This is the Botswana travel requirements for travelers visiting the country for tourism, business and more. This guide will cover all the online application requirements, fees, visa on arrival for foreign nationals.
Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, has a landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush animal habitat during the seasonal floods. The massive Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilized river valleys and undulating grasslands, is home to numerous animals including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.
Do I need a visa to go to Botswana?
Botswana requires foreign nationals wishing to visit their country to go through the visa policy system. The visa policy of Botswana determines who may enter the African country without a visa and which foreign citizens need a visa for Botswana. Regardless of whether they need a visa or not, all travelers must have a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months upon arrival to gain entry to the country.
Travelers who require a visa for Botswana must now apply online. The electronic visa (e-Visa) system allows foreign nationals to obtain authorization to enter the country for tourism, business, and other purposes. This simplified electronic visa application removes the need to travel to an embassy or consulate in person and has greatly reduced processing times.
Currently, Botswana has a waiver for about 100 countries who do not need to obtain a visa before traveling to the country for Botswana for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 12-month period. Visa exemption is granted for purposes of tourism, business, or transit purposes.
In gaining visa-free entry, these visitors are simply required to present a valid passport upon arrival at a Botswana port of entry. In some cases, a foreign traveler may not be able to obtain a certain type of visa online. In this situation, they will have to make an appointment at an embassy or consulate of Botswana in the traveler’s country of residence.
Botswana’s immigration policy regarding tourism identifies up to 140 nationalities that need an approved Botswana tourist visa to visit the Republic in Southern Africa for a vacation.
At present, these visitors are required to apply for a tourist visa for Botswana online. This online application protocol allows the traveler to complete a simple electronic form in a few minutes and upload supporting documents in digital form.
Botswana online tourist visa applications are processed and approved within a few business days, and the approved tourist e-Visa will be sent by email. A copy of the approved eVisa can then be printed to gain expedited entry to Botswana at border checkpoints.
The Botswana e-Visa, or electronic visa, is an online visa introduced in August 2021. According to Botswana’s visa policy, nationals of around 140 different countries are able to use the digital platform to obtain a visa online. The e-Visa for Botswana is available for a number of purposes, including tourism, business, and transit.
Applicants are able to choose how long they plan to stay in Botswana, although some types of online visa may have limits on the maximum length of the trip. Travelers can also select how many entries they wish their Botswana e-Visa to cover.
The e-Visa platform replaced the older system of applying in person at a Botswana embassy, consulate, or immigration office. This eliminates the long waits and processing times associated with embassy visa applications.
Travelers eligible to apply for a Botswana eVisa must complete a simple online visa application form in just a few minutes with basic personal and contact information, passport data, and travel details. They must then pay the Botswana electronic visa fee using a credit or debit card before submitting the form for approval.
An eVisa for Botswana application is generally processed within a few business days. Once approved, a copy of the online visa will be sent to the traveler via email. They will then be able to print a copy to present to immigration authorities on arrival in Botswana alongside their passport.
Visa free countries for Botswana
According to the Botswana laws regarding visa rules and regulations, 100 nationalities which do not require visa to their country, including all European Union citizens and a large number of South American and African nations. Additionally, holders of diplomatic or service passports issued by China, as well as Indian diplomatic passport holders, do not need a visa to visit Botswana.
Visa exemption is granted to these visitors for a stay of up to 90 days with a 12-month period, for purposes of tourism, transit, or business. To enter Botswana without a visa, it is necessary for these travelers to present an eligible passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in the country. If a passport holder from one of these countries wishes to visit Botswana for longer periods of stay, or for purposes not permitted visa-free such as to work or study, they will have to apply for the relevant type of visa.
The visa free countries include the following nations:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gambia
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Cyprus
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Which countries need visa for Botswana?
Now Botswana immigration requirements state that in the vast majority of cases, visas must be applied for online, using the e-Visa system. If an individual is unable to obtain a visa for a certain purpose or length of stay via the online platform, they can inquire at a Botswana embassy or consulate.
Replacing the visa applications made at the consular section of the embassy of Botswana in the applicant’s home country, the evisa system is put in place for applicants to apply online.
Countries that require an evisa to Botswana include the following;
- Afghanistan
- Aland Islands
- Albania
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bonaire
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cook Islands
- Curacao
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Isle of Man
- Ivory Coast
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mayotte
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- New Caledonia
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- North Korea
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Territory
- Panama
- Philippines
- Pitcairn Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Reunion
- Rwanda
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Sint Maarten
- Somalia
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor Leste
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Ukraine
- United States Virgin Islands
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Yemen
General Requirements for Visa Application
- Apply online at this official website.
- Fully completed visa application form (Form 1)
- Certified (notarized) copy of passport page of applicant (showing names, validity & photograph of bearer). The passport must have the validity of six months and more with three or more unused pages. The original passport may be sent at the same time with the application or once the visa is approved
- Cover letter from the applicant
- If applicant previously applied for a visa, PLEASE ATTACH THE COPY OF THE VISA OUTCOME.
- If coming by road, specify on the cover letter and include your contacts, e.g. telephone number.
- Travel schedule/flight itinerary/hotel bookings
- Include a prepaid/self addressed shipping label or envelope to return your passport
- Finger prints will be captured at the point of entry in Botswana. (Applicants will be required to have their finger captured as one of the requirements)
- Applicants who would not be collecting their visa (endorsed in the passport) should write a letter authorizing someone to collect their visa and passport. The letter should include full names, ID or passport numbers and contact numbers.
Minors travelling through the country’s borders will be required to produce certified copies of unabridged birth certificates
In the event that one parent is not travelling with the child, the other parent’s affidavit consenting to such travel should be availed. Temporary guardianship must be given if both parents are not travelling with the minor, as well as the abovementioned requirements. However, an affidavit will not be required if the father’s name does not appear on the child’s birth certificate.
Additional Requirements
Visitors
- Invitation letter from the host
- Sworn statement from the host (personal appearance of the host to the nearest immigration office in Botswana to fill in the affidavit)
- A copy of hotel/lodge bookings or state residential address where the applicant will be staying
- A certified copy of the host, national identity/residence permit, work permit/exemption certificate/naturalization certificate
- Copies of certified marriage and birth certificates (in case of married couples/defendants)
- Certified copies of ordination certificates of religious leaders
- Business profile if coming to establish a business (host)
- Confirmation of employment or business registration
- Recent Bank statement (1st page)
- Return visa or residence permit from the country of residence
How much is Botswana Visitors visa fee?
- US$30 for single entry for a period up to 3 months
- US$50 for multiple entry for a period up to 3 months
- US$150 for multiple entry for a period over 3 months up to 2 years for dependents of residents
Business
- Invitation letter from the host or facilitator in Botswana
- Business profile if coming to establish a business
- Certified copies of ordination certificate for religious leaders
- Labor clearance/exemption if coming for a month or more
- Meeting schedule if coming to attend or organize a meeting
- Certified copies of Certificate of Incorporation, Trade License, Share Certificate of host if running a business
- Return visa or residence permit from the country of residence
How much is Botswana Business visa fee?
- US$50 for single entry for a period up to 3 months
- US$100 for multiple entry for a period up to 3 months
- US150 for multiple entry for a period up to 6 months to 1 year
Employment
- Waiver from department of labor and social security or copies of work and residence permits
- Letter of confirmation of employment/contract of employment or offer letter
- Copies of RELEVANT qualifications
Investors
- Copies of work and residence permits
- Certified copies of certificate of incorporation, trade license, share certificate, list of directors, bank statement
How much is Botswana Business (Investors)visa fee?
- US$100 for multiple entry for a period up to 6 months
- US$250 for multiple entry for a period up to 5 years
- Tourists
- Tour plan or copy of travel schedule
- Confirmation of bookings at hotels/lodges
- Confirmation of employment or business registration
- Recent Bank statement (1st page)
- Return visa or residence permit from the country of residence
How much is Botswana Business (Tourists) visa fee?
- US$30 for single entry for a period up to 1 month
- US$50 for multiple entry for a period up to 3 months
Notes
- Visa fee is non-refundable.
- Allow at least 21 working days for visa processing.
- Personal checks are not accepted.
- All copies must be notarized.
- All supporting documents must be in English. Translations must be notarized by a relevant authority.
- No visa fee charged for Diplomatic Passport and the United Nations Laissez Passer holder travelling on official business
- International Health certificate of vaccination for Yellow fever is required from travelers from or through the countries which have been declared Yellow Fever Infected Areas.
- Malaria shots are advised.
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