Every way into Eswatini.

Eswatini grants visa-free entry of up to 30 days to citizens of roughly 130 countries (most Commonwealth, EU, USA, Japan, Australia, Canada and South Africa among them); nationals of countries not on that exemption list need an entry visa, which can be applied for in advance via the eVisa portal (evisa.gov.sz) or at an Eswatini diplomatic mission. The tourist entry visa is for tourism, volunteering or internships and authorises a stay of up to one month, which can be extended once for a further 30 days at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Visa-on-arrival has been suspended: a visa must be issued and affixed before travel. The visa does not authorise employment, and stays beyond 30/60 days require a Temporary Residence Permit. Official fee schedules are not published online; the visa is single-entry unless a multiple-entry visa is requested.

Max stay

30 days

Validity

30 days

The Visitor's Pass is an in-country pass issued by the Immigration Department for an expatriate visiting a host who already holds a residence status in Eswatini (for example a relative or friend on a Temporary Residence Permit). It is applied for on Form 10 with a host's application letter and proof of the host's residence status. It is distinct from the entry visa: it regularises a visit by someone connected to a resident rather than authorising a fresh tourist entry. Fees and validity are not published online; it does not authorise employment.

The transit visa is for non-visa-exempt travellers passing through Eswatini en route to another destination. Applicants must clearly indicate in their application that they intend only to transit the country and justify the transit, otherwise immigration officers may refuse entry and return them to their point of entry. It can be applied for via the eVisa portal or an Eswatini mission. As with all Eswatini visas, possession of the visa does not guarantee admission, which is decided by immigration officers at the port of entry. Official transit-visa fees and exact validity are not published online.

The business entry visa is for short business visits such as meetings, negotiations and conferences for nationals who are not visa-exempt, applied for in advance through the eVisa portal (evisa.gov.sz) or an Eswatini mission. It authorises a stay of up to one month, extendable once by a further 30 days at the Ministry of Home Affairs; it is not appropriate for those intending to take up local employment, who need a Temporary Residence Permit. Visa-on-arrival is suspended, so the visa must be obtained before departure. Visa-exempt nationals (about 130 countries) may conduct short business visits without a visa for up to 30 days. Official fees are not published online.

Max stay

30 days

Validity

30 days

The Student Pass is issued by the Immigration Department to foreign nationals admitted to a school or institution in Eswatini for academic study, research or an internship. The application (Form 10) requires an acceptance letter from the institution and a support letter from the Ministry of Education, plus police clearance (for applicants over 18) and a medical certificate. The pass is granted for the duration of the study programme and must be obtained before travelling to the country. Official fees are not published online; the pass does not by itself authorise general employment.

• Study: Full enrolment at the admitting institution, research or internship.

Internships and academic research placements in Eswatini are handled under the same Student Pass framework administered by the Immigration Department, granted for the duration of the internship or research programme. A hosting institution's letter and Ministry of Education support letter are required, along with police clearance (over-18s) and a medical certificate. It must be obtained before travel. Tourist-purpose internships of under a month can alternatively be covered by the entry visa. Official fees are not published online.

• Study: Internship, training or research at the hosting institution.

The Temporary Residence Permit for employees (Part I of the immigration permit categories) is Eswatini's work permit for foreign nationals taking up employment with an Eswatini employer. It is employer-driven and must be applied for before travelling to the country; the application is decided on merit by an Immigration Department committee. Employers must show the post was genuinely advertised locally (full-page advert) and that no suitably qualified Swazi national is available. The permit is typically granted for up to two years and is renewable while the local employment contract remains valid. Official application fees are not published; EIPA-facilitated work permits are charged at roughly SZL 1,200 per 12 months (see the investor route). Processing for residence/work permits can take several months.

• Work: Authorises employment with the sponsoring employer named in the permit.
• Residency: Long, continuous lawful residence can support a later permanent-residence/naturalisation application; no fixed statutory threshold published.
• Family: Spouse and children apply separately as Dependants on Form 6 against the permit holder's status.

Validity

730 days

The Temporary Residence Permit for a business person (Part III) is for a foreign national who establishes and runs a registered company in Eswatini, as opposed to taking up employment. The applicant must show company registration (Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum of Association, Forms J and C) and a lease for premises, alongside the standard police clearance and medical certificate. The permit is decided on merit by the Immigration Department committee and is generally granted for up to two years, renewable while the business operates. Eswatini has no passive golden-visa or citizenship-by-investment route; investor migration runs through this active-business permit (often facilitated by EIPA). Official fees are not published; EIPA work/residence permits for company directors are issued for up to five years at roughly SZL 6,000.

• Work: Authorises running the declared business in Eswatini.
• Residency: Sustained business and lawful residence can support a later permanent-residence/naturalisation application; no fixed published threshold.
• Family: Spouse and children apply separately as Dependants on Form 6.

Validity

730 days

The Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA, investeswatini.org.sz) facilitates company registration and work/residence permits for foreign investors and their expatriate staff, applying for entry permits on the investor's behalf to the Chief Immigration Officer. Company directors are granted five-year permits and other expatriates two-year permits. Published EIPA work-permit fees run by duration: SZL 600 for 6 months, SZL 1,200 for 12 months, SZL 2,400 for 24 months and SZL 6,000 for 60 months (gov_fee_cents here reflects the 60-month director rate). There is no minimum investment threshold published for permit eligibility; all companies, directors and shareholders are vetted. This is the practical investor route - Eswatini runs no golden visa or citizenship by investment.

• Work: Authorises the investor/expatriate role; directors get 5-year permits, other expatriates 2-year.
• Residency: Long-term investor residence can support later permanent residence/naturalisation; no fixed published threshold.
• Family: Spouse and children apply as Dependants on Form 6 against the permit holder.

Government fee

SZL 6,000

Validity

1,825 days

The Dependant's Pass is issued by the Immigration Department to the spouse, children or other dependants of a foreign national who holds a residence status in Eswatini (for example a work or business Temporary Residence Permit). Applied for on Form 6 with the guardian's covering letter, a copy of the guardian's residence-status documents and a marriage certificate for a spouse, plus police clearance for applicants over 18 and a medical certificate. The pass typically matches the principal's permit (up to two years) and is renewable. It does not authorise employment - dependants who wish to work must obtain their own work permit.

• Study: Dependent children may attend school; lawful residence permits study.
• Residency: Long lawful residence as a family member can support later permanent residence/naturalisation; no fixed published threshold.
• Family: This is the dedicated family pass for the spouse and dependent children of a permit holder.

Validity

730 days

Class C2 citizenship is available to a woman married to a Swazi citizen by birth, applied for through the Citizenship Board. The application requires a covering letter from the husband, a certified copy of the husband's birth or citizenship certificate, the marriage certificate, photographs and fingerprints. The pre-application fee is E100 and, on approval, a certificate-issuance fee of E1,000 applies. The processing time is determined by the Citizenship Board. This is a gendered marriage route under Eswatini's Citizenship Act; foreign husbands of Swazi women do not have an equivalent automatic class and generally use residence then naturalisation (Class C1).

• Work: On grant of citizenship, full and unrestricted work rights.
• Study: Full access to education as a citizen.
• Residency: Route to citizenship itself, not merely residence.
• Family: Children's citizenship handled under separate classes (e.g. C3 for under-21s).

Government fee

SZL 100

Class C1 naturalisation is for applicants over 21 who have established themselves in Eswatini and wish to assume citizenship. The application is made to the Citizenship Board with a covering letter and either a residence permit or a chief's letter (khonta), together with a certified birth certificate and fingerprints. The pre-application fee is E500 and, on approval, a certificate-issuance fee of E1,000 applies. The processing time is set by the Citizenship Board. This is the principal naturalisation route for foreign nationals (including foreign husbands of Swazi women) following long-term residence; statutory residence-year requirements are governed by the Citizenship Act, 1992 and are not published on the portal.

• Work: On grant of citizenship, full and unrestricted work rights.
• Study: Full access to education as a citizen.
• Residency: This is the naturalisation route to citizenship after long-term residence.
• Family: Minors handled under Class C3; spouses use their own qualifying class.

Government fee

SZL 500

The Special Pass is a short-term in-country pass issued by the Immigration Department to bridge or regularise a foreign national's stay - for example while a residence-permit decision or an appeal is pending. The application (Form 10) requires an application letter, a copy of the recent appeal or pending matter, photographs and a passport copy. It is a discretionary holding status rather than a standalone residence route, and does not itself confer work rights. Fees and validity are not published online.

Eswatini's permanent-residence (establishment) status is granted to foreign nationals after extended continuous lawful residence on temporary permits, typically requiring proof of good conduct (police clearance) and economic self-sufficiency, decided on merit by the immigration authorities. There is no published statutory minimum number of years or income threshold, and longer-term/permanent residence applications commonly take six to twelve months or more because of additional background and eligibility checks. Permanent residents may then pursue citizenship by naturalisation through the Citizenship Board (Class C1, with a pre-application fee of E500 and certificate-issuance fee of E1,000); women married to a Swazi citizen by birth can apply via the marriage class (Class C2). Official permanent-residence application fees are not published online.

• Work: Permanent residents may live and work in Eswatini without a separate work permit.
• Study: Full access to study.
• Residency: This is permanent residence; naturalisation (Class C1) follows via the Citizenship Board.
• Family: Spouse and children may hold derivative status; no fixed published rule.