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Southern Africa · 22.56° S · 17.08° E

Namibia visa and entry requirements

Namibia's visa on arrival can be bought at a designated port of entry or applied for in advance as an e-visa on the Ministry of Home Affairs e-Services portal. It covers tourism, family visits and short business trips, and UK, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and European visitors have needed it since 1 April 2025.

Verified on eservices.mhaiss.gov.na · October 21, 2026

Key facts

Authorisation
Namibia Visa on Arrival – e-visa applied online in advance (MHAISS e-Services) or bought in person at a designated port of entry
Stay
90 days · Multiple entries
Validity
90 days from issue
Authority processing
Up to 3 business days
Passport
6 months beyond arrival

Apply at least a week before departure. The ministry publishes no guaranteed processing time: many e-visas are issued shortly after payment, but delays of a few days and temporary portal outages have been reported. The e-visa is valid only for the period stated on it, so book flights first and enter dates that cover your whole trip.

With your passport

E-visa or visa on arrivalStay up to 90 days

Visa on arrival, or online before you fly

With a Norwegian passport you can get your visa at the border, or apply online before you fly and skip the visa counter on arrival.

Rule recently changed — we confirm it on the official portal before filing.

Standard

Filed within 24 hours

Rush

Filed within 4 hours, front of the queue

Apply now

Your typical itinerary

  1. Today
  2. Filed on the official portal
  3. Authority decision
  4. Delivery

Dates calculated for the Standard service, from a payment made today.

The visa on arrival is issued by Namibia's Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS). Since 1 April 2025, under a reciprocity rule, nationals of 33 countries that used to enter visa-free, among them France, Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and Japan, need it; South Africa, Botswana, Brazil and Russia are among the nationalities that remain exempt. You register on eservices.mhaiss.gov.na, select 'Visa on Arrival Application', complete the form, upload a passport scan and pay by card: NAD 1,600 for non-African nationals and NAD 1,200 for African nationals, half price for children aged 6 to 11 and free under 6, non-refundable and reviewed annually. The e-visa is issued through the portal; you print it and present it with your passport at the port of entry, where the officer stamps the dates you are allowed to stay.

Most visited cities

  • 22.56° S · 17.08° E

    Windhoek

    Highland capital and main air gateway, with German-era buildings such as the Christuskirche.

  • 22.68° S · 14.53° E

    Swakopmund

    Coastal town between the Namib dunes and the Atlantic, known for German architecture and desert activities.

  • 26.65° S · 15.15° E

    Lüderitz

    Southern harbour town with German Art Nouveau houses, close to the Kolmanskop ghost town.

Photo credits: Windhoek — Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Swakopmund — Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lüderitz — SkyPixels, CC BY-SA 4.0

Documents you need

Your passport scan covers most of the form. These are the files the official portal asks for.

  • Passport data page

    Scan of the biodata page; passport valid ≥ 6 months with ≥ 3 blank pages; PDF/JPG

    Required
  • Return or onward ticket

    Booking reference requested in the form; carry a copy on arrival

    Required
  • Hotel booking or invitation letter

    Covering the stay; address is typed into the form; carry on arrival

    Required
  • Proof of sufficient funds

    Bank statement / card; amount in NAD declared in the form; carry on arrival

    Required
  • Child's full birth certificate + parental consent

    Only when travelling with minors

    If it applies
  • Yellow fever certificate

    Only if arriving from or via an endemic country

    If it applies

How it works

From scan to payment in under 60 seconds.

  1. 01

    Scan your passport

    Point your phone at the photo page or upload it. We read it in seconds — nothing to type.

  2. 02

    See the full price, then pay

    Service fee and government fee are shown before you pay. No account needed, just your email.

  3. 03

    Answer what’s left

    Only the official questions your passport did not answer. Saved as you go; finishing them is what lets us file.

  4. 04

    Track it to your inbox

    We file on the official portal, follow up with the authority and send you the approved document.

Entry rules at the border

Passport
6 months beyond arrivalTo confirm before you flyValid at least 6 months beyond your date of arrival, with at least 3 blank pages. The ministry's fact sheet only says 'valid for at least 6 months', so keeping 6 months beyond your departure from Namibia avoids any discussion at the counter.
Blank pages
3 blank pagesAt least 3 blank pages. Endorsements from neighbouring countries on a safari route use pages quickly.
Onward ticket
May be askedThe ministry lists proof of return or onward travel among the documents to have ready 'if required'. Carry your booking: officers and airlines can ask for it.
Vaccinations
Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a risk countryA yellow fever certificate is required only from travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, or after more than 12 hours in transit at an airport of such a country. Travellers coming from Europe, including those connecting through South Africa, are not concerned. No other vaccination is required for entry.
Insurance
MandatoryThe ministry lists medical or travel insurance among the documents required for both the e-visa and the visa on arrival, so carry proof of cover, in English. A policy that includes road accidents and medical evacuation suits a self-drive trip.
Ports of entry
The visa on arrival is issued in person at Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek), Walvis Bay airport and harbour, Lüderitz harbour and the land posts of Ariamsvlei, Impalila, Katima Mulilo, Mohembo, Ngoma, Noordoewer, Oranjemund, Oshikango and Trans-Kalahari. With an e-visa obtained in advance you can also enter at further posts listed by the ministry, such as Eros, Ondangwa, Rundu and Mpacha airports or the Mata-Mata border. Cruise passengers landing at Walvis Bay or Lüderitz pay a day-visit fee of NAD 300 per day.

Carry a printed copy of your authorisation

Also good to know

  • Proof of funds for the stay is on the ministry's list of documents: carry a recent bank statement or a card.
  • Every visitor completes an arrival form, handed out on the flight or at the counter. Supporting documents must be in English or translated.
  • Check the stamped dates before leaving the counter: overstaying can lead to arrest and a fine.

Why applications get refused — and what we check

Wrong service selected on the portal

The MHAISS e-Services portal offers several visa services side by side. The ministry's instructions are to select 'Visa on Arrival Application'; the 'Holiday Visa' service is a different, longer process with other requirements and timelines.

What we checkWe file under 'Visa on Arrival' only, after checking that the traveller's nationality is on the ministry's list of countries eligible for it.

Passport with too few blank pages

Namibia requires 3 blank pages and at least 6 months of validity. A passport filled with stamps from earlier trips can be refused at the counter even with an approved application.

What we checkWe ask the traveller to count the fully blank visa pages, excluding endorsement and observation pages, and recommend a new passport before filing if fewer than 3 remain.

Purpose outside the visa on arrival

The visa on arrival covers tourism, family visits, passive conference attendance, business meetings and prospection, and medical reasons. Any work, including unpaid volunteering on a conservation project or a farm, falls outside it.

What we checkWe check the declared purpose against the itinerary and flag volunteering or work placements, which need a different permit applied for in advance.

Accommodation or funds that do not cover the stay

The ministry lists proof of accommodation, itinerary and funds among the documents to have ready, and officers can ask for them on arrival. Bookings for only the first nights of a long self-drive trip raise questions.

What we checkWe check that the bookings, campsite reservations or invitation letter cover the whole stay and that the declared funds are consistent with its length.

What if…

Real situations our agents handle, and what to do.

You drive in from South Africa
Use a designated post such as Noordoewer or Ariamsvlei, which issue the visa on arrival. Some smaller crossings accept only e-visas obtained in advance and a few handle neither, so apply online first if your route uses one.
You plan a day trip to Victoria Falls or Chobe and back
The UK government states that the visa is issued as a multiple-entry visa for the period you request, so a short excursion through Ngoma, Katima Mulilo or Impalila and back should not need a new visa. Check that your return falls within the dates on your visa, and ask for multiple entry if you buy it at the border.
Only one parent travels with the children
Carry each child's full birth certificate showing both parents and a consent letter from the absent parent. Each child also needs their own visa application.
Your arrival date changes
The e-visa is valid only for the period stated on it. If you will arrive outside those dates, file a new application before travelling, or buy the visa in person at a designated port of entry.
You want to stay longer than your visa allows
Request the full period you need when you apply or at the counter, since the visa is issued for the period requested; travel-industry sources put the ceiling at 90 days per calendar year. To stay beyond the stamped date, apply at a Ministry of Home Affairs office before it expires.

Questions travellers ask

Why do I suddenly need a visa for Namibia?
Namibia applied a reciprocity rule on 1 April 2025: nationals of 33 previously exempt countries that require visas from Namibians, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and most Western European states, now need a visa. Brazil, Russia and neighbours such as South Africa and Botswana remain exempt.
Which button should I click on the portal?
'Visa on Arrival Application', as shown in the ministry's step-by-step fact sheet. The 'Holiday Visa' service on the same portal is a separate, longer process.
How much is the Namibian visa on arrival?
NAD 1,600 for non-African nationals and NAD 1,200 for African nationals. Children aged 6 to 11 pay half (NAD 800 or NAD 600) and children under 6 pay nothing. The fee is set by the ministry, reviewed annually and non-refundable.
Should I pay online or at the border?
Online, as the ministry recommends: it saves time at the counter. In September 2025 the government announced an extra NAD 400 for applications made in person at the border, from a date still to be set, so check the current amount before planning to pay on arrival.
Do I need an account on the portal?
Yes. You register and log in on eservices.mhaiss.gov.na before filing. The e-visa is then issued through the portal; download it and print it for the border.
Why does Namibia ask for 3 blank pages?
It is the ministry's stated requirement for the visa endorsement and stamps. Travellers combining Namibia with Botswana, Zambia or Zimbabwe should count pages carefully before the trip.
Can I volunteer in Namibia on a visa on arrival?
No. The visa on arrival excludes all work, even voluntary. Conservation or community volunteering requires a separate permit obtained before travel.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
Only if you are 9 months or older and arrive from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, such as Angola, Namibia's northern neighbour, or spent more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in one. Travellers arriving from Europe, or via South Africa, do not need it.
How long can I stay?
According to the UK government, the visa is multiple entry and valid for the period you request. Travel-industry sources put the maximum at 90 days per calendar year, while the portal's visa-on-arrival page mentions 30 days, so request your exact dates and check the entry stamp.
What do children need?
Each child needs their own application and a full (unabridged) birth certificate; children aged 6 to 11 pay half the fee and those under 6 pay nothing. When a parent is not travelling, bring that parent's consent letter.
Which airport handles the visa on arrival?
Hosea Kutako International Airport near Windhoek and Walvis Bay airport issue it in person. With an e-visa obtained in advance you can also arrive at airports such as Eros (Windhoek), Ondangwa or Rundu.

Other passports

The requirements above are for a Norwegian passport. For another passport, change it in the price column or see the list.

Entry without a visaSee the 22 passportsPassports22Stay30 to 90 daysGovernment feeNoneProcessingNone

22 passports enter Namibia without a visa, for stays of 30 to 90 days. Nothing has to be filed before the flight to Namibia: the passport is stamped at the border. What trips people up: Namibia wants the passport valid 6 more months from the arrival date.

Visa on arrivalSee the 90 passportsPassports90StayUp to 90 daysGovernment feeNAD 1,200 to NAD 1,600ProcessingUp to 3 business days
Your passport is in this group

90 passports get the visa at the border in Namibia. The e-visa on arrival can be filed online instead, to skip the visa counter when landing in Namibia. What trips people up: border officers in Namibia can ask for a return or onward ticket.

Visa from an embassySee the 86 passportsPassports86Stay—Government fee—ProcessingSet by the consulate

86 passports need a visa from an embassy or consulate of Namibia before travelling. Visaska does not file these visas: each consulate of Namibia sets its own documents and delays, so book the appointment early. What trips people up: Namibia checks the yellow fever certificate of travellers arriving from a risk country.

Visaska is a private company, unaffiliated with any government. You can apply directly with the authorities at eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival.

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