Staff Reporter
All Namibians will now require a visa to travel to the United Kingdom (UK).
This decision was announced by the British High Commission in Namibia, citing a significant and continuous rise in UK asylum applications from Namibian nationals at the UK border since 2016. The British authorities believe that this increase indicates an exploitation of the provision for non-visa nationals visiting the UK for a limited duration.
The High Commission said that these changes will apply to all Namibian nationals traveling to the UK. However, there will be a transition period of four weeks until 15:00 British Summer Time (BST) on 16th August 2023. During this period, Namibian nationals with confirmed tickets booked before 19th July 2023 will still be allowed to travel to the UK as non-visa nationals. After 15:00 BST on 16th August 2023, any passengers arriving, regardless of when they booked their travel tickets, will be required to obtain a visa to enter the UK.
“I fully understand that the imposition of a visa regime will be concerning to the many Namibian nationals who we warmly welcome to visit the United Kingdom as genuine visitors. Unfortunately, the significant increase in asylum claims from Namibian nationals on arrival at the UK border has made it necessary for us to implement these new measures,” said the British High Commissioner to Namibia, Charles Moore.
Moore emphasized that the UK has engaged in consistent discussions with the Namibian Government regarding the rise in asylum applications. Additionally, he said, both countries are actively collaborating to repatriate Namibian nationals who are eventually deemed ineligible for asylum in the UK.
In response to this announcement, the Executive Director (ED) of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Penda Naanda, revealed that the Cabinet has deliberated on this matter and established a committee to look into it.
“The Government, therefore, calls upon the Namibian nation to remain calm as the Cabinet Committee will deliberate on the issue to ensure that Namibian nationals are not disadvantaged by such a decision,” Naanda said.
