Russian Federation to Botswana visa requirements

Russian ordinary passport holders do NOT need a visa for Botswana. Under a bilateral visa-waiver agreement (signed June 2019, in force since 8 October 2019), Russians may enter visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days per visit, not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period. Russia and Botswana operate a mutual visa-waiver agreement signed by foreign ministers Sergey Lavrov and Unity Dow in June 2019 and effective from 8 October 2019. Holders of ordinary Russian passports traveling for tourism, business, transit or short visits are exempt from any visa, including the Botswana eVisa. The permitted stay is up to 30 days per individual visit, with total stays not to exceed 90 days within any 180-day period; the waiver does not cover work, study, or permanent residence, which require the appropriate visa/permit. Travelers must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months and should carry proof of onward/return travel and sufficient funds. Note that some general lists (e.g., the Botswana Tourism Organisation "countries requiring visas" page) appear outdated and still show Russia as visa-required; the bilateral agreement supersedes this, and authoritative visa-policy summaries confirm Russia's visa-exempt status. Botswana is in Southern Africa and is not part of the Schengen area, so no Schengen 90/180 rule or ETIAS applies.