Visa & Entry Requirements for Botswana

Botswana Tourist Visa Requirements

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Who Needs a Tourist Visa?
3. Application Process
4. Required Documents
5. Processing Time
6. Visa Fees
7. Where to Apply

Overview

A Botswana Tourist Visa allows visitors entry for up to one (1) month for recreational or short-term, non-work-related purposes. It is extendable upon justification, but employment under this visa is strictly prohibited.

Who Needs a Tourist Visa?

All foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Botswana as tourists must apply in advance.

Application Process

• Complete and submit Form 1 (Application for Visa) in person at an immigration office, Botswana embassy, or consulate.
• Attach the required documents (see below).
• Processing time: approximately 7 working days.
• Check the application status at the same office.
• If approved, the visa is either printed or the approval letter is used to obtain the visa at the airport/entry port.

Required Documents

• Certified copy of the first two pages of your passport (valid for at least six months).
• Two recent passport-sized color photos.
• Cover letter stating the purpose of the visit.
• Flight itinerary and accommodation booking or residential address in Botswana.
• Re-entry permit for your home country (if required).
• Trip itinerary.
• Proof of intent to leave Botswana after the visit.

Processing Time

Standard processing: 7 to 14 days.

Visa on arrival: 1 day.

Visa Fees

• Single entry (up to 1 month): BWP 300.00 (US$30.00).
• Multiple entry (up to 5 years): BWP 500.00 (US$50.00).

Where to Apply

Applications can be made at:

• Regional Immigration Offices
• District Immigration Offices
• Botswana Missions Abroad

For more details, contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship under the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration, and Gender Affairs.

Botswana generally extends visa-free entry to citizens of most Commonwealth nations. However, exceptions exist for individuals holding passports from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, who are required to obtain a visa. Additionally, Botswana maintains Visa Abolition Agreements with certain countries, granting their citizens visa-free access. For a comprehensive overview of all nationalities requiring a visa for entry into Botswana, please refer to the following list.

Countries Requiring a Visa for Botswana

Country	Country	Country
Afghanistan	Azerbaijan	Bolivia
Albania	Bahrain	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Algeria	Bangladesh	Bulgaria
Andorra	Belarus	Burkina Faso
Angola	Benin	Burundi
Armenia	Bhutan	Moldova
Cambodia	Guinea	Monaco
Cameroon	Guinea Bissau	Mongolia
Cape Verde	Haiti	Morocco
Central African Republic	Honduras	Mozambique
Chad	Hungary	Myanmar (Burma)
China	Indonesia	Nepal
Colombia	Iran	Nicaragua
Comoros	Iraq	Niger
Congo	Ivory Coast	Oman
Democratic Republic of Congo	Jordan	Pakistan
Croatia	Kazakhstan	Palau
Czech Republic	Kuwait	Philippines
Djibouti	Kyrgyzstan (Kirghizia)	Poland
Dominican Republic	Laos PDR	Qatar
Ecuador	Latvia	Romania
Egypt	Lebanon
El Salvador	Liberia	Rwanda
Equatorial Guinea	Libya	Sao Tome and Principe
Eritrea	Lithuania	Saudi Arabia
Estonia	Macedonia	Senegal
Ethiopia	Mali	Serbia
Gabon	Madagascar	Slovakia
Georgia	Marshall Islands	Slovenia
Guatemala	Mauritania	Somalia
Sudan	Micronesia	Turkmenistan
Suriname	Thailand	Turkey
Syria	Togo	Tunisia
Taiwan	Ukraine	United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan	Vietnam	Yemen