Travellers to Eswatini could apply for visas online and pay extra for 24-hour processing

Eswatini is preparing to officially launch an electronic visa (e-Visa) application system that would let travellers apply for visas online, with a proposed express option that could cut processing from seven working days to 24 hours. The system has been running in trials since May 2026 but has not yet gone live.

Chief Immigration Officer Mthokozisi Dlamini of the Ministry of Home Affairs set out the plans during a panel discussion at the Eswatini Air high-level stakeholder briefing at Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha on 10 November 2026.

Key facts

• The e-Visa platform has been in trial runs since May 2026 and is not yet officially launched.
• The Minister of Home Affairs is to launch the platform; no launch date has been announced.
• Standard processing currently takes seven working days.
• A proposed express visa service would deliver a decision within 24 hours at an additional cost.
• Public awareness campaigns are planned to guide travellers through the new system.

What is changing?

Travellers planning to visit Eswatini would be able to submit visa applications online instead of through existing channels. Dlamini said the system had been undergoing trial runs since around May 2026, but that it was still awaiting an official launch by the Minister of Home Affairs.

Alongside the platform, an express visa service is being planned for people who need urgent approval. Dlamini said the option would come at an additional cost and would return a decision in 24 hours, compared with the current seven working days. The express fee has not been announced.

Who is the express service for?

The faster route is aimed at travellers with urgent needs, including tourists who decide at short notice to visit Eswatini while already in a neighbouring country. Dlamini gave the example of a group visiting South Africa who decide to spend a night in Eswatini, with some members needing visas and applying through the platform for a response within 24 hours.

What still needs to be settled?

Dlamini acknowledged that a faster service would require immigration officials to work beyond normal hours, including weekends and holidays. Discussions are continuing on arrangements and incentives for staff handling urgent applications outside ordinary working hours. He also highlighted the need for round-the-clock assistance for travellers who run into difficulties at border posts.

What this means for travellers

The online system is intended to make visa applications more accessible to international visitors and to improve the country's travel experience. For now, no launch date has been announced, so travellers should not assume they can apply online yet. Dlamini urged anyone planning to travel to consult the Ministry of Home Affairs' official platforms for the latest information on immigration services.

Further public awareness campaigns are planned, and more information will be communicated through government platforms as preparations for the launch continue.