Namibia government has announced that starting April 1, 2025, travellers from at least 31 nations, most of them in Europe, will be subjected to visa restrictions. The decision, made by Namibia’s cabinet, comes in response to these countries’ refusal to lift their visa requirements for Namibian citizens.
The affected countries include prominent nations such as the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Canada, and Italy.
Other countries on the list are Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, Ukraine, and Armenia.
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Namibia argues that its relationship with these countries has been one-sided, as it had exempted their travellers from visa restrictions, but they did not reciprocate.
Travellers from these 31 countries will now need to pay 1,600 Namibian dollars (approximately 90 US dollars) for a visa on arrival.
Lucia Witbooi, Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, confirmed on July 17 that the new visa regime will be implemented starting April 1st 2025.
The Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (FENATA) has voiced strong opposition to the government’s decision, expressing concerns that the new visa regulations will deter tourists due to the “time-consuming application and payment process” for visas.
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Despite these concerns, Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta stated that the new visa regime will not have “any significant negative impact” on tourism.
Currently, travellers from African countries without a visa exemption agreement with Namibia will continue to pay 1,200 Namibian dollars (approximately 65 US dollars) for a visa on arrival.
Those under the new visa restrictions will be required to apply for visas before travelling or upon arrival in Namibia.
In a statement, Namibia’s Home Affairs and Immigration Ministry emphaized, “The implementation of the visa requirements highlights the government’s determination to ensure that the interests and rights of Namibian citizens are respected and protected on the global stage.”
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This new visa policy follows revelations that the European Union rejected a third of African applicants for Schengen visas in 2023, with approximately 670,000 out of 2.5 million applications being denied.
The rejected visa requests by Africans accounted for nearly 41% of the funds the EU raised from visa fees globally in 2023.
This move by Namibia shows the country re-evaluating its visa policies to ensure equitable treatment of its citizens.
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