The ministry of home affairs has given foreign students another month to apply for study permits.

The due date for submitting applications for the foreign students’ permits has been extended from 28 February to 31 March 2022.  

Before the extension, the applications for study permits were submitted between 12 November 2021 and 28 February 2022. 

At the moment, local universities are still admitting both local and international students who qualify for tertiary education.

However, most study visas, which are mandatory for international students, expired on 28 February. Many students are thus making their way to the ministry to submit their documents for their permit renewals.

All permits are subject to the approval of the home affairs ministry before entering Namibia.  

Therefore, applicants who acquired permits from the other ministries or institutions are still required to get approval from the ministry of home affairs for it to be acknowledged.

Home affairs’ executive director Etienne Maritz said all applicants should comply with all the stipulated requirements when applying for student permits. 

All non-Namibian students must be in possession of a valid three or six-months study visa before entering the country.

Moreover, he directed all students to be in possession of valid legal status in Namibia at the time of applying for their student permits. He cautioned that failure to provide a valid status would be in contravention of Section 29 of the Immigration Control Act (Act No. 7 of 1993).

Equally, Maritz urged foreign students to submit their applications during the given period since there will be no further extension.  

“After the closing date, the ministry will once again send the immigration officers to educational institutions to confirm if all foreign students have complied with the request by applying for study permits for the 2022 academic year,” he noted.

The ministry has send out a stern warning to those foreign students who apply for permits but do not actually attend classes, and engage in other businesses. 

The home affairs ministry threatened foreign students who apply for study permits but engage in other business in the country that appropriate measures will be taken against them, including deportation to their countries of origin and/or residence.