The articles below provide important information about travel to Zimbabwe.
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This Travel Alert updates safety and security concerns in Zimbabwe, and urges U.S. citizens to defer all travel to Zimbabwe at this time, and to consider relocating if necessary to ensure their security during the election period. The U.S. Embassy may periodically restrict the travel of U.S. government personnel outside the capital city or within Harare during certain hours. This supersedes the Travel Alert for Zimbabwe dated June 2 and expires on August 1, 2008.
U.S. citizens should defer all travel to Zimbabwe. U.S. citizens resident in Zimbabwe should carefully review their personal circumstances, avoid all travel after dark, and consider moving to a more secure location in advance of, and immediately following the scheduled June 27 runoff of the presidential election. Due to the uncertain security situation, the U.S. Embassy may periodically restrict the travel of official U.S. government personnel outside the capital city or within Harare during certain hours. Since the March 29 general election, Zimbabwean security forces, including some military and police, as well as so-called war veterans, have created a climate of intimidation and fear across the country. There have been numerous and widespread attacks on opposition supporters, renewed farm invasions, and arrests and beatings of election officials accused of vote tampering. There is a continued risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.
Americans should be particularly cautious when using still, video or telephone cameras in any urban setting or in the vicinity of any political activity, as this could be construed by Zimbabwean authorities as misrepresenting oneself as an accredited journalist, a crime punishable by arrest, incarceration and/or deportation.
American citizens traveling to or resident in Zimbabwe should register with the U.S. Embassy by completing a registration form online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. Registration enables the Embassy to contact American citizens in case of emergency and provide updates on the security situation. Important notices for American citizens are posted on the U.S. Embassy in Harare's website at http://harare.usembassy.gov/warden2008.html.
As the Department of State continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport, visa, return ticket, and adequate funds are required. U.S. citizens traveling to Zimbabwe for tourism, business, or transit can obtain a visa at the airports and border ports-of-entry, or in advance by contacting the Embassy of Zimbabwe. American citizens considering travel to Zimbabwe to visit tourist destinations, including eco-tourist sites or hunting safaris, or for business purposes, are advised that the Government of Zimbabwe has declared that American visitors with proper documentation will be allowed entry without difficulty. However, the Government of Zimbabwe has also signaled an intention to refuse entry to Americans who are believed to have a bias against the Zimbabwean government. In some instances, Zimbabwean immigration officials have used materials found in searches of travelers and their luggage as an explanation to refuse entry.
Upon arrival in Zimbabwe, travelers should keep all travel documents readily available, as well as a list of residences or hotels where they will stay while in Zimbabwe. Travelers to Zimbabwe must carry some form of identification at all times.
On June 5, 2008 the Government of Zimbabwe announced an immediate, indefinite suspension of all aid and development work in Zimbabwe. Americans traveling to Zimbabwe to work in those fields should insure they have proper permission and documentation from the Zimbabwean government to work legally.
Since January 2007, several American citizens applying for or renewing residency or work permits have had their applications denied without explanation and been asked to depart the country, sometimes despite having lived and worked in Zimbabwe for many months or years.
U.S. citizens who intend to work in Zimbabwe as journalists must apply for accreditation with the Zimbabwean Embassy at least one month in advance of planned travel. The Government of Zimbabwe uses an extremely expansive definition of journalism and any formal interviews, filming or photography may be considered "presenting oneself as an accredited journalist," a crime punishable by arrest or detention. If you are in doubt about whether or not your purpose of travel constitutes journalism, please seek clarification from the Zimbabwean Embassy in Washington BEFORE you travel. It is no longer possible to seek accreditation after arrival in Zimbabwe. Journalists attempting to enter Zimbabwe without proper advance accreditation may be denied admission, detained for questioning, arrested or deported. Journalists seeking to file stories from Zimbabwe must comply with the requirements of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which requires that journalists seek accreditation by paying a $100 (U.S.) application fee and, if accredited, a $500 (U.S.) accreditation fee.
U.S. citizen students and faculty at educational and other institutions who wish to do research in Zimbabwe should contact a host educational or research institution for affiliation prior to applying for a visa. Despite fulfilling all such requirements and receiving appropriate permission, legitimate researchers have been detained in the past by the police because the subject of their research was believed to be sensitive.
While there is no set legal limit on the amount of foreign currency that a person can carry into Zimbabwe, it is illegal to take more than $1,000 U.S. dollars or more than $5,000,000,000 Zimbabwean dollars out of the country, whether departing by road or air. Travelers seeking to depart with greater amounts of local currency risk having the money confiscated and/or being prevented from leaving pending a court appearance.
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Zimbabwe are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Zimbabwe. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare, telephone (263-4) 250-593/4, after-hours telephone (263-4) 250-595; fax (263-4) 250-343. American citizen service hours are from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 am to 11:30 am on Fridays, except U.S. and Zimbabwean holidays. The mailing address is P.O. Box 3340, Harare. The e-mail address is ConsularHarare@state.gov
This Travel Alert is being issued to update U.S. citizens on safety and security concerns throughout Zimbabwe due to ongoing political instability following the March 29 national elections, and recommends deferral of non-essential travel to Zimbabwe at this time. This supersedes the Travel Alert for Zimbabwe dated April 11, 2008 and expires on July 1, 2008.
U.S. citizens should defer non-essential travel to Zimbabwe. While the country prepares for a runoff of the presidential elections between President Robert Mugabe and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) candidate Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean security forces, including some military and police, as well as so-called war veterans, are creating a climate of intimidation and fear across the country, particularly in rural areas and high-density suburbs. There have been attacks on opposition supporters, renewed farm invasions, and arrests of election officials accused of vote tampering. There is a continued risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.
Americans should be particularly cautious when using still, video or telephone cameras in any urban setting, or in the vicinity of any political activity, as this could be construed by Zimbabwean authorities as practicing journalism without accreditation, a crime punishable by arrest, incarceration and/or deportation.
American citizens traveling to or resident in Zimbabwe should register with the U.S. Embassy by completing a registration form online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. Registration enables the Embassy to contact American citizens in case of emergency and provide updates on the security situation.
As the Department of State continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
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