind of visa at least one month prior to the expiry.