FYI: Visa and border info for Canadians. South Africa to East Africa route
 

here is some info about visa and border crossings specifically for canadian passport holders. info gathered over the last 17 months. There are normal restrictions in most countries that require your passport to be valid for six months from date of entry, as well as having at least one blank page in your passport. Proof of funds is sometimes required as well as ticket for onward journey. None of these were ever asked of me when applying for my African visas. This is info is specifically for overland travel. Visa applications at airports may differ.

SOUTH AFRICA: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. The visa is free on arrival. One extension of 90 days is available through the Office of Home Affairs. The fee for this is ~US$70. After 180 days you must leave the country and reenter if you wish to stay longer. A new, free 90 day visa may be given there at the border, but that is up to the border guard.

MOZAMBIQUE: Canadian passport holders require a visa. Available at the border or from foreign mission. US$14 for 30 days. Third party auto insurance required, this is available at AA in South Africa US$25 for 30 days among other places.

SWAZILAND: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 14 days. Road Tax US$8.

LESOTHO: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 14 days.

BOTSWANA: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. Road Tax of US$10. Road Tax Disk valid up to the end of that calendar year. Additional entry fee of US$3 payable on each entry.

NAMIBIA: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. Road tax of US$15.

ZAMBIA: Canadians require a passport and a visa to enter Zambia. Visas may be obtained on arrival and are valid for the period of stay. Visa fees are US$25 for single entry, US$40 for double entry and US$80 for multiple entries. If you are with a tour with an official tour company, the fee is waived. Many hostels in Livingstone have a “Visa Waiver Program’ where by arranging the date and port of entry with them ahead of time they will have your visa there for you to pick up. The catch is you must stay with them for a night or two. Well worth it as the fee is about $25 but includes 2 or 3 nights stay, a few meals and drinks.

MALAWI: Canadian passport holders require a valid passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. Only 30 days given at border, but 30 day extensions are free and available at any immigration office, happily found in most towns.



TANZANIA: Canadian passport holders pay US$50 at the border for 3 months. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate. If the visa is obtained ahead of time, you have three months to get in and out. Transit visas available US$14 for 10 days, or US$30 for 14 days.

UGANDA: Canadian passport holders pay US$50 at the border for 3 months. Multiple entries valid for 6 months or multiple entries valid for 1 year are also available.

ETHIOPIA: Canadians require a visa for travel to Ethiopia. Visas are NOT available at borders – airport or foreign embassy only. 2 working days. 30 days for US$20 or 90 days for US$30 payable in cash. Bring two photos. Extensions available in Addis Ababa, $20 for up to three more months. Allow three days for processing of extension.

KENYA: Canadian passport holders need visa. US$50 for 90 day single entry, USD$100 for one year multiple entry. Note that travel to Uganda and Tanzania does not cancel visa, and you can go and come from those countries with a single entry visa. If you go to Rwanda to look at Gorillas, you will need to buy another Kenyan (and Ugandan) visa when/if you return the same way. Road tax is charged at border US$20, but if tell the customs guy you are on a 7 day transit, there is no fee for Road Tax. If you leave via Lake Turkana, you must get your passport stamped out in Nairobi before you go.

DJIBOUTI: If there is no Djibouti embassy where you are, French consulate looks after this. Embassies in South Africa (+27 (0)11 778 5600. Will issue a 10-day tourist visa, to be used up within 6 months. Cost is 585Rand, or 60 Euro.
Also an embassy off Bole Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (+251 1 23 6022). This location charges $30 (260Birr) for the application, and you must bring one picture, yellow fever certificate, and a letter from your embassy. Our sh*tty embassy here in Addis charges CAD$50 for each letter that you want. The trick to this one is to get the visa for Djibouti in Dara Dawa, where a letter from your embassy is not required. Visa in Dire Dawa is USD$36 + one photo and ready same day. Keep in mind on the road from Addis to Dire Dawa, just past Awash there is a bridge over the river near a military area that will not let motorcycles cross. You must go to Awash and get a truck to take you across the bridge, Ridiculous but that is how it is. I paid 100 Birr (10$) for the lift.

Onward to Yemen – Letter from CAD embassy (CAD$50) and 600 Birr ($65) for application in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. . Cheaper to get in Djibouti City ($35), no letter needed.

Cheers,<Rene

Superb info!!
 

Hey Rene,

You must nealy be in Yemen now? Send us a photo of the boat you crossed on. If your not there let me know and I will send you an address of a guy who runs the cement works (At the port) at Al Marka. He was very helpful and even let me stay there for a few nights while I was waiting for a boat. The guys around the port there are very helpful and will get you chewing Qhat (aquired taste) as well.

Thanks for this info, I think the same relates to Aussie passport holders as well or very close. have you run into Rob yet? he is also on his way up that way, should be close to you somewhere?

I am still in Tanzania but will resign for here very soon and head south. Got a new job in Iran so am debating to go south and sell the bike or ride north on it again?

Ok mate, all the best for 2008 and I hope to run into you somewhere one day.

Cheers
Ivan

hey Dingo,
rob and I are waiting waiting waiting. We arrived in Djibouti City last Thursday (awesome road from Dire Dawa), and have been waiting since then for the Yemen Embassy to fly over visa stickers so they can put one in our visa. Tomorrow, tomorrow....
We missed one boat on Sunday evening, and the next maybe on Thursday. Hopefully the stickers are here by then. Got the number of the agent in the port (Abdikarim 870274) and we call him every day looking for boats.
We scored some free accomodation so this place is not as painful as it could be.

Rob is waiting for his Iran visa, but I got mine already in Addis Abeba. Problem for me now is crossing from Iran to India via Pakistan. Every time I turn on the AlJazeera more people have been blown up there, and I will be there around the time of the elections.

Maybe I will see you in Iran? Good luck with the job situation...We'll meet for a covert beer.
Rene