Namibia has announced a significant change to its visa policy, set to impact citizens from 31 countries, including Germany. This decision mandates that citizens of these nations will need to obtain a visa to enter Namibia unless they reciprocate with similar visa-free access for Namibian nationals. The affected countries include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, and the United States, among others.

The executive director at Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Etienne Maritz, explained that this policy aims to promote fairness and reciprocity in diplomatic relations. Namibia has previously extended goodwill gestures to several countries without receiving equivalent treatment in return. Under the new policy, visitors from the affected countries can apply for a visa upon arrival in Namibia, after completing an online application and paying a fee.

The German African Business Association has urged Germany to reassess its visa policy with Namibia to facilitate smoother business operations. As Namibia implements this policy, further details regarding the procedures and exact implementation date will be provided through diplomatic channels.

Namibian Citizens Can Travel Visa-Free to 53 Countries

As of May 2024, the Namibian passport is ranked 127th, according to the VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that Namibian passport holders can enjoy visa-free entry to 53 countries worldwide.

On the other hand, citizens of Namibia are required to obtain a visa in order to travel to 124 other countries around the world.