The Namibian government has announced the end of visa-free entry for citizens of 31 countries, including Canada, the USA, 22 European nations, and some Asian countries. This decision comes as a response to these countries not reciprocating Namibia’s visa exemption gestures.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security confirmed that the proposal has been approved by the Cabinet. “This resolution is aimed at ensuring that the principle of reciprocity is upheld in our visa exemption agreements,” the Minister stated.
Currently, Namibia offers visa exemptions to 55 nations, but only 18 of these countries reciprocate the exemptions. The new directive will not affect countries like Angola, Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, which have reciprocal visa arrangements with Namibia.
Data from Namibia’s Tourism Board and embassies worldwide indicate that this move could impact around 31 countries. The countries affected by this decision include Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uzbekistan.
Complete List here: Media Release Visas Requirements for Non-Reciprocating Countries 24 MAY 2024-1
The Namibian government is hopeful that this move will encourage these countries to reconsider their visa policies and establish reciprocal visa exemption agreements. The changes are expected to come into effect immediately.
