NAMIBIA’s plans to streamline
multiple-entry business visas
for South African travellers
will do little to improve trade
between the countries should
it fail to clear up major
confusion surrounding its
existing regulations.
South African business
travellers will soon be able to
acquire multiple-entry visas
on arrival at the airport with
minimal hassle, Namibian
President, Hage Geingob,
reportedly told attendees at
the recent Invest in Namibia
International Investment
Conference, which was
held in Johannesburg.
He said, ultimately, the aim
was for the visa requirement
to be abolished.
But travel professionals
say the country’s business
visa regulations are plagued
by a much bigger problem.
Namibia is not clear about
what is considered travel for
business purposes and when
travellers should apply for a
visa accordingly, says Inge
Beadle, manager of Corporate
Travel Service.
She says she recently had a
group travelling to Namibia to
write exams. “The Namibian
Consulate told me this did not
constitute business but then
told someone else that they
weren’t sure and that it would
be decided when they arrived.
You can’t work like that.”
Inge says the government
needs to send out a
communication specifying what
constitutes business, adding
that this not only needs to be
sent to travellers but to the
immigration officials at the
airport too.
Margaret De Gois, manager
of Air Namibia Cape Town,
says not all immigration
officials at the airports will
check whether travellers
entering the country for
business have a visa.
Director of Intergate
Immigration in Johannesburg,
Quinton Sanders, says many
clients have phoned the
company from the Namibian
borders over the past few
months, after being turned
away as result of visa
confusion.
Significant confusion exists
with business meetings
specifically. Quinton says
if travellers are attending
business meetings for two
days they can obtain a visa
on arrival. However, if they are
conducting meetings for longer
than two days, they require a
work permit.
Currently, business people
who travel often are most likely
to apply for a work permit,
says Margaret, and this would
be done through the Namibian
Consulate in South Africa.
However, further challenges
arise when travellers want a
longer term visa than what
is normally available. In such
cases, Margaret says the
traveller would need to present
a motivational letter along
with their application. The
visa is not quickly approved
and neither is it clear on what
grounds it would be approved,
she says. “This is where we
see the majority of blockages.”
TNW was unable to
confirm details about the
implementation of multipleentry
visas on arrival.
Pr officer for the Ministry of
Home Affairs and Immigration,
Salome Kambala, was not
aware of the President’s
announcement.
