Your first 90 days in Zambia: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Employment permits are tied to the sponsoring employer and the specific role, so a job change means a new permit rather than an amendment — and you are not lawfully working in the gap. Plan the overlap deliberately if you move jobs, and never start the new role on the old permit.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Apply to the Department of Immigration for the employment permit, investor permit, or self-employment permit and collect the permit card
Before your entry stamp expires — visitors are typically admitted for up to 90 days per year, and permit applications go through the immigration e-services portal
Permits are category-specific and the employment permit is employer-sponsored. The file wants apostilled qualifications, a police clearance and, for employment, evidence that the role could not be filled locally.
Get your TPIN (taxpayer identification number) from the Zambia Revenue Authority
Employment, business, property, vehicle registration and every ZRA filing key off it, and banks require it at onboarding.
Registered online with the Zambia Revenue Authority; NAPSA social-security registration is separate and applies to formal employment.
Open a bank account
Zanaco, Stanbic and Absa Zambia open accounts on the permit, TPIN and proof of address. The kwacha is volatile and Zambia has periodically restricted foreign-currency practices, so keep cross-border reserves outside the country and treat the local account as a spending account.
Enrol in healthcare
Public facilities are free at the point of use but limited, especially outside Lusaka and the Copperbelt; foreign residents use private clinics and hospitals in Lusaka with private or international insurance. Complex care means South Africa, so evacuation cover with air transfer is the standard arrangement.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is accepted for a limited period after arrival; residents convert through the Road Transport and Safety Agency, with a test for many applicants. Driving is on the left.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Zambia?
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Zambia: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Zambia?
Apply to the Department of Immigration for the employment permit, investor permit, or self-employment permit and collect the permit card — Before your entry stamp expires — visitors are typically admitted for up to 90 days per year, and permit applications go through the immigration e-services portal. Permits are category-specific and the employment permit is employer-sponsored. The file wants apostilled qualifications, a police clearance and, for employment, evidence that the role could not be filled locally. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the TPIN and do I need one?
TPIN (taxpayer identification number) from the Zambia Revenue Authority is Zambia's personal tax/ID number. Employment, business, property, vehicle registration and every ZRA filing key off it, and banks require it at onboarding. Registered online with the Zambia Revenue Authority; NAPSA social-security registration is separate and applies to formal employment.
Can I drive in Zambia on a US license?
A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is accepted for a limited period after arrival; residents convert through the Road Transport and Safety Agency, with a test for many applicants. Driving is on the left. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Zambia?
Public facilities are free at the point of use but limited, especially outside Lusaka and the Copperbelt; foreign residents use private clinics and hospitals in Lusaka with private or international insurance. Complex care means South Africa, so evacuation cover with air transfer is the standard arrangement. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Zambia's system treats foreign residents.