WALVIS BAY - Visas upon arrival will now also be issued at the Walvis Bay harbour to simplify travel logistics for both tourists and business visitors.
Executive director of the ministry of home affairs Etienne Maritz made the announcement on Thursday afternoon, saying the decision will eliminate the need for prior visa applications, thereby reducing bureaucratic obstacles and waiting times.
Maritz’s announcement come just after Namport announced that 44 more passenger liners are expected to dock at the Luderitz and Walvis Bay ports during the year.
Between January and 17 April this year, a total of 28 938 passengers arrived in Namibia by cruise ships.
Consequently, Maritz said the move positions Namibia as a more welcoming and tourist-friendly destination, poised to attract a broader spectrum of both visitors and investors.
“The Walvis Bay port is a crucial entry point for maritime trade and tourism, and its role in driving economic prosperity cannot be overstated. Therefore, the issuing of visas upon arrival underscores the significance of streamlining entry procedures, enhancing accessibility and fostering economic growth through tourism and trade,” the executive director stated.
By issuing visas at the point of
arrival, the ministry aims to bolster convenience for travellers while sustaining security measures.
Travellers can also apply for visas on arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport, Walvis Bay Airport, and border posts including Trans-Kalahari, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma, Impalila Island, Oshikango, Mohembo, Ariamsvei, Noordoewer and Oranjemund. The visa upon arrival costs N$1 200, and is valid for 90 days.
Ministry of environment executive director Teofilus Nghitila last week after witnessing the processing of passengers who arrived on board the Queen Mary II cruise ship also advocated improved processes to enhance services at the
port. He was of the opinion that processing the passports and visas faster would eliminate long queues,
and encourage more people to explore the coastal towns.“I came here to experience this, and will consult my counterpart so that we can see how quickly we can get as many passengers as possible out of the ship so that they can visit our country, and they spend more money and more time,” he added.
However, the home affairs ministry, in a second statement issued to New Era, said: “The clearing process of passengers by immigration officers at the Walvis Bay harbour during arrival and departure of tourists is not cumbersome, and the ministry has been initiative-taking and beefed-up capacity when passenger vessels dock at the Walvis Bay harbour.
“In cases when cruise ships carrying more than 3 000 passengers dock at Walvis Bay harbour, the ministry always deploys additional immigration officers from other duty stations, including those outside the region, to assist. It must also be noted that on that specific day and time of arrival, it was around lunchtime, and some of the passengers had to take lunch before they could be cleared to disembark, and this contributed to the delay in processing passports for disembarking passengers,” the statement read.