Eswatini eVisa promises 24-hour turnaround for urgent travel needs

Eswatini's eVisa service is intended to give travellers who need to enter the country at short notice a decision within 24 hours, the country's Chief Immigration Officer, Mthokozisi Dlamini, has said. He described the service as a way to make it easier for visitors to add Eswatini to their plans, including tourists already in neighbouring South Africa who decide to cross over for a night.

Key facts

• 24-hour response target for eVisa applications, according to the Chief Immigration Officer
• Designed for travellers with urgent or short-notice travel needs, including tourists visiting South Africa
• Officers may need to handle applications outside normal hours, including nights and weekends
• Incentives for officers working those extra hours are still under discussion
• Network problems affecting eVisa processing times are being dealt with, the immigration authority says

What does the eVisa service offer?

According to Chief Immigration Officer Mthokozisi Dlamini, the eVisa platform is aimed at people who have to travel at short notice. He gave the example of tourists already visiting South Africa who might decide on the spur of the moment to spend a night in Eswatini. Such travellers can apply through the platform and receive a response within 24 hours, he said.

Dlamini said the initiative was expected to stimulate tourism by allowing visitors to include the Kingdom in their itineraries even when the decision to come is made late. He acknowledged that running the service brings additional operational costs, since immigration staff may be required to process applications outside normal working hours, at night and at weekends. Discussions about incentives for those officers are still ongoing.

Are there any known problems with the eVisa system?

Asked about network breakdowns that slow the release of eVisas, Dlamini said this was not solely a Home Affairs responsibility but also involved ministries responsible for the network. He assured those present that the concerns were being dealt with. No further detail on the nature or duration of the network problems was given.

What else did the immigration authority say?

On regional cooperation, Dlamini said the movement of people across Southern Africa is interconnected, so collaboration among countries is essential. He identified harmonisation of immigration systems, information sharing, technological cooperation and joint training as key areas needing attention among SADC member states.

He also called for closer cooperation on promoting tourism across the region, suggesting tourists visiting South Africa be encouraged to explore Eswatini, Mozambique and other SADC countries. Sharing information and harmonising technology would help strengthen tourism and improve the passenger experience, he said.

What this means for travellers

Travellers who need to enter Eswatini at short notice can apply through the eVisa platform and, according to the Chief Immigration Officer, should receive a response within 24 hours. Those already in South Africa considering a brief side trip to Eswatini are among the users the service is aimed at.

Applicants should be aware that network issues have been raised as a factor affecting how quickly eVisas are released, though the authorities say these are being addressed.

No further details on fees, eligible nationalities or the exact application procedure were provided in the source.