The Republic of Namibia Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) has published an updated list containing 28 African countries that will benefit from its visa-on-arrival scheme. The list was released on the official MHAISS visa-on-arrival portal.
Eligible African Countries for Visa on Arrival
According to the official portal, the following 28 African countries are eligible to apply for a visa on arrival to Namibia: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tunisia, Western Sahara Republic, and Uganda.
Visa-Free Entry for Some African Countries
Thirteen African countries are affected by the visa-on-arrival scheme, meaning their ordinary passport holders must obtain a visa before traveling to Namibia. However, countries such as South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini do not need a visa to enter Namibia for short visits because of separate reciprocal agreements.
Nigeria is among the countries whose ordinary passport holders must obtain a visa before traveling to Namibia. Nigeria is neither on Namibia's visa-free list nor on its visa-on-arrival list. However, Nigerian holders of diplomatic, official, or service passports are exempt from visa requirements under separate arrangements.
Namibia Removes US, UK from Visa-Free Program
In a related development, Namibia had previously removed the United States and the United Kingdom from its visa-free program. This decision, taken by the Namibian cabinet in July 2024, aims to address the lack of reciprocity faced by Namibian passport holders abroad. The US and the UK, which offer visa-free travel to over 180 countries, will now require their citizens to apply for a visa before entering Namibia. The US Embassy in Namibia issued a statement on X, urging American tourists to obtain visas through Namibia’s online portal ahead of their trips. European countries, including Germany—a major source of tourism for Namibia—previously enjoyed visa-free access, which is now revoked. The tourism industry has raised concerns about the potential decline in visitor numbers as a result of this decision. Travelers from affected nations must apply online or opt for a visa on arrival.
