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Travel to Zimbabwe enquiries

BlueAngel — Tue, 08 May 2018 13:33:26 GMT

I have been invited to travel to Zimbabwe for a holiday at the end of this year by a group of friends. Only one of them knows about my conviction, which was spent five years ago and I have rebuilt my life.

When I looked at the visa requirements, it stated that they asked if the traveler or relative has ever had a conviction. I tried to contact the Zimbabwe Embassy in London by telephone and email for advice with no response. I wanted to know that if I applied for the visa through the embassy, rather than on arrival in Zimbabwe, if I was accepted would I still be pulled in by immigration to be questioned.

Has anybody had any experience of traveling to Zimbabwe please?

Many thanks

RE: Travel to Zimbabwe enquiries

AB2014 — Tue, 08 May 2018 13:33:26 GMT

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[b]Yankee - 7 May 18 3:05 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]BlueAngel - 7 May 18 1:03 AM[/b]

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The last time I went (several years ago) I simply filled in the form at Harare airport and paid the fee. With a UK passport you can still get a visa upon arrival for a tourist visit. You can also get an evisa now online to avoid paying cash at the airport.

There is a question about criminal convictions but the Zimbos have no access to any criminal record information and do not ask for a police certificate if you decide that as your conviction is spent you will answer None to the question.

[/quote]

I've just checked the Zimbabwe London embassy website, and UK citizens can still apply for a visa on arrival. You can get details of the documents you'll need from their website here. As you can see, a police certificate is not required, but there might be a question on the landing card or the application form. As Yankee said, they don't have access to our criminal record system, so they rely on what you tell them, so all I can add is have a great holiday!

RE: Travel to Zimbabwe enquiries

Yankee — Mon, 07 May 2018 15:05:46 GMT

[quote]

[b]BlueAngel - 7 May 18 1:03 AM[/b]

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RE: Travel to Zimbabwe enquiries

BenS — Mon, 07 May 2018 09:01:32 GMT

Hello,

I have never been to Zimbabwe, but in general (my personal opinion only), they are unlikely to find out about about your conviction unless you inform them yourself.

People with convictions regularly get into developed nations with advanced criminal records/intelligence/computer systems (like the US, Australia, Canada, etc.) by ticking "no" to any questions about convictions. As long as a Zimbabwe visa does not require you to provide a police certificate, you should be OK. I am not a lawyer and this is my personal intuition/experience only, having travelled a fair amount with an unspent conviction and never declaring it.

I would also advise undertaking any embassy enquiries anonymously or using a fake name.