Do Russian passport holders need a tourist visa for Zimbabwe?

Visa on arrival (30 days). Maximum stay is 30 days. Apply: https://www.evisa.gov.zw/

How much does a Zimbabwe tourist visa cost?

Cost varies. Check the official source linked on this page for current fees.

How long does it take to get a Zimbabwe tourist visa?

Processing time varies. Apply well in advance of your planned travel.

Night view of the illuminated Red Square and State Historical Museum in Moscow, Russia.

Photo: Tom D'Arby · Pexels

Can a Russian traveller visit Zimbabwe?

Tourism visa requirements · See all destinations for Russian travellers

Caution

Russian passport: heightened scrutiny across EU/Schengen and allied states

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU suspended its Visa Facilitation Agreement with Russia in September 2022. Russian Schengen visa applications are subject to longer processing, lower approval rates, additional documentation requirements, and member-state-specific restrictions (Czechia, Poland, the Baltic states, and Finland have largely halted tourist-visa issuance). UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea apply heightened scrutiny but continue routine processing. Several EU member states have also rejected Russian-issued international passports for entry where another nationality is available.

EU Council decision (Sept 2022)

Most Russian travellers can get a visa on arrival at the border when heading to Zimbabwe for tourism.

The route most travellers use is the Visa on arrival (30 days). Stays go up to 30 days per visit.

The paperwork is straightforward — approval depends heavily on the documents and circumstances you can show.

Straight from evisa.gov.zw.

Visa on arrivalTourism

Visa on arrival (30 days)

Max stay: 30days
Processing: —
Fee: —

Apply on official siteevisa.gov.zw

Difficulty8/10·Realism7/10

Why? ▾

Difficulty

Quick paperwork

8/10

Quick to obtain, light documentation, fast turnaround.

Why this score?

—Visa on arrival — granted at the border

Approval realism

Approval depends on you

7/10

Approval depends heavily on the documents and circumstances you can show. Read the warning above — it points to what tends to move the needle.

What drives this score?

—Visa-on-arrival is granted at the border to qualifying travellers
-2Russian passport — Russian passport: heightened scrutiny across EU/Schengen and allied states

Step-by-step checklist

Your application checklist

1
Check your passport validity
60+ days before
Most countries require 6+ months of validity beyond your travel dates and at least one blank page. If it's close, renew before applying.
2
Bring cash for the visa-on-arrival fee
day before
Visa-on-arrival counters often only accept exact cash in USD or local currency. Card readers fail constantly. Carry at least the listed fee + 20%.
3
On the day of travel
day of travel
Carry: passport (printed visa if applicable), onward ticket, proof of accommodation, proof of funds, travel insurance. Border officers retain discretion regardless of visa status.

Show full requirements, fees, and source

Passport valid 6+ months

What you need

Valid passport (typically 6+ months validity)
Onward / return ticket
Cash for visa fee at the border

View primary source (evisa.gov.zw) →

What you'll need

Tourism visa for Zimbabwe

Specific to Russian passport holders.

Start ~0–8 weeks before your intended travel date.

Order these first — they have the longest lead time

Valid passport
Identity2–8 weeks
Most countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, with two or more blank pages.
How: Renew via your own country's passport office if expiring within 12 months.

Then gather these

Recent bank statements
Financial1–5 days
Usually 3–6 months of statements showing you can support yourself during the trip. Required for most embassy-issued tourist visas.
How: Download PDFs from your bank's online portal. Some consulates require originals stamped by the bank.
Passport-style photograph
Identity1–3 days
A recent biometric photo to the destination's specifications. Most consulates require their own dimensions, not your home country's.
How: Any high-street photo studio, or app-based services that meet ICAO 9303 spec.
Online visa application form
Application1–3 days
The destination's online form (DS-160 for US, gov.uk for UK, IRCC portal for Canada, ImmiAccount for Australia, e-Visa portal for most others).
How: Apply directly on the destination government website — never via a third-party paid service.
Proof of accommodation
Purpose evidence1–3 days
Hotel bookings, an AirBnB reservation, or an invitation letter from a host covering the dates of your stay.
How: Book refundable hotels (Booking.com Free Cancellation), or get a notarised invitation letter from your host.
Application fee payment
Application1 day
Payable to the destination government directly. Fees range from ~$25 (e-Visas) to $2,500+ (US EB-1).
How: Card payment on the destination's portal. Receipt required for the application.
Onward or return ticket
Purpose evidence1 day
Proof you intend to leave the country before your permitted stay expires. Most short-stay visas and visa-free entries require this.
How: Book a refundable flight or use a 24-hour hold from an OTA. Border officers can check the booking.
Travel medical insurance
Financial1 day
Schengen and many other tourist visas require €30,000 / $50,000 minimum medical cover for the duration of your stay.
How: Buy from SafetyWing, World Nomads, Allianz, or any insurer that issues a Schengen-compliant certificate.

Sources & references

Every link below is a primary government source. We aggregate; the source is the authority. If anything on this page disagrees with a link below, the link wins.

Where this page's data came from

Visa on arrival (30 days)evisa.gov.zw

Your country's foreign-affairs ministry

Russia eVisaelectronic-visa.kdmid.ru

Independent travel advisories

While you're sorting your trip to Zimbabwe

We earn a small commission on bookings made via these links — it helps keep the visa tool free. The visa info above is independent of any partner. Our commercial policy →

Travel insurance

Pay-as-you-go cover that works for digital nomads + multi-month trips. Covers medical, evacuation, and trip interruption.

Compare plans →

eSIM data

Pre-paid local data that works on arrival. No SIM swap, no roaming charges.

Browse eSIMs →

Flights

Compare flexible flight options with full price transparency.

Search flights →

Browse other destinations

Where can Russian passport holders go?

Other passports visiting Zimbabwe

Who needs a visa for Zimbabwe?

Informational only. A valid visa permits entry subject to officer discretion at the border. Always verify with the destination's embassy or official source before travel, employment, or relocation.