In response to tightening rules for its citizens to travel to the United Kingdom, Namibia is now considering introducing a tourist visa for UK visitors, too.
In July last year, the UK Government suddenly introduced a visa for Namibians arriving in the country despite previously having a reciprocal “visa-free” agreement for stays of up to six months, VisaGuide.World reports.
Unfortunately, the significant increase in asylum claims from Namibian nationals on arrival at the UK border has made it necessary for us to implement these new measures.
Namibians Who Booked Their Trips Before July 2023 Can Still Enter UK Visa-Free
Under the previous mutual agreement mentioned above, the UK Government, through a statement issued on July 2023, announced that Namibian nationals who booked travel to the UK before July 19, 2023, will still be eligible to travel to the UK without a visa until August 16, 2023.
Namibian visitors already in the UK will not be affected by these changes, but once they leave the UK, they will need a visitor visa in order to make any future visit. Namibian nationals are already required to obtain a visa for other (non-visit) purposes, such as to work or study. Applicants for student or other visas will continue to be able to apply for these visas in Namibia, as they have done previously.
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium & US Part of List That Have to Apply for a Visa on Arrival in Namibia
Last month, the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security revealed that citizens of 31 countries will now have to apply for a visa on arrival. These countries include many of Namibia’s most important sourcing markets, such as Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and the United States.
Following the new rules, newly affected countries will be issued visas on arrival but must apply online and pay a fee. In addition, Namibia currently has a £95 per person tourist visa charge for other nations.
Immediately after this announcement, Commissioner Moore said the UK accepts the Namibian government’s proposal to establish a new visa regime for 31 countries. He also said that each nation, including Namibia and the UK, remains responsible for maintaining its borders.
Based on UK government data, from the beginning of 2024 to March 2024, the country had 125.5 million arrivals, 13 percent more than the previous year, including British citizens and other people who do not need a visa to travel.
3.4 million entry visas were issued in the year ending March 2024, of which more than half (59 percent) were visitor visas. This number is seven percent higher than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic there have been over 450,000 more visitor visas in the last year.