Border Crossings

Crossing one of Namibia’s land borders is generally uncomplicated, provided your paperwork is in order.

The part that catches travellers out is usually not the border itself, but one small missing detail: the wrong visa arrangement, a rental vehicle without cross-border permission, an expired document or arriving after the gate has closed.

Which countries border Namibia?

Namibia shares land borders with South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Angola.

There are several official ports of entry around the country, and the one that makes sense for you will depend on your route.

Popular tourism crossings include Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei towards South Africa, Trans-Kalahari and Ngoma towards Botswana, Katima Mulilo towards Zambia, and Oshikango or Ruacana towards Angola.

Check the opening hours

Not all border posts operate 24 hours a day.

Some major crossings, including Noordoewer, Ariamsvlei and Trans-Kalahari, currently operate around the clock, while many smaller crossings have fixed daytime opening hours.

Opening times can change, so check the current hours with Namibia’s immigration authorities before building a long driving day around a particular border.

Arriving five minutes after closing time remains five minutes too late, even if you have driven 600 kilometres to get there.

Passport and visa requirements

Every traveller needs the correct travel documents for both Namibia and the neighbouring country.

Do not assume that because you can enter Namibia without a visa, the same arrangement applies to Botswana, South Africa, Zambia or Angola — or vice versa.

Namibia’s visa rules also changed in April 2025, and not every border post offers the same visa-on-arrival facilities.

Some ports accept both e-visas and in-person visa-on-arrival applications, while others currently accept e-visas only. Check this before choosing your crossing if your nationality requires a visa.

Crossing the border with children

If you are travelling with children under the age of 18, carry a full birth certificate showing the child’s parents as well as the child’s passport.

Where only one parent is travelling with the child, carry written consent from the other parent. A signed consent letter or affidavit, together with a copy of the absent parent’s identification or passport, is the safest approach.

If one parent is deceased, carry the relevant death certificate. Children travelling with guardians, relatives or other adults may require additional consent and supporting documentation.

Remember that both countries at an international border may have their own requirements, so check the rules for Namibia and the neighbouring country before travelling.

If you are driving a rental vehicle

Tell the rental company before taking a Namibian rental vehicle across an international border.

Cross-border travel may require written authorisation from the vehicle owner or rental company, additional insurance or documentation, and sometimes an administration fee.

Do not simply arrive at the border and assume the rental agreement gives you permission to take the vehicle into another country.

If your itinerary crosses several countries, discuss the entire route with the rental company before collecting the vehicle.

Driving your own foreign-registered vehicle into Namibia

Different customs requirements apply depending on where the vehicle is registered.

Tourists entering Namibia in vehicles registered in another Southern African Customs Union country — Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho or South Africa — are currently exempt from Namibia’s Temporary Import Permit requirement.

Tourists entering with vehicles registered outside SACU generally need a Temporary Import Permit from Namibia Revenue Agency. This is normally completed at the point of entry and is linked to the period for which the vehicle may remain temporarily in Namibia.

Carry the vehicle registration documents with you. If you are not the registered owner, you should also have appropriate written authority from the owner permitting you to use the vehicle.

Vehicle charges and border fees

Cross-border vehicle charges, road-user fees, insurance requirements and other administrative costs can apply and vary according to the country, vehicle and crossing.

For that reason, we do not publish a fixed “border fee” here. Check the current requirements shortly before travelling and carry a little cash as well as a bank card.

Be wary of anyone outside the official process offering to “speed things up” for an unofficial payment.

Customs

Crossing a border involves both immigration and customs.

Immigration deals with the people entering or leaving the country; customs deals with the goods and vehicles moving across the border.

If you are carrying goods above your personal allowances, restricted products, large quantities of merchandise or specialist equipment, additional declarations or permits may be required.

See our separate guide to Customs, Duty & VAT Refunds for more detail.

Food, plants and animal products

A perfectly innocent cooler box can become surprisingly complicated at an international border.

Restrictions on meat, animal products, fresh produce and plant material can be introduced or changed in response to livestock disease outbreaks, plant-health concerns or other agricultural controls.

If you are travelling with significant quantities of food, especially meat or fresh produce, check the current rules for both countries before departure.

Give yourself time

Border formalities can be quick, but queues, computer problems and busy holiday periods can make them considerably slower.

Do not plan an international border crossing as though it were a fuel stop.

Allow enough time to complete the formalities calmly, check that your passport has been processed correctly and make sure you have received whatever vehicle or customs documentation applies to your journey.

One border, several authorities

Remember that reaching the Namibian side of the border is only half the process.

The neighbouring country has its own immigration, customs, road and veterinary requirements, and those rules are not controlled by Namibia.

Check both sides of the crossing before you travel.