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Visitors to Botswana require a visa unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

Visa policy map

  Botswana
  Visa-free
  e-Visa

Visa exemption

Holders of passports of the following 103 jurisdictions do not require a visa to visit Botswana for up to 90 days within a 12-month period:[1][2][3]

All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

Holders of diplomatic or service passports of Bahrain, China, Malaysia (90 days), Singapore (90 days) and diplomatic passport of India do not require a visa to enter Botswana for up to 30 days (unless otherwise stated).

Botswana and Namibia signed an agreement in February 2023 allowing citizens to travel between the two countries using only identity cards, with passports no longer being needed.[4] Botswana has held talks with Zimbabwe to achieve a similar deal, and expects to open talks with Zambia.[5]

Visa on arrival

Nationals of India can obtain a visa on arrival (valid for 14 days) since 2019.[6]

On 15 November 2018, the Government of Botswana announced that tourists would be able to obtain visas on arrival from 24 November 2018.[7][8] The plan was put on hold on 27 November 2018.[9] Visa on arrival for Indians was made official in 2019.[10]

E-visa

On 12 August 2021, Botswana launched an electronic visa system, all countries that needed prior visa, are now eligible for e-Visa.[11][12][13][14]

Ministry of foreign affairs of Botswana stated that they introduced an e-Visa system to boost tourism and business in country.[12]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Botswana were from the following countries of nationality:[15]

Country 2016 2015 2014 2013
 Zimbabwe 874,169 967,322 784,720 825,717
 South Africa 759,564 808,118 600,387 742,639
 Zambia 220,649 202,289 188,351 331,799
 Namibia 187,044 170,326 162,453 169,733
 United States 52,171 49,451 49,961 139,752
 United Kingdom 42,534 41,011 39,675 47,929
 Germany 35,288 32,230 34,576 43,674
 India 19,297 17,413 18,342 13,543
 Lesotho 18,773 18,842 12,408 10,839
 Malawi 17,102 20,607 15,175 17,386
Total 2,401,786 2,501,616 2,082,521 2,598,158

See also

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Botswana.

References

  1. ^ "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Guidelines for Completing a Visa Application | Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Washington, D.C." www.botswanaembassy.org. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
  3. ^ IMMIGRATION VISA REGULATIONS
  4. ^ Silence Mugadzaweta (20 February 2023). "Botswana, Namibia to abolish passports: Citizens of the two countries will now use identity cards". NewsDay Zimbabwe. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  5. ^ Mqondisi Dube (13 March 2023). "Botswana, Zimbabwe to Discuss Eliminating Use of Passports". VOA. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Botswana visa for Indian citizens to travel in 2021".
  7. ^ "theafricanprogressiveeconomist.com". www.theafricanprogressiveeconomist.com. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Botswana Offers Visa-on-Arrival to Africans". 18 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Southern & East African Tourism Update". Southern & East African Tourism Update. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Botswana visa for Indian citizens to travel in 2021".
  11. ^ "Botswana-evisa".
  12. ^ a b "Travelnews.africa - Botswana rolls out e-visa regime to boost tourism and investments". 19 August 2021.
  13. ^ @OfficialMasisi (November 10, 2021). "Investors can now be granted permanent residence status by the Minister even before they have reached the minimum f…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "Guidelines for Completing a Visa Application | Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Washington, D.C."
  15. ^ "Statistical Publications".
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