Appeals against decisions of the Department of Immigration

This public notice serves to remind our esteemed clients and members of the public of the correct appeal procedure against any decision of the Department of Immigration, other than deportation. This will help in efficiency in decision making and service delivery.

It has been observed that in the past, the appeal procedures have not been strictly adhered to. However, be notified that with effect from 1^st March 2020, all appeals must conform to these procedures and time frames. Any appeal which will not conform to these procedures will be rendered null and void.

Appeals to the Director-General

If an Applicant is aggrieved with the decision of the Department of Immigration, he/she can appeal (complain) to the Director-General of Immigration. In the event that an unfavorable decision is upheld, he (she) can make a second appeal (complaint) to the Director-General of Immigration. The period within which the applicant must appeal to the Director-General of Immigration, from the time the unfavorable decision is received will be clearly indicated on the Notice of Rejection, which period should be within seven days. Any appeals tendered outside the indicated period will be rendered null and void.

In the case of appeals against rejection of permit applications, the appeals must be made online through the e-services portal.

Appeals to the Minister of Home Affairs

If the Applicant’s two appeals (complaints) to the Director-General are unsuccessful, the Applicant can appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs within forty-eight hours of receiving the decision of the second appeal (complaint) from the Director-General of Immigration. In the case of appeals against rejection of permit applications, the appeal to the Minister must be made online through the e-services portal.

Appealing against the Minister’s Decision

Any person aggrieved with a decision of the Minister may, within forty-eight hours of the Minister’s decision, if appropriate, appeal to the court.

Note: If the decision of the Department is not appealed against as explained above, the decision shall be final. Further, decisions made in relation to applications submitted online will be communicated to the applicant through email. However, applicants are encouraged to track the status of their applications through their personalized e-services accounts. Decisions (i.e. approval or rejection letters) can also be accessed on the e-services portal, in real-time.

For clarification, kindly call us on +260 211 255282. You can also send your queries to pro@zambiaimmigration.gov.zm,