Practical Information

You are in Zambia and you experiencing one of these situations? 

• Lost passport or travel documents
• Serious illness or accident
• Emergency evacuation or repatriation
• Arrest or detention
• Becoming a victim of crime
• Death abroad (support for families)

What can you do? 

You have the right to consular protection.
This means your country can step in to help if you face difficulties while abroad. 

Who provides this assistance?

Your own country’s embassy or consulate is responsible for helping you abroad. 

In Lusaka seven member states have a resident Embassy: 

• Embassy of Germany, Lusaka
  📍 Plot 5219 Haile Selassie Ave, Lusaka | ☎️ +260 211 250644 | 🌐 lusaka.diplo.de
• Embassy of France, Lusaka
  📍 Plot 31F Leopards Hill Rd, Lusaka | ☎️ +260 971 054128 | 🌐 zm.ambafrance.org
• Embassy of Italy, Lusaka
  📍 Plot 5211 Embassy Park, Lusaka | ☎️ +260 211 250781 | 🌐 amblusaka.esteri.it
• Embassy of Sweden, Lusaka
  📍 Haile Selaisse Avenue, Lusaka | ☎️ +260 211 42 61 00 | 🌐 swedenabroad.se
• Embassy of Finland, Lusaka
  📍 Haile Selaisse Avenue, Lusaka | only emergency ☎️ +358 9 1605 5555 | 🌐finlandabroad.fi
• Embassy of Czech Republic, Lusaka
  📍 4 Twin Palm Road, Kabulonga, Lusaka | only emergency ☎️ +420 222 420 222 | 🌐mzv.gov.cz/lusaka
• Embassy of Ireland, Lusaka
  📍 6663 Katima Mulilo Rd, Lusaka | only emergency ☎️ +260 21 142 6900 | 🌐ireland.ie/en/zambia

If your country is not represented here in Zambia, you have the right to ask for help from any other EU Member State’s embassy or consulate that is present. 

• You want to know more?
• European Commission page on consular protection
• Council of the European Union page on Consular Protection

Do you need a visa to travel to Europe?

Yes. Zambian passport holders must apply for a visa before travelling to Europe.

What is a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows you to travel to 29 European countries (the Schengen Area) for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. It covers tourism, family visits, business trips, and cultural or sports events.

Which countries are in the Schengen Area as of 2025?

As of 1 January 2025, the Schengen Area includes 29 countries:

• 25 EU Member States
• 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein 

EU Member States in Schengen now include (as of 2025):
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, plus Bulgaria and Romania, which completed joining on 1 January 2025

Which EU countries are not in Schengen?

As of 2025, the following EU countries are not part of the Schengen Area:

• Cyprus
• Ireland 

What is the difference between a Schengen country and a non-Schengen EU country?

Schengen countries share a common visa policy. A single Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) allows you to visit 25 EU/Schengen countries + 4 associated states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Non-Schengen EU countries (Ireland and Cyprus) have their own national visa policies. A Schengen visa does not allow entry there; you must apply separately.

United Kingdom is no longer in the EU or Schengen, so it has its own visa system.

What are the main types of Schengen visas?

There are three main types:

• Type A (Airport Transit Visa): For transiting through an airport in a Schengen country without entering the Schengen Area.
• Type C (Short-Stay Visa): For stays of up to 90 days within 180 days (tourism, family visit, business, cultural events).
• Type D (National Long-Stay Visa): For stays longer than 90 days, such as study, work, or residence.

What are the steps to get a visa?

1. Book an appointment at the embassy or visa centre.
2. Fill in the visa application form and gather all documents.
3. Attend the appointment, submit documents, pay the fee, and give fingerprints/biometric data.
4. Wait for processing – usually 15 calendar days (sometimes longer if documents are incomplete or further checks are needed).
5. Collect your passport with the visa decision.

Where to Apply?

Some European countries have direct consular representation in Lusaka, while others have representation agreements with other countries or rely on service providers (such as VFS Global).

For a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C), you must apply to the embassy, consulate, or visa centre of the country that is your main destination (where you plan to spend the most days). If there is no clear main destination, apply through the country of your first entry into the Schengen Area.

For a long-stay national visa (Type D), apply at the embassy or consulate of the country where you will primarily reside. If your residence is split between multiple countries, submit your application to the country where you will spend the most time.

Currently, travellers who reside in Zambia may contact the following consulates if their main destination or their first point of entry into the Schengen area is one of the following 23 countries:  

Contact details for non-Schengen EU visas  

In addition, the six EU Member States that are not part of the Schengen area issue visas for their countries individually in Lusaka or via their Embassies in South Africa: 

Erasmus+ Programme

Erasmus+ Programme is the European Union’s programme for education, training, youth and sport. 

The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. 

Erasmus+ offers mobility and cooperation opportunities in 

• Higher education
• Vocational education and training
• School education (including early childhood education and care)
• Adult education
• Youth
• Sport

The Erasmus+ Programme provides support through scholarships and academic cooperation to: 

• Higher education institutions that wish to implement joint programmes at postgraduate level or to set up inter-institutional cooperation partnerships between universities from Europe and targeted Third-Countries.
• Individual students, researchers and university staff who wish to spend a study, research, or teaching period in the context of one of the above mentioned programmes. 

Detailed information on these opportunities, including eligibility criteria, is available in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. 

See the Erasmus+ web portal’s Resources section for information about linguistic support, documents for applicants and the management of proposals. 

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degrees

Erasmus Mundus offers masters courses and scholarships. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degrees aim to enhance the quality of European higher education and to help promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with Third-Countries such as the United Republic of Tanzania. The international dimension of Erasmus+ contributes to the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of Higher education institutions in Third Countries by increasing mobility and cooperation between the European Union and these countries. 

Other opportunities

Many opportunities are also offered to doctoral candidates and researchers through the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions.

For other study programs in Europe, please check the Study in Europe pages for information about national higher education systems, funding opportunities and visa requirements.

For other scholarship opportunities, please check Scholarships and Grants to Study in Europe.