Monday, August 5, 2024
reading time: 2 minutes
Namibia is set to review its visa policy to bring it into line with the requirements of countries that require visas for Namibian citizens.
Starting in April next year, travelers from more than 30 countries, including the United States, Germany and Japan, will have to obtain a visa and pay an entry fee of around $90 (€82) to visit Namibia.
Namibia has long sought mutual visa exemption for travel, especially with developed countries. However, while citizens of countries like Germany can enter Namibia without a visa for up to 90 days, Namibians face a lengthy process to gain entry to Germany.
Last July, the UK tightened its visa rules for Namibians, citing a rise in asylum applications. The change may have prompted Namibia to adopt a new attitude toward countries that do not grant their citizens visa-free entry, according to Petzold.
A new era for Namibia
This policy shift is seen as an assertion by Namibia of its position on the world stage, and is attracting a great deal of attention.
Namibia is not the only country re-evaluating its visa policies; Brazil also plans to re-impose visa requirements for visitors from the United States, Canada and Australia next year, in line with those countries’ visa policies.
Facilitate the process
Namibian citizens often face bureaucratic challenges, high costs and frequent rejections from countries with strict visa requirements.
Despite the relatively low visa rejection rate for the Schengen Area – around 5% in 2023 – Namibian travellers still face significant obstacles compared to what this new policy appears to offer.
The Namibian government indicated that visa processing would be done on arrival or online, with no mention of any interviews or extended waiting periods for applicants.
Schengen Area Traveler Rejection Rates in 2023
| Country/Region | Rejection rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Namibia | 5% |
| Sao Tome and Principe (lowest rejection rate in African countries) | 4% |
| Comoros (highest rejection rate in African countries) | 61% |
| Africa average | 27% |
| Global average | 16% |
Tourism industry faces potential challenges
Namibia’s tourism sector, which relies heavily on foreign investment and visitors, could face disruption due to the new visa policy, Bensah said.
The World Bank reported that foreign direct investment inflows to Namibia amounted to 8.4% in 2022, while tourism contributes about 7% of the country’s GDP.
While Baetzold doesn’t think visa requirements will deter tourists entirely, there are concerns that visa fees could influence travel decisions, especially for budget travelers.
There are still many aspects of the policy that need to be clarified by the government. For example, it is still unclear how the policy will affect travelers from neighboring countries. Long queues could significantly impact these short visits. In addition, the process for travelers to prove that they do not have a criminal record is still unclear.
Despite these concerns, Baetzold suggests that travelers should not expect major disruptions.
Is it better to focus on visa-free travel across Africa?
Namibia’s new policy comes at a time when the African Union is still facing challenges in implementing visa-free travel across the continent.
The irony is that Africans face greater restrictions on travel within Africa than European visitors. Currently, only five countries – Benin, Gambia, Rwanda, Seychelles and Kenya – grant visa-free entry to all African citizens.
Instead of adopting a reciprocal visa policy targeting Western countries, Namibia could have prioritised establishing a visa waiver regime for AU member states, Bensah argues. This could have included initiating a dialogue with other AU countries to develop a unified approach.
