Malawi is a common law jurisdiction working in English, so a power of attorney drafted by a lawyer in Lilongwe or Blantyre will look familiar and needs no translation. The instrument should still come from there rather than from a template.
Quick facts
Land is where care is needed. Most land in Malawi is held under customary tenure administered through traditional authorities, with a smaller proportion under registered title, and the two behave completely differently.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Consular act | Not published | Ask the embassy |
| U.S. notarisation | $5–$25 per signature | Where used |
| Certification chain | $3–$25 plus fees | Depending on the route |
| Lawyer’s fees in Malawi | Agreed with the firm | Drafting and completion |
| Registration in Malawi | Charged there | Where title is registered |
Inheritance is the other common reason, and Malawian succession applies differently depending on whether the estate falls under statute or custom.
How to apply
- Instruct a lawyer in Malawi to draft the instrument.
- Establish whether the land is customary or under registered title.
- Collect the identity details of everyone named.
- Ask the embassy about its requirements and fee.
- Execute the document as instructed and send it tracked.
- Register it in Malawi where the transaction requires it.
Required documents
- Malawian passport or identity card.
- The draft prepared in Malawi.
- Full details of the person receiving the authority.
- Land or case references.
- Evidence of relationship for inheritance matters.
- Payment in the accepted form.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington, by appointment.
Additional notes
Customary or titled
Establish which applies before granting authority over land. It determines what is possible at all.
Traditional authorities
Where land is customary, decisions involve the local authority rather than a registry alone.
Be specific
Name the property and the acts authorised as precisely as the records allow.
Revocation
Revoking requires a further instrument through the same route, with notice to whoever holds the original.