A Quick Guide to Visa Requirements for Namibia

Pre-planning a trip to another country can be taxing, and the visa part of that planning can be the biggest challenge of all. You can always outsource the organization of your visa to a travel agency or specialized company, but in many instances that means almost doubling the price of the visa.

To help you out in the planning stages of your Namibia trip, here is a quick guide to visas for Namibia.

Tourist Visa on Arrival

Travelers from the following states and territories can apply for a visa on arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport, valid for 90 days:

• Bulgaria
• Czech Republic
• Hungary
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia

You must pay for the visa in Namibia, and the cost is *N$1 200.

You will need the following documents when applying for this kind of visa:

• Passport with 6 months validity beyond your departure date and at least three blank pages
• Proof of a hotel booking or an invitation letter from person(s) inviting the visitor or tour operator
• Completed via form
• Payment of any fees
• Your return ticket
• Medical insurance covering period of stay
• Yellow fever certificate if applicable
• Any other supporting documentation

Tourist Visa

Tourist visas are valid for three months and generally take three to seven days to process at the Namibian Consulate or Embassy in your country. Not all visitors to Namibia require a tourist visa – nationals from 56 countries worldwide don’t require a visa for visits of less than 90 days.

Some of these countries include:

• Most southern African countries
• Australia
• Austria
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong
• India
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

You can view the full list here.

You will require a passport with 6 months validity beyond your departure date and at least three blank pages.

Nationals of all other countries require a visa, which you can obtain from the Namibian embassy in your country. For those travellers needing to apply for a tourist visa, please note you will need to submit the following paperwork to process the visa:

• Your itinerary
• Copy of a round trip ticket
• Proof of accommodation reservation for your stay in Namibia
• Travel medical or health insurance
• Proof of substantial funds for the duration of stay in Namibia, (3 months bank statement / bank guarantee)
• Payment confirmation for a visa
• Documentation detailing the purpose and duration of the visit
• Copy of a yellow fever vaccination certificate where applicable

Remember that a Namibia Tourist Visa does not permit you to work – this includes volunteer work. You’ll need a work, digital nomad visa, or business visa if you intend to visit Namibia for this purpose.

There are extra requirements for those travelling with children under the age of 18.

Work and Business Visa

If you plan on working for a Namibian company or you are participating in unpaid volunteer work, you will need a work or business visa.

You apply for the visa with the Embassy, but they’re issued at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security in Windhoek.

Study and work visas can be applied for a maximum period of 6 months.

A work visa will take about 5 weeks to process and will cost the applicant about *$1 100 for a three-month visa. The fee for a six-month visa is *$2 200.

The company you will be working or volunteering for should assist you in the visa application process. Along with the temporary work permit the applicant will also need a temporary residence permit for work purposes.

Those applying to work or volunteer in Namibia for 1 to 3 months will require the following:

• An invitation from a Namibian resident
• Visa application form
• Passport with six months validity and three blank pages
• Motivation letter from your employer
• Proof of educational qualifications
• Proof of tender/contract
• Proof of means of sustenance while in Namibia

For those who will be working in Namibia for 6 months, you need all the above as well as:

• Police clearance certificate from country of origin (for 6 months visas)
• Medical and radiological reports

If you are visiting Namibia on business, you need a business visa, even if it is to attend a conference for just a few days. Nationals from countries that don’t require a visa don’t need a business visa for short business stays in Namibia either.

To apply for a business visa, you must provide:

• Passport
• Itinerary
• Yellow fever vaccination
• A business letter from your company outlining the purpose and duration of the visit
• A business letter from the host company giving dates of travel, purpose of the trip and guarantee of sufficient funds.

Please send the completed visa application form and all the required documents by e-mail to: info@embassyofnamibia.se

Digital Nomad Visa

In line with the global trend towards remote work, Namibia has introduced a Digital Nomad Programme, which allows you to live and work in the country for six months.

During your stay, you’re free to work, study, and travel when you hold one of these visas.

You can apply for this visa either online or via email and must attach the following documents:

• Medical certificate
• Radiological Report
• Copy of your passport
• Proof of medical insurance or comprehensive travel insurance
• Proof of income – a minimum of $2,000 per month
• Police clearance certificate
• Six months’ worth of bank statements
• Letter of employment or proof of contract (if applicable)
• Copies of relevant qualifications (recommended but optional)

Other relevant visas

Student Visa: Anybody who wishes to study in Namibia needs to apply for a study permit and visa; the necessary forms for this application process should be available at the various institutions of higher learning in Namibia, or the Namibian embassy in your country.

Transit Visa: This visa is valid for three days or less and is needed if you are just passing through the country.

New Travel Protocols for Flying into Namibia

For all air travel into Namibia from 2021 onwards, you must comply with the following:

• Confirmed accommodation at an approved tourist facility
• An itinerary for your travels

While Namibia is relatively tourist friendly as far as visas are concerned, there are a few important points to bear in mind:

It is wise to make sure you have enough open pages in your passport for the necessary stamps – access to the country can be denied if there is no space for further stamps.

Remember the 90-day limit on a tourist visa or tourist visit – while it is possible to apply for a visa extension in the country, the granting of those extensions is rare.

All documents must be in English.

Getting a visa is a process in any country, but as long as you apply for the most appropriate visa, and have all the relevant paperwork, the process can be easy and hassle free.

*Disclaimer: Information on this page is accurate and reliable at time of publication, however, while Arebbusch Travel Lodge endeavors to ensure that our site is updated regularly it may not always reflect the very latest updates, and with time some of this information may change. Accordingly, Arebbusch Travel Lodge will not be held liable for loss or inconvenience resulting from the use of outdated or incorrectly noted information.

We recommend that you clarify this information with the relevant authorities prior to finalizing your travel arrangements.

You are invited to contact us directly should you have updated information to what has been shared here so that we can make the relevant changes.

Click here to view the latest Tourism Guidelines as published by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.