Malawi’s Minister of Finance, Joseph Mwanmvekha, announced in the 2025–26 Mid-Year Budget Review Statement on 21 November 2025 that the country plans to revoke visa-free entry for most previously exempt nationalities. According to the announcement, “visa-free access to Malawi is being revoked with immediate effect and visa application fees will apply on a reciprocity basis.”
Under the proposed policy, travellers from countries that require Malawian nationals to obtain a visa will now need to apply for a Malawian visa prior to travel. Visa fees will also be aligned with what the traveller’s home country charges Malawian citizens. Only nationals of countries that offer Malawians visa-free entry will continue to access Malawi without a visa.
This change could have significant implications for tourism. Some of Malawi’s most important long-haul source markets - including Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Canada - may lose visa-free access if they do not offer Malawians the same privilege. Tourism stakeholders caution that stricter entry requirements, longer lead times for visa approvals and higher costs could dampen demand during peak travel periods. Tour operators may also need to adjust itineraries and booking processes, potentially affecting travel confidence and regional multi-country packages that include Malawi.
However, according to Joseph Nkosi, Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Tourism, the reciprocity proposal must still be tabled before Malawi's Parliament before it can take effect. [src]
Current Malawian visa fees range from US$50 for a seven-day transit visa to US$75 for a single-entry visa valid for up to 90 days.
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