Do France passport holders need a visa to visit NA?
French (FR) ordinary passport holders need a visa for short tourist visits to Namibia. Since 1 April 2025 France is no longer visa-exempt; travelers obtain a tourist visa on arrival (VOA) at major ports of entry, but Namibia strongly recommends pre-applying online via the official eServices portal to avoid delays and a higher border fee. Until 31 March 2025, French nationals could enter Namibia visa-free with a Visitor's Entry Permit. Effective 1 April 2025, the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) abolished visa-free access for 33 nationalities (later expanded), including France, citing the absence of a reciprocal visa-waiver agreement. French tourists must now hold a visitor visa. Namibia operates a combined Visa-on-Arrival / eVisa system launched on 3 March 2025 (online applications from 1 April 2025) via the official portal eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival. The visa can be obtained on arrival at designated ports of entry (e.g., Hosea Kutako International Airport, Walvis Bay, Trans-Kalahari, Noordoewer), but authorities strongly recommend applying online in advance. The standard fee for non-African nationals is N$1,600 (approx. EUR 82 / USD 88) for a single-entry tourist visa; the visa is typically issued for 30 days, with extensions/longer stays of up to 90 days possible at immigration discretion. Border-applied visas are set to cost more (around N$2,000) to encourage advance online processing. Namibia is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply. Required documents include a passport valid at least 6 months with a blank page, proof of onward/return travel, accommodation confirmation, sufficient funds and a yellow-fever certificate only if arriving from or transiting an endemic country.
VISA REQUIREDTOURISMFLEXIBLE ENTRYLast verified 2026-05-30
For guidance only — visa rules change with little notice. Always confirm directly with the destination's embassy or foreign ministry before booking non-refundable travel. Information here applies to ordinary (non-diplomatic) passports unless noted.
France (PR)Living in France as a permanent resident? See PR-specific guidance→