Namibia:Visa Requirements

NamibiaLearn the visa requirements for this country. Last check:Last update:

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Namibia Visa Requirements Map

Namibia: Visa Requirements

Visa requirements may change. Always verify the latest information through official government sources.

Visa-Free Entry Requirements

  • The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the planned stay in Namibia. The passport must have sufficient blank pages for entry and exit stamps. The exact number of blank pages for visa-exempt travelers is not definitively specified in the central official source. The traveler must have a valid return or onward ticket.
  • Stays for tourism or holiday purposes under the visa exemption are limited to a maximum of three months within a calendar year. Entry is permitted for temporary purposes such as visiting, visiting friends or relatives, attending meetings, workshops provided not as a facilitator, exploring business opportunities, and medical treatment. For paid or unpaid employment, teaching, conducting a company audit, or volunteering, an appropriate work permit must be obtained.
  • The traveler must complete the arrival form at the point of entry and make the necessary declaration. For travelers who are not Namibian citizens, residents, or holders of a valid permanent residence permit, this procedure is part of the general entry process.
  • A yellow fever vaccination certificate may be requested for travel connected to areas with a risk of yellow fever. Travelers within this scope may be directed to the health unit at the port or border crossing before immigration control.
  • Travelers with children under eighteen years of age are strongly advised to carry the child's full birth certificate. If the child is traveling with only one parent, the consent of the other parent may be submitted; if the other parent is deceased, a death certificate may be submitted. For a child traveling with an adult who is not a biological parent, a consent declaration and contact information from the parent or legal guardian may be requested. For unaccompanied children, a letter of permission from the parent or guardian, the address and contact information of the person picking up the child, and that person's identity document, passport, and if applicable, Namibian residence permit or visa document must be carried.

E-Visa Application Requirements

  • The e-visa application must be made from outside Namibia via the electronic services portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Security and Safety. The applicant must register or log in to the portal, select the appropriate online application category, fill in the required information, upload documents, and make an online payment. Each applicant, including children, must have a separate application form.
  • The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the planned stay and contain at least three blank pages. A scanned or certified copy of the passport's personal information page and a recent passport photograph must be uploaded. For online visa-on-arrival applications, the published file size range for the passport scan and photograph is between 300 KB and 2 MB. The photograph's dimensions in centimeters or pixels, background color, date taken, and accepted file formats are not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • A confirmed return ticket, proof of accommodation, and a bank statement showing the applicant's financial status for the last six months must be submitted. The minimum amount required in the bank account is not definitively specified in the central official source. For applications made through a travel agency, a letter of justification from the agency may be requested; for other applications, a letter from the applicant explaining the purpose of travel may be requested.
  • If traveling upon invitation, an invitation letter, an affidavit of support signed by the inviting party, the inviting party's bank statement for the last six months, and documents showing the inviting party's current legal status must be submitted. Depending on the inviting party's status, an identity document, passport, visa, or residence permit document may be requested.
  • If an agency or another representative is processing on behalf of the applicant, a power of attorney signed by the applicant must be uploaded. The power of attorney exemption published on the electronic portal for spouses and children under 17 years of age may apply. The portal may create different document upload fields depending on the invitation status, use of a representative, and the selected application type.
  • In the online visa-on-arrival/e-visa process, accommodation confirmation, proof of sufficient financial means, travel itinerary, and travel or health insurance are required. The minimum coverage amount of the insurance is not definitively specified in the central official source. For travel with children, a full birth certificate or appropriate parental consent must be submitted.
  • All documents not in English must be submitted together with official English translations. Whether documents require notarization, apostille, or legalization may vary depending on the document type and the mission where the application is made; no central apostille requirement applicable to all applications has been published.
  • The approved e-visa must be downloaded and printed from the portal. A digital copy displayed only on a phone or other electronic device is not accepted; the printed approval document must be presented at the point of entry. The e-visa also serves as an arrival form, and the arrival section of the document must be signed in front of the immigration officer.
  • The e-visa is valid only between the dates stated on the document. If travel is desired outside these dates, a new application must be made. If conditions are met, a multiple-entry holiday visa not exceeding a total of 90 days in a calendar year may be issued, depending on the number of days requested.
  • The published processing time for online visa-on-arrival applications is 48 hours. The published processing time for the standard holiday visa service is 7–10 business days. A single current minimum period for how many days before travel an application must be made, applicable to all applications, is not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • The current basic fee varies according to the official tariff group and age of the applicant. For applicants aged 12 years and over, NAD 1,200 or NAD 1,600 is charged; for children aged 6–11 years, NAD 600 or NAD 800 is charged. No fee is charged for children under 6 years of age. Payment is made online; the accepted card brands and other payment methods are not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • The e-visa must be used at the operational and declared airports, ports, and land border crossings specified in the official information note. The Dobe Border Crossing is not shown as operational for e-visa and visa-on-arrival procedures. The entry point to be used must be re-checked on the electronic portal before travel.

Visa on Arrival Requirements

  • A visa-on-arrival application can only be made at Namibian entry points authorized for this service. The traveler must complete the arrival form in advance but sign the form only in front of the immigration officer. The printed form may be obtained during the flight or from the application counter upon arrival.
  • The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the planned stay and contain at least three blank pages. A completed application form, accommodation confirmation, hotel reservation or invitation letter, proof of sufficient financial means, travel itinerary, and travel or health insurance must be submitted. The minimum amount established for financial sufficiency and the minimum coverage of the insurance are not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • Travelers with children must submit a full birth certificate or appropriate parental consent. If the child is traveling with only one parent, with an adult who is not a parent, or unaccompanied, the permission letter of the other parent or legal guardian, contact information of the relevant persons, and the identity and legal status documents of the person picking up the child may be requested.
  • A visa on arrival may be granted for tourism, business meetings, conferences, and other short-term visit purposes. If eligibility conditions are met, the visa may be multiple-entry and the total permitted stay cannot exceed 90 days in a calendar year. Activities of an employment nature cannot be carried out with a visitor visa on arrival.
  • The visa-on-arrival fee varies according to the applicant's official tariff group and age. For those aged 12 years and over, NAD 1,200 or NAD 1,600 is applied; for children aged 6–11 years, NAD 600 or NAD 800 is applied. No fee is charged for children under 6 years of age. Card payment is envisaged for manual applications at the port. The accepted card brands are not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • For cruise passengers making day trips from Lüderitz and Walvis Bay ports, a daily fee of NAD 300 per person is applied.
  • In-person visa-on-arrival applications can be processed at Ariamsvlei, Impalila, Katima Mulilo, Mohembo, Noordoewer, Ngoma, Oranjemund, Oshikango, and Trans-Kalahari land border crossings; at Hosea Kutako International Airport; at Walvis Bay Airport; and at Lüderitz and Walvis Bay ports.
  • At entry points that accept only e-visas, an on-arrival application cannot be made without a previously obtained printed e-visa. During the assessment of the application, the immigration officer may request originals of documents or additional explanation. The exact completion time for a manual on-arrival application at the counter is not definitively specified in the central official source.

Consular Visa Application Requirements

  • A consular visa application can be made at the nearest Namibian embassy or consulate, or in countries without a mission, to the competent ministry in Namibia. The jurisdiction, appointment method, document submission procedure, and local payment method may vary depending on the diplomatic mission applied to.
  • Visa application form number 3-1/0033 must be completed in full and signed by the applicant. Information on identity and contact details, marital status, nationality, passport details, residential address, occupation or educational status, employer details, family members, current financial means, return or onward ticket, purpose of travel, duration of stay, entry and exit points, addresses in Namibia, and the next destination country must be provided. Accurate declaration must be made regarding previous entry refusal, deportation, conviction, and health conditions as asked on the form.
  • The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the planned stay. A certified copy of the passport's personal information page, a letter of justification from the applicant or inviting party explaining the purpose of travel, a confirmed return ticket, financial evidence showing that expenses in Namibia can be covered, and a legal status document of the inviting party or business partner must be submitted. If there is a previous or current Namibian visa or permit, a copy may be requested.
  • All copies must be certified; documents not in English must be submitted with official or sworn English translations. Whether documents require apostille or consular legalization varies depending on the mission and the country where the document was issued.
  • If the passport cannot be submitted for visa processing, two passport-type photographs measuring 37 × 52 millimeters are requested. The applicant's name and signature must be on the back of the photographs. In normal applications where the passport is submitted, the number of photographs, background color, date taken, and other technical specifications are not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • When the application is approved, the original passport and payment receipt must be presented for the visa to be affixed to the passport. In exceptional cases where the passport cannot be submitted, a visa may be issued on a separate paper. An approval letter or proof of payment alone does not grant the right to enter the country; the visa must be issued or affixed to the passport before travel.
  • A separate form is required for each applicant over sixteen years of age. A separate form must also be completed for a child under sixteen years of age who is traveling with their own passport. Birth certificate and consent documents relating to children must be submitted separately according to the travel conditions.
  • A visitor visa may be used for holiday, visit, meetings, workshops not attended as a facilitator, exploring business opportunities, and medical treatment. For employment, teaching, auditing, or volunteering, a work visa or permit category must be used.
  • The published standard processing time for holiday, business, transit, and other short-term visas is 7–10 business days. The visa affixing time to the passport after approval is indicated as two business days. A single current period for how far in advance of travel the application must be made, applied uniformly at all missions, is not definitively specified in the central official source.
  • Visa validity ranges from 1 to 90 days depending on the application type. The decision on single or multiple entry is made by the competent authority. The current basic fee is NAD 1,200 or NAD 1,600 depending on age and official tariff group; for ages 6–11, it is NAD 600 or NAD 800. No fee is charged for children under 6 years of age. The currency and payment method accepted by missions are not definitively specified in the central official source.

Transit Visa Requirements

  • In a transit visa application, the general visa application form, a passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the planned transit period, a certified copy of the passport's personal information page, and a letter explaining the purpose of travel must be submitted. All copies must be certified and documents not in English must be submitted with official or sworn English translations.
  • The applicant must state the final destination country, the mode of transport for leaving Namibia, the planned departure date, and the point of departure. Evidence of admission to the final country must be submitted. When necessary, a valid visa, residence permit, or other entry authorization for the final country must be presented.
  • Sufficient financial means must be demonstrated to cover expenses during the transit period in Namibia. The minimum financial amount is not definitively specified in the central official source. An onward ticket or confirmed travel reservation must support the transit route.
  • The transit visa is issued for a maximum of three days, i.e., 72 hours. The published standard processing time is 7–10 business days, and the processing time for affixing to the passport after approval is two business days.
  • The transit visa fee varies according to age and the official tariff group to which the applicant belongs. For ages 12 and over, NAD 1,200 or NAD 1,600 is applied; for ages 6–11, NAD 600 or NAD 800 is applied. No fee is charged for children under 6 years of age. The payment method may vary depending on the mission applied to, and a single method for all missions is not specified in the central official source.
Population
3,153,246(2026 est.)
Official language
English
Government type
Presidential republic
Continent
Africa
Capital
Windhoek
Currency
Namibian dollar / South African rand
Area
825,615 km²
Phone code
+264

Namibia: Key Destinations

Windhoek serves as the capital and principal gateway to Namibia, connecting visitors to the country's vast landscapes. Major cities like Swakopmund and Walvis Bay offer coastal access and historic charm.

Namibia's cultural diversity is evident in towns like Lüderitz and the Himba villages in the north. Business hubs include Windhoek's industrial areas, while the Skeleton Coast and Etosha National Park attract outdoor enthusiasts.

Many travelers start in Windhoek, then drive south to Sossusvlei's red dunes or north to Etosha. Routes often combine the central highlands, the Skeleton Coast, and the Caprivi Strip for varied experiences.