Malawi residence permits

The temporary residence permit is for a visitor holding a valid visitor's or business visit permit who has already resided in Malawi for the maximum of 90 days but has legitimate and justifiable reasons to stay longer. It is therefore applied for from inside Malawi, before the 90 days run out.

The same permit is used by foreign nationals who come to Malawi for a short-term consultancy or other work-related activity; in that case the institution that engaged them submits the application. Otherwise, the form and supporting documents are lodged at a regional office or headquarters, the application is processed and decided, and the fee is paid once it is approved.

The study permit allows a person to enter Malawi and study at an approved educational institution or carry out research. The permanent residence permit authorises its holder to reside in Malawi permanently. The ePermit portal publishes guidelines for each permit type, which should be read before applying.

The student permit is open to any foreign national who intends to study in Malawi or conduct educational research. It is applied for with the student permit form and supporting documents at headquarters or a regional office after paying the fee; the Chief Immigration Officer decides, and renewals are lodged three months before the permit expires.

The permanent residence permit is open to foreign nationals who wish to live in Malawi permanently, foreign wives of Malawians, elderly people with an assured income who want to retire in Malawi, over-aged dependants of permanent residence permit holders, and anyone ordinarily resident in Malawi for at least five years. The Minister decides, and approved applicants pay the fee within 30 days of notification.

Permit fees are paid at FDH Bank counters in immigration offices; online payment is not available. Bring the printed approval email to the immigration office so the permit can be finalised with its application number. Renewals use the portal's renew or extend function.

Applications are made online after creating an account. Enter names as in the passport's machine-readable zone and phone numbers without spaces or brackets. Status updates are emailed and can be viewed with the application ID, passport number and date of birth. Applications may be cancelled at any time, but fees are not refunded.

A foreign national who was ever declared a prohibited immigrant needs a temporary permit to enter or pass through Malawi for a specified period. It is requested from the Minister through the Chief Immigration Officer, either at a Malawian mission abroad or by sending the application and documents by post or courier to the Immigration Headquarters.

The Department's headquarters are in Blantyre (PO Box 331, +265 1 832 565), with regional offices including Lilongwe (+265 1 759 270) and Mzuzu (+265 1 311 474). Applicants who have had no response more than four months after submitting a permit application are asked to contact the permit enquiries officer at headquarters.