The KAZA UniVisa is a single tourist visa that covers both Zambia and Zimbabwe for up to 30 days. At the time of writing (November 2026) it costs US$50. It lets you cross the Victoria Falls Bridge between Livingstone and Victoria Falls town as often as you like, and it also covers day trips into Botswana through Kazungula. For most visitors who want to see both sides of the falls, it is the simplest option.
KAZA stands for the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, a group of parks and reserves spread across five countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. So far only Zambia and Zimbabwe issue the UniVisa.
What it covers
- Entry to Zambia and Zimbabwe for up to 30 days.
- Unlimited crossings between the two countries during that time.
- Day trips to Botswana through the Kazungula border post, returning the same day.
It does not cover:
- Namibia or Angola.
- An overnight stay in Botswana. If you sleep in Botswana and then come back, expect to need a new visa for Zambia or Zimbabwe (unless your nationality is exempt).
- Work, study or business visits.
Once you leave the two countries (other than a Kazungula day trip), the UniVisa ends, even if some of the 30 days are left.
Who can get it
The UniVisa is only for nationalities on an approved list. The list has included the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of the EU and several other countries, but it has changed over the years and the published lists online are often out of date. Check the current list with the Zambia Department of Immigration or Zimbabwe's Department of Immigration before you rely on it.
Cost at the time of writing
| Visa | Fee (from January 2026) |
|---|---|
| KAZA UniVisa | US$50 |
| Zambia single entry | US$50 |
| Zambia double entry | US$80 |
| Zambia day tripper | US$10 |
Zambia doubled its single-entry fee in January 2026 but left the UniVisa and day-tripper fees as they were. Zimbabwe's fees vary by nationality. All of these change from time to time, so treat the table as a guide only.
Do you actually need it?
This depends on your passport.
If you need visas for both countries, the UniVisa almost always works out cheaper and quicker than buying two separate visas.
If your passport lets you into Zambia visa-free, as UK, US and many EU passports do, you only need a visa for Zimbabwe. In that case, compare the UniVisa with Zimbabwe's single-entry fee for your nationality:
- If you are staying in Livingstone and crossing to Zimbabwe once for a morning at the falls, a Zimbabwe single-entry visa may be enough and can be cheaper.
- If you plan to cross several times, fly into one country and out of the other, or do a Chobe day trip as well, the UniVisa is usually the easier choice.
If you are only visiting the Zambian side, you don't need it at all.
Where to get it
At the time of writing, the UniVisa is usually available on arrival at:
- Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport, Livingstone
- Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Lusaka
- The Victoria Falls border post (Zambia and Zimbabwe sides)
- The Kazungula border post (Zambian side)
- Victoria Falls Airport and Harare's international airport in Zimbabwe
Ask for it by name at the immigration desk. Some officers will process a standard visa by default.
Both countries have run e-visa systems, and at various times the UniVisa has been listed online. Sources disagree on whether it can be bought online now. If the portal offers it when you check, buying it in advance saves time; if not, plan to buy it at the border.
Paying
Bring US dollars in cash: notes in good condition, ideally printed after 2013. Older or torn notes are sometimes refused. Card machines exist at the main ports but don't always work. Exact change helps.
Things that go wrong
- Stock runs out. The UniVisa is a sticker in your passport, and there have been times when ports ran out of stickers. Officers will then issue a normal visa instead. If that happens, ask what your options are for crossing to the other country later.
- You leave and come back. If you fly from Livingstone to Johannesburg and return a week later, the UniVisa is finished. Buy a new visa on your return.
- Overnight in Botswana. A night in Kasane ends the UniVisa, even though a day trip does not.
- Passport pages. The sticker takes a full page, and each country stamps you in and out. Have at least two or three blank pages.
- Passport validity. Both countries usually expect at least six months' validity beyond your departure date.
Crossing the borders
The Victoria Falls border posts sit at each end of the Victoria Falls Bridge. Zimbabwe moved its post to 24-hour operation in November 2025; check the Zambian side's hours before a late crossing. The Kazungula One Stop Border Post, on the bridge between Zambia and Botswana, was reported to move to 24-hour operation in February 2026.
For more on the two sides of the falls and whether you need to see both, read Victoria Falls: Zambia or Zimbabwe. For a trip that uses the UniVisa's Botswana day-trip allowance, see the Victoria Falls and Chobe 5-day itinerary. Getting to Livingstone in the first place is covered in how to get to Livingstone.
Before you go
Check three things a week or two before departure: that your nationality is still on the UniVisa list, that it is being issued at your port of arrival, and the current fee. Your government's travel advice page for Zambia and Zimbabwe is a good starting point, and both immigration departments publish updates.
