Unity Bridge 2 (Mkwenda) | Customs and Immigration

Mkwenda / Matchedje / Congresso / Unity Bridge 2

Straightforward border crossing.

Border is approx. 120km from Songea and 220km from Lichinga - almost all untarred except for the last 50km before Lichinga. The dirt road on the Tanzanian side is slightly better, but you can still expect the drive from Songea to Lichinga to take about 7 hours (excluding border time). There is no fuel between Songea and Lichinga, so fill up before you leave.

We crossed from Tanzania to Mozambique. It took us 15 mins on the TZ side of the border post, and almost an hour on the MOZ side, even though we were the only ones there. However, this was mainly due to the fact that the officials only spoke Portuguese, and we only spoke English.

We still made the effort to have proper, expensive PCR tests done in Tanzania. The officials took one look at the certificate, didn’t read it properly, and let us through without checking the others.

Paid USD15 on the MOZ side for TIP (no visas required for SA citizens), and that was it. No bribes were asked or offered.

Overall a pleasant experience, albeit fairly bumpy.

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Border was open. Easy and professional in the Tanzanian side, trouble makers, as usual, on the mozambican side. I couldn't cross to Mozambique as my residence permit was expired so they did not want to issue for me a tourist visa and asked me for a fine of 500 USD instead. Road to Songea is 120 kms that you can easy make in 2 and a half hour.

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Easy crossing, Tanzania to Mozambique. Traveling with SA motorcycle they wanted me to get insurance, stamping my carnet seemed to please them. I showed very old covid test which they let me through with. No bribes

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We entered yesterday from Mozambique to Tanzania in Matchedje border without any problem. This area along the Malawi like in Mozambique is safe. They deliver tourist Visas without PCR test at the border. We paid 50$pp for the Visa for 3 months and 75$ for the TIP for 3 months.
We tried Milange and Mandimba borders to go to Malawi but they don't deliver tourist Visa yet.

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Tanzania - Mozambique

Road from Songea to Boarder is an ok dirt road. Took 3 hours to go the 120km.

Leaving Tanzania very easy, fill out immigration book, check car docs, stamped passport and left. It’s a very small boarder post with very few people.

Entering Mozambique-Visa on Arrival
Go through security, they fill out a book, (all wanted a soda or money but we said we don’t have any, no problem).
Then you walk to immigration.
Got a visa on arrival 50$ each (Uk and Australian citizen).
Very slow process, they needed a hotel name, address and telephone number, we didn’t have a booking but that didn’t seem to matter, they just need a reputable hotel to register your visa.
Showed all car docs, no payment needed (RSA car)
Took us 2 hours.

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Tanz->Moz
Easy process to stamp out of Tanz. Getting the visa on arrival for Moz took about 2 hours because their network was down. We finally got the visas in our passports but they couldn't enter us into the electronic system which they said should be ok. We paid $50/visa (American & French). They only accept cash and must be in $50 or $100 bills. The 30-day TIP for our SA-registered vehicle was free. We paid no other fees. There are no ATMs or money changers on either side. The border agents on both sides were friendly and helpful.

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As described in the prior entry. Did not understand why 25US$ for TIP are charged when having a Carnet. Did not manage to enter without paying the TIP.

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Second bridge from Mozambique to Tanzania, called unity bridge 2.
From Lichinga to Songea it are about 320km and 300 of it gravel/dirt. There is no fuel between.

The border is very easy and hassle free. In Mozambique just get your exit stamp and leave your tip in the same building.

Cross the bridge and enter the small building in Tanzania. Custom and immigration in the same house again. Pay 50$ for the Visa (Austrian citizen) and 25$ for the road tax/tip. No carnet. No bribe or waiting...

No money changers or sim etc. I didn‘t have the 25$ so he gave me change in TShilling.

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