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The Russian government has promised to expand visa-free travel agreements with four more African nations in the southern part of the continent. The countries are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini. The new visa policy will boost tourism and serve as a diplomatic strategy amid recent U.S. travel policy shifts. Once agreements are finalised, Russian tourists and visitors will no longer need visas for short-term stays in these 4 southern African countries.
According to the "Draft Proposal" shared by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian tourists and visitors can stay up to 90 days in Zambia and up to 30 days in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini. Meanwhile, it's important to note that these are bilateral agreements in progress, with Mozambique still reviewing the draft. And if all four approve and sign the agreement, the total number of African countries Russians can enter without a visa will increase to 15.
Here’s the current list of 11 African countries that Russian citizens can travel to with a visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders:
| African Country | Visa-free stay (days) |
|---|---|
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | 90 |
| 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 90 |
| 🇳🇦 Namibia | 90 |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 90 |
| 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 60 |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 60 |
| 🇦🇴 Angola | 30 |
| 🇧🇼 Botswana | 30 |
| 🇲🇼 Malawi | 30 |
| 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 30 |
| 🇸🇹 São Tomé and PrÃncipe | 15 |
Russia and China Open Their Doors to Africa As the U.S. Imposes Visa Bonds
Tatyana Dovgalenko, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Partnership with Africa, said that these eleven African states are currently enjoying reciprocal visa-free travel with Russia. This means that citizens from these countries can also enter Russia without a visa permit. According to Sangadzhi Tarbaev, Head of the State Duma’s Tourism Committee, who announced the bilateral visa-free arrangement, emphasised that the new arrangement aligns with Russia's goal to increase global partnerships beyond Europe and Asia.
It also comes at a time when Russia is positioning itself ahead of a possible renewed push by the United States in Africa. Although Africa as a whole—apart from Egypt—has not traditionally been a major travel destination for Russians, interest is steadily growing because Russians are moving away from traditional European destinations. In addition to that, closer political and economic relationships between Russia and non-Western countries are making African nations more attractive for travel and engagement.
Notably, these eased entry terms are not only seen with Russia. Even China is actively expanding visa-free access across African countries to deepen ties, as over half of African states face U.S. travel bans or visa bonds or both. The U.S. visa bond has been expanded recently to include many African countries in response to concerns in Washington about high visa overstay rates. As of January 2026, the visa-bond policy now applies to 38 countries worldwide and 6 new airports, and about 24 of those are African nations whose citizens may be required to post a refundable security deposit (a “visa bond”) when applying for a U.S. tourist or business visa.
While Western countries tighten their immigration policies for Africans, countries like China and Russia are positioning themselves as more open travel partners. The U.S. now imposed bonds that range from $5,000 up to $15,000 to encourage travellers to return home before their visa expires. The bonds will be refunded if they comply, but if they overstay, the bond will be forfeited.
