Travel made easier as Namibia unveils new visa policies

In a significant step towards enhancing border efficiency and streamlining immigration processes, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security (MHAISS) has officially launched the online application for visa on arrival, along with a newly designed visa-onarrival form, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to bolster its tourism sector, improve international engagement, and uphold national security.

Speaking at the official launch, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Albert Kawana reflected on the country’s journey since introducing the visa on arrival policy in 2019. This policy was designed to simplify travel for visitors and strengthen Namibia’s tourism industry, a crucial pillar of the country’s economy.

“The reach of this service has been steadily growing to make Namibia more accessible to travellers worldwide, and we are proud of the progress we have made thus far”, Kawana added. The visa on arrival service has now been expanded to include strategic entry points, such as Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), Walvis Bay International Airport, and several border posts, including Katima Mulilo, Ngoma, Impalila Island, Trans-Kalahari, Oshikango, Mohembo, Ariamsvlei, Noordoewer and Oranjemund.

Policy adjustments

Effective from 1 April 2025, countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, GuineaBissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tunisia, Western Sahara Republic and Uganda will be required to apply for a visa on arrival in Namibia. However, these countries do have the opportunity to negotiate reciprocal visa agreements with the Namibian government.

Additional countries include, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican/Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Kawana stated that: “This adjustment is designed to ensure that our immigration system remains robust and fair, while at the same time still encouraging tourism and international engagement”.

To balance the economic implications of this decision, extensive consultations were held with key stakeholders in the tourism and business sectors, including the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB). Based on these discussions, travellers from countries that reciprocate Namibia’s visa exemptions will continue to enjoy easy access, while those from non-reciprocal countries will be required to pay a visa fee upon arrival of NAD 1600 (approximately USD 90) for non-African Union (AU) countries and NAD 1200 (approximately USD 70) for African Union countries, subject to an annual review.

Avoid long queues

The newly launched online platform allows travellers to apply for visas before arriving in Namibia, reducing wait times and congestion at border posts, while the new combined arrival and visa-on-arrival form replaces the previous separate arrival and departure forms, making the process more userfriendly. Additionally, it removes the need for bank statement submissions while still requiring travellers to indicate their means of sustenance during their stay.

Kawana further reiterated the ministry’s commitment to evolving visa policies that ensure secure, efficient migration management while promoting Namibia as a welcoming destination for tourists, business investors, and international collaborators.

Maggie Forcelledo Paz

Online applications can be submitted through the ministry’s website at eservices.mhaiss.gov.na before arriving in Namibia, while on-arrival applications can be processed at Namibian ports of entry.