Finally, got that international posting, or just thinking about relocating from Kenya to Zambia? Here’s what you need to know about what’s required of you. It’s not just the termite hills in Zambia, which can grow as big as a small house, that is amazing about the country.
If you’ve heard of the 51 meters high Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River, then you can only imagine the glorious and thunderous sight that is River Zambezi’s, Victoria Falls.
Like Niagara Falls which is located on the USA-Canada border, Victoria Falls lies on the border of two countries, namely Zambia and Zimbabwe.
At a height of 108 meters, however, the breathtaking Victoria Falls is both taller and wider. Little wonder, then, that these iconic falls are locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, which is to say ‘The Smoke that Thunders.”
Apart from Victoria Falls, Zambia also boasts vast species of birds and wildlife, including the rare Thornicroft giraffes; numerous national parks; vibrant culture; and the Zambezi River. Zambia’s name is derived from this river which is also known as the “River of Life.”
The Zambezi River is the longest African river that drains into the Indian Ocean. When the Zambezi was dammed in the Kariba Gorge, the world’s largest man-made lake, known as Lake Kariba, was created.
Just like Zambia shares Lake Tanganyika with Tanzania, it also shares Lake Kariba with Zimbabwe.
It’s noteworthy that Zambia, whose capital is Lusaka, is a landlocked Southern African country. It borders Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Since it doesn’t have a seaport, Zambia gets its supplies via the Southern corridor by way of Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port. The country also makes use of Walvis Bay port, which is Namibia’s largest commercial port.
Like Kenya, Zambia was colonized by the British and is a COMESA member. Here’s what you need to know when you finally get to making the international move that’s relocating from Kenya to Zambia:
1. Foreigners Must Get Their Employment Permits Approved Ahead of Their Shipment’s Arrival
Zambia allows used household goods and personal effects tax and duty-free entry into the country. Foreigners must, however, hold a work permit, which Zambians refer to as ‘employment permit’, before their household goods arrive.
Zambia issues employment permits for foreigners who enter the country to take up employment for a duration longer than six months. Employment permits can be extended for various periods up to a maximum of 10 years.
To qualify for an employment permit, a foreigner must be:
- Employed by the Zambian government or a statutory body
- Employed by the private sector, NGO, or a religious organization (volunteers also qualify)
- The spouse or child (when over 21 years) of a foreigner who intends to work in the family business
All employment permit applicants are required to remain outside Zambia until their permit has been approved.
Additionally, only an employer, an immigration consultant, or a practicing lawyer can apply for employment permits on behalf of prospective expatriates. Individual expats are not permitted to do so on their own.
While Zambian employment permits authorize holders to enter, re-enter, and remain within Zambia till expiry, successful first-time applicants must still apply for a visa to enter the country so they may collect their permit.
New applications for employment permits, as well as permit variations and renewal or extensions, can be done through the Zambian Immigration e-Services portal.
Goods must be imported within 6 months from the date of issue of the Employment permit otherwise they will taxes
2. Foreign Diplomats Need Diplomatic Franchise
In the case of foreign diplomatic passport holders, tax and duty-free entry of household goods and personal effects are permitted. These diplomats must, however, personally register at the Department of Foreign Affairs before the arrival of their shipment.
Foreign diplomats must have in their possession these documents:
- Diplomatic Franchise/Protocol—this is obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Certified copy of their diplomatic passport
- Packing list in English
- Power of Attorney giving the Destination Agent authority to arrange customs clearance
- Letter of introduction (from the Mission, government, or international organization)
- Comprehensive valued inventory for customs purposes only (dated and signed by the owner)
The clearance process for diplomats can take anywhere between 3 and 5 days depending on the customs systems.
Nonetheless, the approval of all clearance documents from the Mission the diplomat is serving must be done at least 10 working days before the truck arrives at the border, or else additional truck detention charges apply.
3. Returning Residents Must Provide Proof of Residence/Working Abroad
To qualify for tax and duty-free entry of their household goods and personal effects, returning Zambian nationals must provide proof that they lived or worked abroad.
Such proof can be an employment contract or a termination or retirement letter. The qualified proof must show that the returning nationals who are relocating from Kenya to Zambia have lived abroad for at least two years if their belongings are to qualify for tax and duty-free entry.
Like the expatriates, returning Zambians must have owned and used their goods for a minimum of six months. All items that are newer than that are subject to import duties and taxes, plus VAT.
4. Returning Zambian Diplomats Must Provide an Original or Certified Staff Recall Letter
Returning Zambian diplomats are required to provide an original or certified staff recall letter, in addition to transfer letters to different missions, if any, if they’ve been transferred from one mission to another before their final recall to Zambia.
Recalled Zambian diplomats must have at the ready these other documents before their household goods and personal effects arrive in Zambia:
- Original diplomatic passport
- Original or Certified Letter of First Appointment into Foreign Service
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (TPIN)
- Packing list in English (without any abbreviations whatsoever)
- Valued inventory list in English
- Signed and dated (by the owner) declaration of value for customs purposes
All documents must be certified by the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If goods are not imported within 6 months of a diplomat’s return date, duties and taxes will apply. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not handle these duties and taxes unless it’s the one responsible for a delay in shipping.
Diplomats are also allowed a maximum of two containers, regardless of their size. Of special note is that motor vehicles and household effects imported by returning Zambian diplomats are not duty and tax-free.
The Zambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs does, however, pay the appropriate duties and taxes on behalf of returning diplomats in the form of government vouchers.
All shipments for recalled or returning diplomats must, therefore, go to Lusaka for onward delivery pending the issuance of these government vouchers. These shipments can be inspected at random.
5. One Must Attend a Customs Interview in Lusaka in Person Before Goods Arrive
Zambia requires that all returning residents, citizens, new expatriates, and some returning diplomats who aren’t involved with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attend interviews at the Zambia Revenue Authority Offices.
Interviews are conducted under the customs division for the importation of household goods and the verification of duty-free clearance.
While at the interview, you’ll be required to present your:
- Original passport
- Original work permit (applies to new residents/expats)
- Vehicle documents
- Original contract and letter of offer (new residents/expats)
- Employment contract to work outside Zambia (for returning nationals)
- Letter of separation of employment or Termination of Contract (returning nationals)
New Zambian residents will have copies of their documents stamped by the customs office after the interview to allow their TPINs to get activated for rebate clearance and to enable clearance registration on the customs system.
6. You Don’t Have to Go to the Border During Customs Clearance
While it’s necessary to attend a customs interview in person before your household goods arrive in Zambia, your physical presence isn’t required at the border for customs clearance.
Household goods and vehicles must be cleared separately at the border.
Remember, you cannot sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the household goods you import for the entirety of your stay.
Extra Tip: Please ensure you don’t sabotage your move before your goods arrive at the border.
7. Importers Must Be Registered with Zambia Revenue Authority
You must ensure that you’re interacting with a credible moving company whose Destination Agent is registered with Zambia Revenue Authority; this is why choosing a professional mover with a good network is very important.
Because it takes between 20 and 40 days to obtain a free entry certificate, you should make sure that all required documents reach your agent a minimum of 20 days before your shipment arrives.
Doing so will permit your Zambian employer to obtain the certificate of free entry from the Customs Head Office and, therefore, minimize the detention charges you’d otherwise incur as your shipment awaits clearance at the border.
Here are the documents you’ll need to furnish your moving company for your move to Zambia:
- Certified passport copy showing entry date into Zambia (original may be required)
- Certified copy of Residence Permit or Employment Permit (temporary work permits are unacceptable)
- Original Bill of Lading
- Comprehensive valued inventory
- Pack list in English (Abbreviations are not permitted)
- Power of Attorney giving Destination Agent authority to arrange customs clearance
- Letter from employer attesting to an employment contract
- TPIN/Tax Identification Card obtained from ZRA Advice Center
Remember, all document copies, passports included, need to be certified by the Zambian High Commission in the country of origin (Kenya, in this case) or by a Commissioner of Oaths.
8. There’s No Age Limit on Vehicles Entering Zambia
Zambia hasn’t instituted an age limit on the age of vehicles you can import into the country. There is, however, a dumping fee of US$300 on vehicle models above 5 years.
To import a motor vehicle, which can include a car, caravan, motorbike, quad, trailer, or boat, you need a/an/the:
- Original certificate of registration or certificate of ownership
- Purchase invoice or letter of the sale in English
- Latest valuation certificate
- Police clearance certificate
- Certified copy of your passport, showing date of departure and date of return
If you’re a returning diplomat, you’ll need diplomatic clearance that’s completed by the diplomatic representation and which has been countersigned by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Zambia.
Additionally, vehicles belonging to returning Zambian diplomats can only be cleared in Lusaka once the Department of Foreign Affairs pays the duties and taxes due on them through government vouchers.
Since the issuance of such vouchers can take up to 3 months from the date of entry (no vehicle may be cleared before the voucher is issued), vehicles belonging to returning Zambian diplomats must be Removed in Bond (RIB) from the border to Lusaka. Extra bond fees apply.
Both new residents and returning Zambian citizens who have lived abroad for more than two years are allowed to import one motor vehicle both duty and tax-free as long as they’d owned it before arriving in Zambia.
Foreign diplomats can also import a maximum of one motor vehicle duty and tax-free per diplomat (per household).
9. Moving from Kenya to Zambia is Normally Done Via Road
Given the fact that Zambia is a landlocked country, the move from Nairobi, Kenya to Lusaka, Zambia is usually done by road and can be completed within 10 to 14 days.
The shipment will travel through Tanzania and enter Zambia at a place called Nakonde.
Because of the distance involved, road transportation can be a little rough. It’s advisable not to shrink wrap furniture in this case as doing so doesn’t quite protect against impact. Instead, goods should be very well packed.
There’s a proper way to move your fine art, for instance, or the special clothes you might have that you aren’t donating. This is why you want to engage professionals when relocating from Kenya to Zambia.
