If you are a South African travelling to Mozambique, your passport must be valid for the period Mozambique requires beyond your stay and have blank pages for stamps. On an ordinary South African passport you do not need a visa for a tourist or business stay of up to 30 days, according to the official Mozambique eVisa portal.
If you are a Mozambican national who needs a Mozambican passport, the passport is issued by Mozambique, not South Africa. This page covers both questions and points each to the authority that decides it.
Eligibility and Entry Requirements at a Glance
For a South African visiting Mozambique, you should expect to need:
- A valid South African passport in good condition, with blank pages for entry and exit stamps
- No visa for tourism or business stays of up to 30 days on an ordinary passport; longer stays or other purposes need an eVisa
- Proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds, which you may be asked to show on arrival
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk
- For a child under 18, an unabridged birth certificate and consent documents where only one or neither parent travels
Passport and Travel Document Requirements
Passport validity. The UK Foreign Office, describing Mozambique’s rules, says your passport must expire at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages (UK entry requirements for Mozambique). The Mozambican eVisa portal itself only says the passport must stay valid for the required period beyond your stay, have enough blank pages and be in good physical condition. Treat 6 months and 2 pages as the safe minimum. A damaged passport, or one reported lost or stolen, is refused.
Cash declarations. You must declare 10,000 Mozambican meticais or more in cash, and foreign cash or travellers cheques worth US$5,000 or more.
Keep copies separate. Carry a copy of your passport identity page and your bookings apart from the originals.
Visa and Supporting Document Requirements
Short stays. The Mozambique eVisa and eTA portal lists South Africa (ordinary passport) as visa exempt for up to 30 days for tourist and business purposes. South African diplomatic and service passports are exempt for up to 90 days.
Longer stays and other purposes. A stay beyond the exemption, or a different purpose of travel, needs an eVisa. The tourist and business categories cover stays of 90 days or less. You apply and pay online, then print the approved PDF and carry it for boarding and arrival.
The portal is new. It launched on 11 February 2026 and replaced the previous platform, and the exemption list can change. Check the portal again shortly before you travel.
Mozambican passports. Requirements, forms and fees for a Mozambican passport are set by Mozambique’s migration authorities, and Mozambique has to confirm them. Do not assume a document list from another country’s guidance; ask the Mozambican mission or migration service for the current list before you apply.
Financial, Health and Entry Conditions
Proof of funds and accommodation may be requested at the border, so carry a booking confirmation, your onward or return ticket and evidence of means. Carry a printed copy of any approved eVisa.
Yellow fever. A vaccination certificate is required if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk; a polio certificate is needed in certain circumstances (UK entry requirements for Mozambique). It depends on your travel history, not your nationality.
Children. The UK Foreign Office account of Mozambique’s rules says a child under 18 needs an unabridged birth certificate listing both parents. A child travelling with one parent or with no parent also needs a notarised parental consent affidavit not older than three months. South African rules also apply when leaving the country: see the DIRCO guidance on travelling with children.
Land borders. Not every land border is open 24 hours. Clearance at Lebombo–Ressano Garcia can take a long time in holiday periods, and robberies have been reported in the queue after dark.
How to Prepare or Apply
Travelling to Mozambique. Check the exemption table on the official eVisa portal. If you are exempt and staying 30 days or less, you do not apply for a visa. If you need an eVisa, apply on that portal only.
Getting a Mozambican passport. Contact the Mozambican High Commission or Consulate in South Africa, or the migration authorities in Mozambique, to confirm where your application must be lodged. The Mozambican High Commission in London has said it no longer renews passports and refers applicants to the migration authorities in Mozambique; that notice covers the London mission only, so ask about the South African position before you travel.
Check validity early. Confirm your passport’s expiry date and blank pages well before booking, and renew first if it falls short.
Avoid intermediaries. Passports, visas and entry stamps are issued by the authorities only. Do not buy one from an agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do South Africans need a visa for Mozambique?
Not for tourism or business stays of up to 30 days on an ordinary South African passport, according to the official portal. Longer stays or other purposes need an eVisa.
What are the Mozambican rules for travelling with a passport?
Mozambique’s entry conditions are set by its migration service. In practice you need a passport with enough validity and blank pages, a visa unless you are exempt, and you may be asked for accommodation, onward ticket and funds. Confirm the details on the official eVisa portal, because Mozambique’s own legislation is not summarised there.
How long must my passport be valid for Mozambique?
The UK Foreign Office states Mozambique requires expiry at least 6 months after arrival, with at least 2 blank pages. The Mozambican portal gives no figure, so use 6 months as the safe minimum.
How does a Mozambican national get or renew a Mozambican passport?
Through Mozambique’s migration authorities. Contact the Mozambican mission in South Africa to confirm whether it accepts applications and which documents and fees apply.
Is yellow fever proof required?
Yes, if you are coming from a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk. It depends on where you travel from, not your nationality.
What do I need for a child travelling to Mozambique?
An unabridged birth certificate listing both parents and, where one or neither parent travels, a notarised consent affidavit not older than three months. Check the South African position with the Department of Home Affairs, since the gov.za guidance and DIRCO wording differ on whether South African children must carry the certificate.
For the official position, see the Mozambique eVisa portal and confirm child-travel rules with the South African Department of Home Affairs. See travel and immigration requirements and browse all visa requirements.