The government has introduced an enhanced visa process, including an expanded visa-on-arrival policy and a new e-visa system, to improve border efficiency, boost tourism and increase state revenue.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security launched an online visa-on-arrival application on Monday to modernise immigration processes and align Namibia’s visa policies with global best practices.
Minister Albert Kawana emphasised the economic benefits of the revised visa framework, noting that the visa-on-arrival policy, first introduced in 2019, had already increased international visitor numbers.
“Revenue from visa fees will go to the Ministry of Finance’s state revenue account. The government is committed to ensuring these fees do not create barriers for legitimate travellers and will review the system as needed,” he said.
The new e-visa system will further simplify travel to Namibia by allowing visitors to apply online before arrival, reducing congestion at border posts and ensuring a smoother entry process.
“Our objective is to make Namibia more accessible while maintaining a secure and efficient immigration system. The introduction of online visa applications eliminates unnecessary delays, allowing travellers to focus on their experience rather than lengthy bureaucratic procedures,” Kawana noted.
As of 1 April 2025, travellers from countries that do not offer Namibians visa-free entry will be required to pay a fee upon arrival: N$1,600 (approximately US$90) for non-African Union countries and N$1,200 (approximately US$70) for African Union countries.
Kawana said these fees have been benchmarked against similar policies in other countries and will be subject to regular review.
The original visa-on-arrival policy in 2019 was introduced to attract more international travellers. However, challenges related to long queues at border posts and inconsistent visa processing prompted the government to modernise the system with an e-visa platform.
Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board’s CEO Nangula Uaandja highlighted the potential financial gains from the initiative.
“If we target even 0.1% of the global market potential of 2.5 billion travellers that translates into 2.5 million visitors. If each of them pays N$1,000 upon arrival, Namibia could generate N$2.5 billion in revenue,” Uaandja explained.
Beyond revenue generation, she said the revised visa policy is expected to enhance Namibia’s global competitiveness in the tourism sector. The government is keen to ensure that the changes do not negatively impact tourism, with consultations conducted to address concerns regarding fees and potential restrictions on budget travellers.
“Our challenge now is to ensure that we effectively market Namibia as a destination of choice. If we can attract even a fraction of the available global travel market, we stand to gain significantly,” Uaandja added.
The online application system is set to improve border security by pre-screening visitors before arrival, streamlining entry procedures, and maintaining a robust security framework.
This comes as Namibia expanded its visa-on-arrival facility, initially granted to 45 countries in 2019 and extended to 11 more in 2023, now covering 57 countries, including 28 African Union nations.
However, effective 1 April 2025, 33 countries, including Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uzbekistan, will require entry visas but can still utilise visa on arrival and electronic visas.
Kawana noted that Namibia encourages affected nationals to apply online in advance to avoid travel disruptions.
