A new visa on arrival is already available
Namibia is introducing a new visa issuance program upon arrival at the port of Walvis Bay to improve cruise tourism.Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has called for faster immigration processes for cruise ships after the Queen Mary 2 liner with more than 1,000 passengers docked in Walvis Bay earlier this month. For many of these travelers, tour operators had to refund money due to missing booked events due to long waiting times.The new visa on arrival reduces bureaucratic obstacles for passengers and eliminates the need for pre-submission of visa applications, which leads to a reduction in processing time at the port. The Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) said it plans to accept 32 more passenger ships by December.A visa costs 1,200 NAD (about $63) and is valid for 90 days, and a visa obtained before the trip costs 600 NAD. The initiative was announced on April 18 and immediately came into force.”The role of Walvis Bay Harbor as an essential starting point for maritime trade and tourism cannot be overstated,” said Etienne Maritz, executive director of the Department of Internal Affairs, Immigration and Security.Visas on arrival are already available at other points of entry into Namibia, such as Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Walvis Bay Airport and land border posts, including the Trans-Kalahari Border Post, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma and Oshikango.South Africa is one of the largest tourism markets in Namibia, along with Angola, Germany, Zambia, Botswana and France.
