Namibia presents new visa at the ITB Berlin travel trade fair

The new 'Visa on Arrival (VOA)' procedure, which will apply from 1 April 2025, is intended to "simplify travel logistics" when entering Namibia. This was announced yesterday by the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (FENATA) in a letter to the travel industry.

The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) will officially present the VOA at the travel trade fair Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) beginning of March in Berlin at the beginning of March.

In its letter, FENATA reports on a meeting with the NTB, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) and the Namibia Investment Promotion & Development Board (NIPDB).

Namibia's travel industry has been pushing for clarity on the regulations for months. The government had already announced the visa last May (see report on Namibian.org).

Since then, several details have emerged but have not yet been officially released by the Ministry of Home Affairs or published in the Government Gazette.

Visa regulations which are not yet officially confirmed

• The new 'Visa on Arrival' will apply from 1 April 2025 to all citizens from countries that do not grant visa exemption to Namibians. These include Germany, Switzerland and Austria as well as Great Britain, the Netherlands, France and Italy.

• It costs 1,600 Namibia Dollar (currently 82.50 euros; amount at the current exchange rate, 1 N$ = 1 rand). This makes it slightly cheaper than the Schengen visa for Namibians (90 euros). There is no discount for children.

• The visa can be obtained by applying on arrival and also in advance via an online platform. The platform is not yet active and should not be confused with the existing application page for holiday visas (see e-sevices overview of MHAISS). The latter concerns citizens of countries for which a visa requirement has existed for a long time.

• The visa fee can be paid by credit card, at least at the international airports near Windhoek and Walvis Bay and at the main border posts at the country's borders.

• The visa covers multiple entries, as required for cruise holidaymakers or for excursions to Victoria Falls, for example.

• Anyone arriving before 1 April does not yet need the new visa, even if they are leaving the country after 1 April.

Sven-Eric Stender