Botswana Visa
Application Procedure
Botswana is a South African country with
popular destinations such as the Okavango delta, Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Lion
Park resort etc., if you are an ecotourism enthusiast then don't delay your
Botswana trip.
Travellers looking
forward to visiting Botswana in the upcoming days, here you got it all, read
the entire article minutely for the information you need to know to enter the
country.
Botswana offers
various visa services to different travellers who are travelling to the country
for different travel purposes.
- Tourist Visa
- Business Visa
- Visit Visa
To acquire these,
firstly you need to be a genuinely intended traveller and should have the
capability of bearing your expenses when in a new country. Good health is
important!
A passport is an
extremely important travel document to fly to Botswana. Please remember that
your passport should be legal for a minimum of 6 months from your intended stay
in Botswana. A minimum of 3 blank pages should be available in the passport for
stamping. The passport should not be torn or damaged in any way. Intending to
cross an international boundary will be considered to be an offensive crime so
all should follow the rules and regulations of a country before going to
visit.
An old passport is
also very important to showcase to the authorities of Botswana because it
represents your travel record. So, in case you are having an old passport,
submission is a must in proper condition.
In case you have it,
you compulsorily need to showcase it because without it you do not get a visa
stamp.
What is the Visa
Strategy and Visa Policy of Botswana?
The citizens of 103 countries can travel to Botswana without a visa for 90 days in a 1 year period. The list of visa-free countries is given below.
- Citizens of all European Union
countries.
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Eswatini
- The Gambia
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Holy See
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- South Korea
- Kuwait
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Qatar
- Russia
- Samoa
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Switzerland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Holders of diplomatic or service passports of China and India do
not need a visa to enter Botswana.
Botswana Visa
Requirements
The citizens of the
countries which require a visa to travel to Botswana should check the following
Visa requirements.
General Visa
Requirements
Passport
- A passport proves the
nationality of the traveller.
- So, the applicant should submit a passport which is original and valid up to 6 months from the first day of the trip.
Photographs
- A set of two passport-size
photographs have to be submitted.
- The photographs should be of a matte finish, 35X45mm dimensions, and the applicant should not be wearing glasses while clicking the photos.
- The air tickets for the complete trip should be submitted.
Old Passport
- Old passports serve as proof of
the travel record of the applicant.
- Old passports submitted with the visa application should be in good condition.
Itinerary
- The travel itinerary consisting
of the travel plan should be submitted.
- It gives an idea of the traveller's activities during the trip to Botswana.
Supporting Documents
Below are the
supporting documents for various visa types that have to be submitted with the Botswana
visa application form.
Tourist Visa
In addition to the
above documents, the following documents also have to be submitted for a
tourist visa.
Applicant’s Covering Letter
- The applicant has to submit a covering letter that mentions accommodation details of the applicant, details of the person bearing travelling expenses if not travelling alone, travels purpose, and other details as mentioned in the passport.
Bank Statements
- The bank statements of the
applicant have to be submitted which serve as financial proof.
- The last 6 months' transactions should be updated in these documents.
Income tax returns
- Apart from the bank statements,
Income Tax Returns should also be submitted by the applicant.
- The last three years' income
tax returns have to be submitted.
- Document proof of the income tax payment is also needed.
Hotel vouchers
- These give an idea of travellers'
accommodation to visa officials.
- The hotel booking for the entire trip has to be submitted.
Sworn Statements
- Sworn statements have to be submitted by the applicant.
Botswana visa
processing time is generally 15
working days.
For Botswana Business Visa
Online
Company’s covering Letter
- The company’s cover letter containing the traveller’s stay and company details on the company’s letterhead with a sign and seal has to be submitted.
Letter from Chambers of Commerce
- This serves as proof of
permission to do business in the country.
- It should be issued by the Botswana Chamber of Commerce.
Invitation Letter from the Company
- The company invitation letter
has details of the company’s name, stamp, designation and signature of the
concerned authority,
- It should mention details such
as contact number, travel purpose, sponsorship details, etc.,
- The letter has to be addressed to the Botswana diplomatic mission.
Final Thoughts
The Botswana visa requirements are mentioned in this Blog. If you don't belong to a visa-free country, then apply for your visa online or by visiting a nearby consulate and get your visa early.
