Namibia’s New Tavel Diktat.

Namibia’s government issues a new directive to citizens of European countries including the United States of America and Canada who wish to visit the country.

The directive instructs that, as from April 2025, intending visitors from these countries and all non- reciprocating countries (countries that demand Namibians passport holders to have visas) will be required to get a visa before they are allowed into the country.

This is in response to the cumbersome visa process Namibians go through to visit these European countries. “Namibia has extended gestures of goodwill and favourable treatment to nationals of various countries. Despite these efforts, certain nations have not reciprocated,” Namibia’s immigration ministry said.

According to a recent report by a Lago Collective, a think- tank that focuses on migration, the European Union made more than €53 million on rejected visa applications from African countries in 2023. “In light of this disparity, the government has deemed it necessary to implement a visa requirement to ensure parity and fairness in diplomatic interactions.

“It is usually speculated that, visa rejections are means to milk desperate Africans dry. Nonetheless, visas can be rejected for multiple reasons with which most rejections are based on “reasonable doubt about the visa applicant intention to return home”.

Many believe this new directive of Namibia should be a wake up call to leaders of other African countries for the need to believe in themselves and make the continent worth living for the youth.

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