Mozambique Invest - Labor & Immigration

Visa System for Foreign Workers

Essential Documentation for Employment and Investment

Foreign workers planning to operate in Mozambique face a multi-tiered visa system designed to accommodate different types of business engagement. Understanding which visa category applies to your situation is the first critical step in legal compliance.

Work-Related Visa Categories

The Standard Work Visa

The most straightforward option for foreign employees is the work visa, valid for one year with a single one-year extension available. This requires substantial documentation including a health certificate, formal employment agreement, work permit, and a repatriation guarantee from the employer. The employer essentially commits to covering costs if the worker needs to leave the country.

Business Visas for Short-Term Engagement

Business visas serve a different purpose - short commercial trips rather than sustained employment. Valid for 30 to 90 days, these require in-person applications and must be used within 90 days of issuance. They're suitable for contract negotiations, site visits, or initial project assessments but cannot be used for actual employment activities.

Investment Visas for Significant Projects

Mozambique offers dedicated investment visas for substantial capital deployment. Projects of at least USD 500,000 qualify for two-year visas with multiple entry privileges. For major investments exceeding USD 50 million, the validity extends to five years. These require approval from APIEX, the government's investment promotion agency, and are renewable as long as the investment remains active.

Residence Options

The residence visa serves as a transitional document for those planning permanent relocation. Initially valid for 30 to 60 days, it allows holders to then apply for a residence permit. Requirements are more extensive - criminal record certificates, health documentation, proof of accommodation, and guaranteed means of subsistence. This pathway suits foreign workers planning long-term careers in Mozambique rather than project-based assignments.

Temporary residence visas exist specifically for dependents of work permit holders - spouses and children. Their validity ties directly to the primary holder's authorization, typically up to one year and extendable.

Additional Visa Types

Tourist, transit, and visitor visas serve non-employment purposes. Tourist visas allow 30 to 90 days for recreational travel. Transit visas provide up to seven days for passing through the country. Visitor visas cover 15 to 90 days for personal visits. Border visas exist specifically for nationals whose countries lack Mozambican diplomatic representation.

Substantial Visa Exemptions

The visa exemption list is extensive and covers many major economies and regional partners.

All Southern African Development Community members enjoy exemptions - Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This reflects Mozambique's regional integration priorities.

Unilateral exemptions extend to major developed economies including Canada, Switzerland, UAE, Israel, USA, Russia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and most Western European nations (Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, UK). South Korea and several African and Asian nations also qualify.

Diplomatic and service passport holders from Argentina, Italy, Russia, Vietnam, and Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries members receive additional exemptions.

Universal Requirements

Regardless of category, all visa applications share common requirements. Applicants need completed forms, passports valid for at least six months, and proof of means of subsistence. Minors under 18 require written parental authorization. Anyone previously expelled or declared persona non grata cannot apply. Fee payment is mandatory across all categories.

Physical presence for application is often required, particularly for work visas and residence permits. This can complicate logistics for applicants based outside Mozambique.

Strategic Considerations

The visa system reveals Mozambique's priorities - facilitating regional integration through SADC exemptions, attracting major investment through dedicated visa categories, and maintaining control over foreign worker flows through documentation requirements.

For businesses, the most important distinction is between business visas (for short-term commercial activity) and work visas (for actual employment). Using a business visa for employment activities violates regulations and can result in deportation and future entry bans.

Investment visas provide the longest initial validity and greatest flexibility, but require substantial capital commitment documented through APIEX approval. This pathway suits serious investors but not ordinary employees.

The requirement for repatriation guarantees in work visas places financial responsibility on employers. Companies must be prepared to cover return costs if employment terminates or workers face deportation.

Processing times vary significantly by visa type and applicant circumstances. Work visas typically take longer due to the need for work permit coordination with labor authorities. The five-working-day confirmation period for work permits within quota doesn't include visa processing time at immigration services.

For foreign workers from exempted countries, the administrative burden is minimal for initial entry. However, they still need work permits for employment activities. Visa exemption addresses entry requirements, not work authorization - a critical distinction many applicants miss.

Understanding this visa framework is essential for legal compliance and avoiding disruptions to business operations in Mozambique.