Visa & Travel Authorisation

For travel to certain countries, you need a visa or a Travel Authorisation (TA). These documents serve as an entry permit that allows you to enter and leave a country.

Traditionally, a visa was issued in the form of a stamp or sticker in your passport, provided by an embassy, consulate, or (in some cases) by border authorities. An entry visa specifies the period within which you must enter the country. The length of your stay is then determined by the immigration authorities upon arrival.

Nowadays, this process is increasingly digital. Many countries use an e-visa or a Travel Authorisation (TA). These are electronic documents that can be easily applied for online in advance via the official government portal of the respective country. Once approved, you will receive the authorization digitally, usually by email.

• Visa: traditional document (stamp/sticker in passport), issued by an embassy or consulate.
• E-Visa: digital visa, can be applied for online and sent electronically.
• Travel Authorisation (TA): digital travel authorization, often easier and faster to obtain than a visa, but still required to be applied for in advance.

In short: whether you need a visa, e-visa, or TA, you must apply for it before departure and have received approval in order to travel.

Below is a brief overview:

East Africa

¹ East Africa Visa

Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda can be visited with a single visa: the East Africa Visa.
It is valid for three months, allowing you to visit all three countries with just one visa. This is more convenient and quicker than applying for separate visas.
The visa must be applied for via the website of the country where the traveller will first enter.

Southern Africa

² KAZA UNIVISA

If you wish to visit both Zambia and Zimbabwe, you will need a KAZA UNIVISA. You can cross the border between these two countries as many times as you like.
You can apply for your visa in advance online via the Zambian government’s e-portal:

Indian Ocean

Middle East

³ Oman

If you hold Dutch or Belgian nationality, you do not need a visa for a stay of up to 14 days. If you stay longer, a visa is required.

Central Asia

⁴ GBAO Permit Tajikistan

The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) is an autonomous region in eastern Tajikistan. It is located in the Pamir Mountains and accounts for 45% of the country’s land area.
The Pamir Highway runs through the region. To visit GBAO, you need a special permit called a GBAO permit. This permit can be applied for at the same time as your visa and is issued upon request along with the visa. It is valid for the same dates as the visa.

Disclaimer
The information on this page regarding visas, visa requirements, e‑visas, and related procedures, such as (Electronic) Travel Authorisations, is intended as a general guide. Although we strive to provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information, rules, requirements, fees, and procedures may change immediately. BMS‑Travellers is therefore not liable for any inaccuracies, changes, or delays in visa regulations or information provided by governments, embassies, consulates, or other authorities.