Mozambique
MOZMozambique is a Lusophone nation on the southeastern coast of Africa, bordered by Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini. Portuguese is the official language, a legacy of colonial rule that ended in 1975. The country is at an early stage of a major LNG development boom, with offshore gas fields in the Rovuma Basin attracting billions in international investment from TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, and others.
Maputo is the commercial hub, offering a relatively low cost of living by African standards. Dual citizenship is not recognised, and naturalisation requires ten years of continuous legal residence. The Mozambican passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 55 destinations, primarily within Africa.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- MZN
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Maputo
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 33,897,000
- Cost-of-living
- 32 /100
Passport Rank
#99
Visa-Free
55
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Mozambique passport has visa-free access to 55 destinations. See the full Mozambique passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Mozambique without a prior visa (188)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Mozambique
Current IRCC processing times for Mozambique nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 439 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | No processing time available |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Maputo
- Currency
- MZN
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Population
- 33,897,000
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical; wet season November–April
- GDP per capita
- $627
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 yrs
- Population growth
- 2.85%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
32
Safety
38
Healthcare
24
Quality of Life
28
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maputo | — | — | — | — | — |
| Beira | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nampula | — | — | — | — | — |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Maputo
Rainfall range: 15–170 mm/month · Daylight 10.5h (winter) to 13.5h (summer)
Beira
Rainfall range: 25–300 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13.3h (summer)
Nampula
Rainfall range: 6–230 mm/month · Daylight 11.2h (winter) to 13.2h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist
- Business
- Work DIRE
- Investor
- Family
- Student
- Residence Permit
- Authority
- Serviço Nacional de Migração (SENAMI)
- Official Portal
- www.sernam.gov.mz
- Phone
- +258 21 490 849
- info@sernam.gov.mz
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 10
- Language Test
- Yes (Portuguese)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $75
- Processing
- ~18 months
Safety
GPI Rank
#107
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠Chapa (minibus) conductors quote expats 2–5x the local fare — observe what locals pay and match exactly
- ⚠Unsolicited 'friendly guide' hustles near Praça 25 de Junho and Mercado Central, demanding payment for services never agreed upon
- ⚠Street currency exchange short-change scams — use only banks or official bureau de change
Examples of areas to avoid: Mafalala — dense informal settlement with elevated petty crime and phone snatching, avoid after dark, Xipamanine — higher-than-average street crime around the market area, unsafe for unaccompanied expats at night, Cabo Delgado province — active Islamist insurgency (ISIS-affiliated Ansar al-Sunna, locally 'Al-Shabaab') since 2017; UK FCDO and US State Dept advise against all travel; 1.3 million displaced, attacks increased in 2024–2025 targeting transport corridors and LNG infrastructure
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Mozambique, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Ordem dos Advogados de Mocambique
OAMPublic-law professional body representing lawyers in Mozambique. Immigration status is administered by SENAMI and related state authorities; there is no separate immigration-adviser regulator identified in the public eVisa route guidance.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Mozambique, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Short-term / business
Business eVisa
Short-term / businessShort business eVisa for meetings, research, conferences and other non-employment business travel.
Business Visa for Oil and Gas
Short-term / businessBusiness visitor route for oil-and-gas project activity with registered companies in Mozambique.
Crew Visa
Short-term / businessShort single-entry visa for international airline and cruise crew entering Mozambique.
Sports and Culture Visa
Short-term / businessSingle-entry visa for accredited sport, training, competition and cultural-event participation.
Tourist eVisa
Short-term / businessOnline tourist eVisa route for holiday, vacation and leisure travel to Mozambique.
Work (sponsored)
Work Visa for Oil and Gas
Work (sponsored)Sector-specific work eVisa route for oil-and-gas project work in Mozambique.
Investor
Investment Visa
InvestorInvestor eVisa route for projects of at least USD 500,000 in Mozambique.
Humanitarian
Humanitarian Assistance Visa
HumanitarianMultiple-entry visa for invited non-profit humanitarian work during declared emergencies or public calamity contexts.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified