Mozambique has switched its electronic travel authorisation (ETA) back on. As of 31 July 2026, citizens of the 29 countries that can enter Mozambique without a visa — a list that includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and most of Western Europe — must once again complete an online pre-travel authorisation at least 48 hours before departure. The requirement had been suspended since May 2025, when the original application portal failed within weeks of launch. Immigration law firm Fragomen reports the system is now fully operational, and travellers who arrive without the authorisation risk problems at boarding or at the border.
Background
Mozambique’s National Immigration Service (SENAMI) first imposed the requirement by decree on 24 April 2025: visa-exempt visitors arriving for tourism or business had to register their trip online at least 48 hours before their scheduled departure. The portal buckled almost immediately — applicants could not complete or submit forms — and on 16 May 2025 the authorities suspended the requirement, citing the technical problems. For the following 14 months, visa-exempt travellers could board flights and enter Mozambique with nothing more than a passport. In the meantime the government rebuilt the system: a redesigned eVisa and ETA platform, developed with technical support from VFS Global, was unveiled in Maputo on 11 February 2026.
What exactly changed
According to Fragomen’s 31 July alert and subsequent trade coverage, the rebuilt ETA system is now fully operational and the pre-travel requirement is back in force. The mechanics mirror the 2025 decree: eligible travellers apply through the official portal at evisa.gov.mz, at least 48 hours before departure, and receive an electronic authorisation tied to their passport. Current reporting puts the ETA at roughly US$48 for a single entry of up to 30 days, though Mozambican authorities have not published a fee schedule we could verify directly — see the caveat below. The eVisa process for nationalities that do need a visa (India among them) is unchanged.
Before vs after
- Until 30 July 2026: visa-exempt visitors entered with a passport only; the ETA rule existed on paper but was suspended.
- From 31 July 2026: online ETA application required at least 48 hours before departure via evisa.gov.mz.
- Unchanged: the 29-country visa-exempt list itself, and the standard eVisa route for everyone else.
Who it affects
The 29 visa-exempt nationalities are: Belgium, Canada, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. In practice that covers most tourists and short-stay business visitors Mozambique receives from outside the region: a consultant flying Lisbon–Maputo for a week of meetings, a couple adding Mozambique’s coast to a South Africa trip on European passports, or a remote worker scouting Tofo or Maputo for a longer stay all now have a 48-hour lead time to plan around. South African passport holders are not on the 29-country ETA list, and anyone applying for a work or residence visa goes through consular channels as before.
What this means in practice
If you have a Mozambique trip booked, apply for the ETA as soon as your travel dates are fixed and no later than 48 hours before departure, keep the confirmation with your passport, and check the official portal rather than third-party sites for the current fee. Build slack into tight itineraries this month: reinstated systems often see uneven enforcement in their first weeks, and airlines may apply the rule strictly at check-in. Our Mozambique visa requirements page at /visa/to/mozambique shows where your passport stands.
When it takes effect
The requirement is in force now — Fragomen dates the system’s full operation to 31 July 2026. There is no announced grace period.
What is not yet confirmed
We could not open an official SENAMI statement directly. The fee and validity are reported by trade outlets as about US$48 for a single entry of up to 30 days, but 2025 reporting on the original scheme cited 650 meticais (about US$10) payable on arrival — confirm the current figure on evisa.gov.mz or with a Mozambican consulate before travelling. Enforcement practice at check-in desks and border posts in these first weeks is also unverified.
Key Takeaway
From 31 July 2026, visa-exempt travellers to Mozambique — including US, UK, Canadian and most EU passport holders — must apply online for an ETA at least 48 hours before departure.