The Malawian government has announced the adoption of a revised visa system aimed at promoting fairness and reciprocity in international travel, while safeguarding national sovereignty and regulating entry into the country. The move was outlined in an official statement by Minister of Homeland Security Peter Mukhito, published in the government gazette.
According to the statement, the new system balances the facilitation of travel for certain regional and international partners with stricter requirements for others, based on how they treat Malawian citizens. Under the revised rules, nationals of countries that share regional bloc membership with Malawi will be exempt from visa requirements, provided those countries do not impose visas on Malawian passport holders.
Conversely, countries that require Malawians to obtain visas in advance—even if they belong to the same regional groupings—will face reciprocal entry requirements for their citizens traveling to Malawi.
The exemptions apply to citizens of countries within several regional and continental blocs, including the Commonwealth, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the African Union, and the African Development Bank. The policy aims to support regional integration and facilitate the movement of people among member states.
The revised policy also grants special exemptions to United Nations staff and holders of diplomatic passports while on official duty, reflecting Malawi’s commitment to international agreements and diplomatic protocols.
Officials at the Ministry of Homeland Security stressed that the new system is not only intended to ease travel but also to protect national interests, regulate visitor flows, and support key sectors such as tourism and investment, while ensuring fair treatment of Malawian citizens abroad.