Kamuzu international Airport in Malawi opened for commercial air traffic as of September 1, 2020. Only a limited number of flights have been allowed to operate with the first occurring on September 5. All arriving passengers into the Republic of Malawi are required to produce a negative SARS Cov-2 PCR test certificate obtained within 10 days prior to arrival in Malawi. Any passenger without the said certificate will be denied entry.
Arriving passengers will also be required to proceed on self-quarantine for 14 days during which time they will be followed up by health authorities.
Passengers may be required to provide samples for COVID-19 testing. Samples will be collected at the airport and test results will be communicated to the concerned within 48 hours. Any symptomatic passengers will be handled according to specific guidelines laid down by the health authorities.
Travelers must fill out and submit Travel Surveillance Forms (TSF) which shall be made available on-board aircraft or in the airport terminal building. The forms will be handed over to health personnel in the terminal building.
All travelers and service providers are required to observe infection control protocols such as social distancing, hand washing and sanitizing, and wearing of face masks as necessary. Body temperatures will also be checked at various strategic points.
US citizens who want to apply for a visa extension or resident permit extension can visit any nearest Malawi Immigration Office to apply. For more information, visit the Malawi Immigration website: https://www.immigration.gov.mw/
What to expect
There is no curfew in place and no restrictions on intercity or interstate travel. Public transportation options are extremely limited in Malawi. Those that are in operation are small privately-owned minibuses, covered motorbike taxis, and bicycle taxis. Minibuses are expected to limit passengers and require mask usage and some social distancing.
Festivals, sporting events, and other large activities with more than 10 people have been banned with an exemption for religious services and funerals. The two latter services may have as many as 50 attendees provided individuals comply with social distance restrictions and sanitary measures.
Fast food outlets, restaurants, and public eating places are closed except for take-away services. The Malawi Government has also put in place laws that make wearing of a face mask in all public places mandatory, and those who do not follow these guidelines may face fines. There is a fine of 10,000 MWK (US$13) if anyone fails to comply with the Malawi Government regulations regarding social distancing restriction and the mandatory wearing of a face mask.
In Malawi, there are 5,576 confirmed cases of COVID-19 throughout the country with 3,420 recovered patients and 175 related deaths as of September 1, 2020. The government of Malawi has implemented measures to limit the spread of the virus.
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