Visa policy of Botswana explained

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

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 European Union member states Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belize Brazil Canada Chile Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Gambia Grenada valign=top Guyana Hong Kong Iceland Israel Jamaica Japan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Lesotho Liechtenstein Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mauritius Mexico Monaco valign=top Mozambique Namibia Nauru New Zealand Norway Oman Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Qatar Samoa Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Sierra Leone valign=top Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Switzerland Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Turkey Tuvalu Uganda United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Vanuatu Zambia Zimbabwe

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

On 15 November 2018, the Government of Botswana announced that tourists would be able to obtain visas on arrival from 24 November 2018.^{[6] [7]} The plan was put on hold on 27 November 2018.^[8] Visa on arrival for Indians was made official in 2019.^[9]

E-visa

On 12 August 2021, Botswana launched an electronic visa system, all countries that needed prior visa, are now eligible for e-Visa.^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

Ministry of foreign affairs of Botswana stated that they introduced an e-Visa system to boost tourism and business in country.^[11]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Botswana were from the following countries of nationality:^[14]

style=background:#75AADB	Country	style=background:#75AADB	2016	style=background:#75AADB	2015	style=background:#75AADB	2014	style=background:#75AADB	2013
	874,169	967,322	784,720	825,717
	759,564	808,118	600,387	742,639
	220,649	202,289	188,351	331,799
	187,044	170,326	162,453	169,733
	52,171	49,451	49,961	139,752
	42,534	41,011	39,675	47,929
	35,288	32,230	34,576	43,674
	19,297	17,413	18,342	13,543
	18,773	18,842	12,408	10,839
	17,102	20,607	15,175	17,386
Total	2,401,786	2,501,616	2,082,521	2,598,158

See also

• Visa requirements for Botswana citizens

Notes and References

1. https://evisa.gov.bw/#/needvisa List of countries that require visa to enter Botswana
2. Web site: Guidelines for Completing a Visa Application Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Washington, D.C.. www.botswanaembassy.org. 2016-10-27.
3. http://www.elaws.gov.bw/desplaysubsidiary.php?cid=25:02&id=2096 IMMIGRATION VISA REGULATIONS
4. News: Botswana, Namibia to abolish passports: Citizens of the two countries will now use identity cards . Silence Mugadzaweta . NewsDay Zimbabwe . 20 February 2023 . 8 June 2023.
5. News: Botswana, Zimbabwe to Discuss Eliminating Use of Passports . Mqondisi Dube . VOA . 13 March 2023 . 8 June 2023.
6. Web site: theafricanprogressiveeconomist.com . www.theafricanprogressiveeconomist.com . 26 May 2023 . en .
7. Web site: Botswana Offers Visa-on-Arrival to Africans. 18 November 2018.
8. Web site: Southern & East African Tourism Update . Southern & East African Tourism Update . 26 May 2023 . en .
9. Web site: Botswana visa for Indian citizens to travel in 2021.
10. Web site: Botswana-evisa .
11. Web site: Travelnews.africa - Botswana rolls out e-visa regime to boost tourism and investments . 19 August 2021 .
12. 1458356042702729217. OfficialMasisi. Investors can now be granted permanent residence status by the Minister even before they have reached the minimum f…. 10 November 2021.
13. Web site: Guidelines for Completing a Visa Application | Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Washington, D.C. .
14. Web site: Statistical Publications.