Visa required upon entry from April 2025
The Namibian government is moving ahead with the implementation of a new visa-on-arrival regime that will require those affected to pay a fee upon entry.Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration and Security Lucia Witbooi announced on Wednesday that nationals of 33 countries will have to pay N$1 600 for a visa application from 1 April 2025.
She said that the countries affected are those that have not reciprocated Namibia's gesture of exempting several countries from visa requirements. This exemption applies to holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports when visiting Namibia for a maximum of 90 days, Witbooi said.
"It is perhaps time to review and evaluate whether Namibia continues to grant visa-free travel to countries that have not reciprocated our good gesture," she said. Witbooi said some countries that were exempted from visa requirements during independence have not reciprocated this goodwill.
“The reasons for the non-return of goodwill remain unknown. We also noted that the Canadian government introduced visa requirements for all Namibian passport holders in 2012 and the British government in 2023, despite initially lifting visa requirements for Namibians in return,” she said.
The new regime will impact countries such as Belgium, Brazil, Armenia, Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan.
“However, nationals of these countries will be eligible for a visa on arrival if they pay the prescribed fees and meet the entry requirements for Namibia. Entry requirements for Namibia include, among others, a return ticket, health insurance, proof that they can support themselves during their stay in Namibia, that they are not wanted by any country for criminal activities, and that their passport is valid for at least six months on the day of arrival,” said Witbooi.