Situated in South Africa, Eswatini is a true hidden gem of Africa. The country is Africa’s one of the last ruling monarchy and authentic countries. Culture and heritage are deeply engrained in all aspects of Eswatini or Swazi life. Confused? Well, indeed, up until 2018 there was no country named Eswatini. Its name was Swaziland but changed to Eswatini which in local language means “Land of Swazis” upon King’s decision. Did swaziland not ring a bell? I could not blame you if it did not remind you of something. The country is indeed is less known in the world. Let’s have a look at the geography to get you acquainted with the country, shall we?
Eswatini is a landlocked country, meaning that it has no connections to oceans or seas. The country is indeed surrounded by almost one country, the South African republic by three sides. The country also shares borders with Mozambique. The country boasts its stunning scenery of mountains and valleys, forests, plains, and wildlife. However, the culture and heritage, festivals, dances are the main things that make it almost unique in Africa. In such a globalized world, it is surprising to see how a country manages to preserve its thousands of years old traditions, festivals, etc. Some of the exciting celebrations happen every year on April 19 which is the birthday of the king and late august which is time for the annual Reed dance. Visiting the country on these dates can be an authentic journey for intrepid travelers.
Eswatini has a lot to offer for tourists who prefer traveling places off the beaten tracks. The country receives relatively fewer tourists, and tourism is a bit new here. Therefore, you will find many hidden beauties in this little country. Eswatini is rich in wildlife. Here habitats of many endangered living things are safe and well protected. Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve are home to a huge range of species. Here live hippos, rhinos, and many other giant animals.
Reasons to Visit Eswatini vary. However, ways to reach the country are limited as the country shares borders with only two countries, and it is a bit far off country. You can travel to the country by aeroplane or transiting through neighbouring countries. In both cases, you might need visa for Swaziland. It is not the case for Swaziland visa free countries, though. To learn whether you need a visa to Eswatini or not, we need to check out Swaziland visa policy.
Swaziland Visa Policy
The visa policy of Eswatini or formerly known as Swaziland, tells us that countries are either Swaziland visa free countries or visa required. They are displayed on visa policy section of our website. There you need to choose Eswatini to find out visa-free and required countries. The Visa policy of Swaziland also defines the visa types of the country. They are short and long-term visas. You will find more detailed information on them in the next paragraphs.
Short Term Visas
Short-term visas to Swaziland are tourism and business visas. These types of visas are valid for 30 days. Swaziland visa requirements for short-term visas are: • Swaziland visa application form should be completed in English by the applicant. • Passport with a minimum validity of three months. It should be issued in the last 10 years and has the bearer's signature along with two blank visa pages. • You should bring two photos of you which should be taken in the last 6 months. Your face in the photo should take up around 70-80 percent of the whole photo. There should be no obstacles disrupting the view of face, especially the eyes. The format size of the photos should be equal to 2x2. A uniform and white background is a prerequisite. • Copy of your national ID card. • If the country you are a citizen of and the country you apply from is different, then you need to bring your visa or residence permit. • Copies of main documents which are the main page of your passport and previously acquired visas (if any). • Travel itinerary, which should include proof of accommodation such as hotel booking and round trip ticket booking. • A copy of the yellow fever certificate shows that you are vaccinated against yellow fever is a prerequisite. • Proof of financial sufficiency. You can prove financial sufficiency by presenting Bank statements, salary advice, undertaking(s) by the host(s) in the Kingdom of Eswatini, cash, scholarships, etc. • If you travel the country for business, intern, volunteering purposes, then you will need to present an original invitation letter provided by the inviting organization, company, etc. • If you are transiting through Eswatini, you will need to show your reasons to choose this path, why it is necessary, when you will return to the entry point, etc. A visa or ticket to the final destination. • If a minor accompanies, you will need to present copies of either birth certificate or proof of adaptation translated into English. If the minor travel unaccompanied, then he or she will need to present a letter of consent of parents or guardians. Additional documents might be requested. Swaziland visa fees for short-term visas can be various based on your nationality, visa type you are applying for, entry type, etc. Depending on these factors, they can be as cheap as 6 USD and as high as 91 USD. Short-term Swaziland visa application is processed relatively fast. The average processing time for that varies between 1 and 5 days.
Long Term Visas
Actually, for longer stays visas are altered by permits. They can be work, study permits. Swaziland visa requirements for these permits remain mostly the same as short-term visas. However, there are some additional requirements which are given on the list below: • If you are planning to stay in the country for business purposes for more than 30 days, you will need to demonstrate your reasons followings: the association memorandum, cover letter Swaziland visa application, police clearance from the country that you are a citizen of, lease agreement, medical certificate, Certificate of Incorporation Form J and Form C. How to apply for Swaziland student visa? Studying in Eswatini is popular in Africa. You might want to enrol in a study in Eswatini but do not how to start an application. Apart from the main requirements, you will need to present a letter from an accepting educational institution, a support letter provided by the ministry of education, a medical certificate, and a police clearance from the country you are a citizen of. How much is a visa for Swaziland for study purposes? It depends on the length of the course. If it is up to 12 months long, then the price will be 63 USD. It will double as the length doubles. However, these prices do not include administrative service fees such as courier, etc. Additional documents might be requested. If you want to learn more about additional requirements regarding permits, you can check our website. Go to the visa policy section and choose Eswatini. It will open up a page that contains valuable information along with requirements. Swaziland visa fees for temporary permits vary greatly depending on your nationality and permit types. They start at 21 USD and can be as high as 170 USD. Bear in mind that these prices exclude administrative service fees such as courier, etc, as you might need to pay additional fees for such services. What about processing time? you might wonder. These permits take much longer than short-term visas to process. The average time can be somewhere between 3 and 8 weeks.
How to get a visa to Eswatini?
You might wonder if there are such things as Swaziland e visa, Swaziland visa on arrival. Unfortunately, those who wish to apply for a visa to Eswatini will need to do it through foreign representatives of the country. The process is the same as applying for other countries. You find a foreign representative of Eswatini, make an appointment to get a visa for Swaziland. On appointment day, you hand in your documents, fill out Swaziland visa application form, then make a payment to finalize your application. To sum up, Eswatini is a unique place in terms of culture, nature, landscape. It ensures a great vacation full of activities, and new things that are not familiar to most of us. If you want to visit the country, you might need a visa depending on your nationality. Pickvisa is here to ease your visa workflow, and ensure that you acquire the visa you desire. It takes only a few clicks to benefit from the services that Pickvisa offers.
