Namibia Visa Requirements 2025: Types, Exemptions, and How to Apply

(NAMIBIA) Namibia now requires a visa from most travelers who used to get entry approval on arrival, starting April 1, 2025. If you’re from the United States 🇺🇸, Canada 🇨🇦, most of Europe, or many other places, plan for an e-visa or visa on arrival and bring a larger set of documents than before.

This change matters because airlines and border officers now expect proof of insurance, money for the trip, and confirmed plans. One missing paper can turn an easy holiday into a refused boarding, a delayed entry, or a rushed scramble at the airport.

April 2025: the rule change that reshaped entry to Namibia

Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security announced the new visa requirements in March 2025, with the rules taking effect April 1, 2025. The shift moved Namibia away from a system where many visitors relied on visas issued on arrival, and toward more advance screening.

VisaVerge.com reports that Namibia’s redesign follows a clear “reciprocity” approach, meaning Namibia wants its entry rules to match how other countries treat Namibian travelers, while also raising government revenue.

A second milestone followed later in 2025. On October 2, 2025, the Ministry added 36 new nationalities as eligible for the online visa-on-arrival program, widening access to the streamlined online process.

Step 1: confirm whether you actually need a Namibia visa

Start by sorting yourself into one of two groups:

• Visa-exempt travelers (about 55 countries): You don’t need a visa in advance and you receive a Visitor’s Entry Permit (VEP) endorsement stamp at the border.
• All other nationalities: You need a visa, either through the e-visa portal before travel or through visa on arrival at a designated entry point.

Namibia lists many countries with complete visa exemptions, including Angola, Botswana, Brazil, Cuba, Eswatini, Hong Kong (SAR), Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Macau (SAR), Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Russian Federation, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Even if you’re visa-exempt, the purpose of your trip matters. Visa-exempt entry covers tourism, visiting friends or relatives, attending workshops (not as a facilitator), attending meetings, exploring business opportunities, and medical treatment.

Employment is treated differently. If you plan to work, volunteer, train staff, conduct audits, or do other work-like tasks, you must get an employment permit or work visa even if your passport is from a visa-exempt country.

Step 2: choose the right visa type for your trip

Namibia offers several visa categories. Picking the wrong one causes trouble at the border.

• Tourist visa (holiday travel): The most common category. As of April 1, 2025, travelers who need it can obtain it online in advance or on arrival at designated ports. The default entry period for visa on arrival is generally 30 days, although inspectors may grant up to 90 days.
• Business visa: Covers business activities that do not amount to employment. Granted at the discretion of immigration authorities—your documents and explanation of the trip matter.
• Work visa: Required for employment. Must be obtained from the nearest Namibian Embassy or High Commission before travel. Not available on arrival.
• Student visa: For international students accepted to study at a Namibian institution. Must be applied for before travel through the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Temporary residence permits: For longer-term stays and can be applied for at Namibian High Commissions or Embassies.

Visa types at a glance

Step 3: build your document pack before you start any application

Namibia’s updated system is document-heavy. The easiest way to avoid last-minute stress is to assemble everything before you open the portal.

Bring these core items for a Namibia visa application:

• A valid passport with at least six months validity from the date of entry and at least three completely blank pages
• A certified copy of your passport
• An invitation letter or a motivation letter from your safari operator or host
• A return ticket or proof of onward travel
• Proof of accommodation, such as hotel bookings or residential confirmation
• Proof of financial means, such as a bank statement, a credit or debit card, or proof of upfront payments
• Medical/travel insurance in English covering possible medical expenses

This list also serves as a practical checklist for airline staff. Carriers often check basics before boarding when a country tightens entry rules, because airlines face costs if they transport someone who is not admitted.

Step 4: apply online through Namibia’s e-visa portal (recommended path)

For most travelers who need a visa, the online route is the most predictable. It reduces the risk of long queues and document disputes at arrival.

Use the official government portal for the application: Namibia’s e-visa visa-on-arrival service page. Expect to do these actions in order:

1. Create an account and enter your personal and travel details.
2. Complete the visa application carefully, matching your passport spelling and passport number.
3. Upload the required documents, including insurance, finances, accommodation, and tickets.
4. Pay the fee and keep proof of payment.
5. Download and print your e-visa permit with the QR code for presentation at entry.

Plan timing with a safety buffer. Namibia advises applying several weeks before travel, because processing times vary and small errors often lead to delays when officials request corrections.

Fees: what you’ll pay and how to budget

Namibia’s published visa fees are straightforward:

Budget for the visa as a fixed trip cost, and don’t assume you can negotiate the fee at the counter. Also budget time, because payment and document checks add steps that did not exist for many visitors before April 2025.

When visa on arrival still makes sense, and where it’s offered

If you cannot apply online, Namibia still allows visa on arrival at designated ports of entry. Travelers typically complete an application form provided by airline attendants before landing, then submit the form and all required documents to immigration officials.

Designated ports listed by Namibia include:

• Hosea Kutako International Airport
• Walvis Bay Airport
• Walvis Bay Harbour
• Ariamsvlei, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma, Noordoewer, Oshikango, Oranjemund Border, Trans Kalahari, Katwitwi
• Lüderitz Airport, Lüderitz Harbour, Oranjemund Airport
• Ruacana, Impalila, and Mohembo

The practical reality is simple: visa on arrival only works when you arrive with the same document pack you would have uploaded online. If you show up without insurance, funds, or proof of where you will sleep, you’re asking an officer to say no.

Arrival in Namibia: the stamp check that protects your whole trip

After your flight, the most important moment is not baggage claim. It is the admission stamp at immigration.

Check your stamp before you leave the counter. Namibia warns that overstaying the time granted, or having an incorrect or missing entry stamp, can lead to detention, arrest, and fines.

For tourists, Namibia states that holidaymakers can remain for up to 90 days. For visa on arrival, the general entry period is 30 days, with the possibility of up to 90 days if an inspector authorizes it.

If you want 90 days, ask politely at the counter and be ready to show a solid itinerary and accommodation proof.

Extensions in Windhoek: how to stay longer without breaking the rules

If you need more time, Namibia allows extensions for a further three months through the Ministry of Home Affairs in Windhoek. Extensions for visa on arrival holders can also be processed through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security.

Treat extensions like a compliance task, not a casual request:

• Apply before your current permission expires.
• Carry proof of funds and accommodation for the extra period.
• Keep copies of anything you submit.

Families traveling with children: extra papers you must carry

Namibia applies strict documentation checks for minors. Families with children under 17 must bring additional paperwork:

• Full birth certificates for each child showing the parental relationship
• A parental consent letter if both parents are not accompanying the child
• Certification by a notary public for consent letters

Parents can alternatively present a court order granting full legal custody or a death certificate of the other parent named on the birth certificate.

For families, the safest approach is to keep these documents in hand luggage, not checked baggage. Border checks happen before you see your suitcase.

Work and study: the fastest way to get refused entry

Namibia draws a hard line between visiting and working. On a tourist or holiday visa, you cannot take employment. Namibia explicitly includes volunteer work, training local staff, and conducting audits as prohibited work-like activities.

If your trip includes paid work, unpaid work, research, or formal study, secure the correct authorization before travel. Work, study, and research visas must be applied for before travel and cannot be obtained on arrival.

For business travelers, keep your activities narrow and well described. Meetings and exploring business opportunities are treated differently from doing work for a subsidiary or delivering services on the ground.

A realistic travel checklist that prevents last-minute problems

A smooth Namibia entry in 2025–2026 comes down to discipline and paperwork. Before you leave home, confirm you have:

• Passport validity of at least six months and three blank pages
• Printed e-visa approval with QR code, if you applied online
• Insurance certificate in English
• Proof of funds and proof of accommodation
• Onward or return ticket proof
• For minors, birth certificates and consent documentation

Namibia remains one of Africa’s most sought-after destinations, but the travel “defaults” changed on April 1, 2025. Travelers who treat the visa and e-visa process as the first part of the journey usually arrive calm, prepared, and admitted without drama.