Namibia expands the list of countries eligible for visa on arrival

Since April 1, 2025, Namibia has ended the visa exemption previously granted to 33 nationalities, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia.

From now on, citizens of these countries must apply for a visa to enter Namibia, a measure that Windhoek justifies under the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.

To simplify the process, Namibian authorities strongly encourage the use of the e-Visa on arrival system, which allows travelers to submit their application online before their trip and save time at entry points.

While 90 nationalities are already eligible for the visa-on-arrival program (either online before departure or at the border), Namibia is preparing to extend eligibility to an additional 35 (or possibly 36) countries.

New countries soon eligible for visa on arrival in Namibia

One of the decisions made during the 19th Cabinet meeting, held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, was to expand the list of countries whose citizens will soon be eligible for a visa on arrival in Namibia.

In its statement, the Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology announced that 35 new countries and territories will be added to the program. Until now, their citizens were required to apply for a visa in person at a Namibian diplomatic mission.

Here is the full list of the new countries and territories that will soon be eligible for a Namibian visa on arrival, although the exact date when this measure takes effect has not yet been announced:

• Åland Islands, American Samoa, Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Central African Republic, Cyprus, Dominican Republic (?), Georgia, Grenada, Haiti, Kiribati, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palestine, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Slovenia, Suriname, Sweden, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.

The official wording of the list, however, is confusing. At item 35 it reads “Vanuatu Dominican Republic”, which raises doubts as to whether this is a single mislabelled entry or two separate countries. As a result, the total number of new countries could be 35 or 36. Besides, some of the countries in this new list also already appear on the existing list of eligible nations.

It should be noted that for Haiti, holders of ordinary passports will be exempt from visa fees, under the principle of reciprocity.

Additional fees for visa applications submitted on arrival

The Namibian government also announced the upcoming introduction of a service fee of 400 Namibian dollars (about US$23) for any visa application submitted manually upon arrival, meaning directly at the immigration counter.

Although authorities did not officially state the purpose of this measure, the introduction of this extra cost suggests a desire to encourage travelers to use the online process, which is simpler and faster, rather than applying for the visa at the border.

The Cabinet also noted the progress made in implementing the visa reciprocity policy and the findings of an assessment conducted by the Technical Facilitation Committee, which identified some “operational inefficiencies” at Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA). In response, it directed several ministries, agencies and bodies to finalize, by 30 September 2025, a comprehensive and costed implementation plan for improvements to be undertaken at the airport in the short and medium term.

90 countries already eligible for visa on arrival in Namibia

Currently, before this future expansion takes effect, Namibia offers citizens of 90 countries and territories the option to obtain a visa either on arrival or online.

The electronic visa on arrival is a procedure that allows eligible travelers to submit their application through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security platform: eservices.mhaiss.gov.na, before departure, instead of completing the entire process at the border.

To obtain an e-Visa on arrival, travelers must present a passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry into Namibia, provide a passport photo, and complete an online form. Applications are usually processed within a few hours, allowing travelers to arrive in Namibia with prior approval already secured.

The cost of the e-Visa depends on both the traveler’s region of origin and age:

For citizens of African countries:

• Standard fee: NAD 1,200 (about US$70)
• Children aged 6 to 11: NAD 600 (about US$35)
• Children under 6: exempt from fees

For citizens of other countries:

• Standard fee: NAD 1,600 (about US$93)
• Children aged 6 to 11: NAD 800 (about US$47)
• Children under 6: exempt from fees

In addition, applying online avoids the NAD 400 service fee that will be charged for visa applications submitted manually upon arrival.

The 90 countries and territories currently eligible for a Namibian visa on arrival are as follows: