Following the presentation of the new 'Visa on Arrival' by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) at the beginning of March (see report on Namibian.org), detailed questions have arisen regarding some of the provisions. There were also unclear points regarding the application via the online platform.
Travel industry associations have collected these questions and clarified them in a meeting with MHAISS. They then informed about the results of the meeting in a circular. (for an overview with a step by step guide and FAQs see the special page on the website of Gondwana Collection Namibia).
Accordingly, the 'Visa on Arrival' is only valid for 30 days when applied for via the online platform of the immigration authority. Anyone wishing to stay in Namibia for longer must say so at the immigration counter.
Anyone arriving before 1 April does not need the new visa. Not even if you leave the country after 1 April. However, if a detour to a neighbouring country is planned as part of the round trip, you must apply for a 'Visa on Arrival'.
Applications can be made directly on arrival at the international airports near Windhoek and Walvis Bay as well as at the main border crossings at the national borders.
The e-visa is also accepted at the international airports and at most border crossings. Small border posts such as Nkurenkuru (Angola), Singalamwe (Zambia), Kasika and Dobe (Botswana) as well as Klein Manasse and Vioolsdrift (South Africa) are still excluded for the time being.
Confusion about 'Holiday Visas'
The 'Holiday Visa', which can also be applied for via the e-service platform, has caused confusion - even among immigration officials. This is because some Namibia holidaymakers, for whom the 'Visa on Arrival' actually applies, have applied for and received the 'Holiday Visa'.
The immigration authorities have now declared that this is not legal. However, it remains unclear whether those affected will have to apply for and pay for the correct visa again on arrival.
The 'Holiday Visa' only costs 600 Namibia Dollar (currently a good 30 euros; amount at the current exchange rate, 1 N$ = 1 Rand), but has far more requirements - such as a guarantee and six months of bank statements. The fee for the 'Visa on Arrival' is 1,600 Namibia Dollar (currently a good 30 euros; amount at the current exchange rate).
Sven-Eric Stender
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