Immigration to Namibia

The Republic of Namibia, is a country in located Southern Africa, commonly known as Namibia. It is surrounded with the other African countries, Angola in the North, Zambia in the North east, Botswana in the west, South Africa in the South and Atlantic Ocean in the west. Windhoek city is the capital of  Namibia.  It is full of  cultural heritage monuments like the German colonial era buildings, Windhoek’s Christuskirche which was built in the year 1907. In the Northern part of Namibia is the Etosha National Park, one of the greatest conservation areas in the world which has rhinos and giraffes. Namibia is a home to exquisite wildlife, such as cheetah and many desert adapted plants and animals. Namibia has some of world famous beaches with white blend sand shores. Namibia is also known for the highest sand dunes in the desert of Sossusvlei. 

Namibia is good for adventure with plenty of good old Heritage sites. Namibia is a fascinating and a diverse country and is one of the best travel destinations in the world.  Namibia is one of the safest politically stable place in Southern Africa. Crime rate is low because of less population, good governance and people with good conscious.  Jobs are not easy to get but a good search will surely be awarded. You need to upgrade your skills and make international professional contacts to find a job in Namibia. It is easy to settle down in Namibia and you feel like home very quicky. People are simple and quick to become friends. Namibia has a low cost of living and  is famous for its vibrant culture, spicy food and festive drinks. 

Traveling information

You can reach Namibia by air. There are direct flights to Namibia from South Africa daily. There are many flight to Namibia  via South Africa.  The only direct flight from Europe is from Frankfurt, Germany. There are no direct flights to Namibia from North America or Aurastralasia. 

You can enter Namibia by road. The main entry points for vehicles from South Africa are on the B1 at Noordoewer (Cape Town route) and at the Ariamsvlei on the B3 (Johannesburg route). These routes are open 24×7. From southern Botswana the Trans Kalahari Highway enters Namibia at Buitepos. There are several other borders crossing into Namibia, from South Africa and Botswana. 

If you are traveling from Western Europe, UK, Ireland or from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia or South Africa, you do not need a visa to enter Namibia.  Before your travels you must check with the Namibian Diplomatic mission in your home country. Even if a visa is not required, you need a passport which is valid for six months after the entry date with at least two blank pages.

For more travel advice to Namibia,  please visit: roughguides.com

How to immigrate to Namibia 

Foreigners are required to get a visa or permit to enter Namibia for tourism, work and business purpose. There are some 49 countries whose citizens are exempt from visa to enter Namibia for a period of 3 months or less. Citizens from all other countries are required to obtain a specific visa before your travel. It is mandatory to submit the visa application at least 60 days prior to your travel date.

Documents needed for Tourism or business Visa: 

• Filled and Signed application form
• Valid Passport with three blank pages and a remaining validity for six months
• Two Passport size photos
• Application Fees

Documents needed for a business visa, you will also need to submit: 

• Company’s registration proof
• Motivation letter stating the nature of the business that will be conducted
• Letter of invitation or contact details of your business contacts

 Documents needed for temporary work permit: 

• Complete application form
• Copy of Passport
• Two passport size photos
• Certified copies of your training and experience, university degrees and trade qualifications
• Registration with Namibian professional association, required by your profession
• A record of your employment history for the past five years
• Description of your last job
• Medical certificate
• Radiological report proving you don’t have Tuberculosis
• Police clearance certificate from your country of origin

 For more information please visit:  internations.org  

People

The people of Namibia are called Namibian. These people are of diverse ethnic origins. The major groups are the Ovambo, Herero/Himba, Damara, mixed race, German, Portuguese, Afrikaner, Tswan , Caprivian, Bushman and Nama earlier it was called Namaqua. These are an African ethnic group of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. People here are friendly, kind and fun loving. Half of the population is Ovambo. These people occupy well watered and wooded northern part of the country and are settled farmers and herders. Foreign rulers destroyed Namibians war making ability but could not erase their identities or traditional organization. People from the more populous north have settled throughout the country in these recent years as a result of urbanization, industrialization and the demand of labor. Most of the population is Christian. Namibian Christians are Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, African Methodist Episcopal and Dutch Reformed Christians. Literacy rate is low but younger generation is decline more towards academic education.

Job offers in Namibia

If you want a job in this country, first you get the work permit from the Ministry of Home affairs and Immigration, and then complete the payment process. Namibia offers two types of work permits, Short term work visa (up to six months) and a work permit which is for longer period (one to three years). The process of obtaining the work permit can take two to four months. Travelers take note that they should apply in advance for a hassle free time in Namibia. It is suggested to get the employment before leaving for Namibia as your new employer can sponsor your application. For more information visiting your local embassy or its website will be helpful.

Jobs in demand are Doctors, Judge, Advocate, Bank Manager, Chief Executive or Chief Financial Officer, Professors, Accountant, Office Administrator, Personal Assistant, IT Professionals, distribution, manufacturing and production industry, etc.

Documents: 

• Complete and signed application form.
• A motivation letter from applicant
• Applicant’s CV
• Proof of qualifications
• Police clearance certificate
• Radiology report
• Deed of surety
• Copies of all the passport pages

For more information please visit: namibiahub.com  or workvisanamibia.com

Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate in the Namibia was expected to reach 36.80% in the month of December 2021. In the long term the Namibia jobless rate is around 36.00% in the year 2022 and is expected to go down by 2.50% which will be 34.50% in the year 2023 according to the econometric models. The jobless rate refers to the share of working force that is unemployed but is available for work and seeking for it. This rate is calculated by the number of workers who currently do not work, even though they can. Jobless rate is an indicator to fluctuating economic conditions, not influencing or predicting them. When it grows to a healthy rate, the job market has plenty of jobs and the jobless rate decreases. And when there is turbulence like recession in the job market, the unemployment rate increases.

For more information please visit: tradingeconomics.com

Economy of Namibia  

The economy of Namibia has a modern market sector, which helps the economy to run smoothly. Most of the people are engaged in agriculture, herding and fishing. Namibia has skilled workers and a considerable number of well trained professionals and managers. Namibia’s economy has shown to grow by 2.6% in the year 2021 and 3.3% in the year 2022, depending on the steady recovery of the financial services, tourism, retail and wholesale trade, mining industries with combined improvement in the regional and global economic habitat. Namibia’s  exports diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, white fish and mollusks and imports stuff like food items, petroleum products and fuel, machinery, equipments and chemicals. While most of the Namibians are economically active in one thing or another, the bulk of this activity is in the informal sector, like agriculture. A large number from these are also seeking jobs in the formal sector are held back due to a lack of necessary skills and training. Government is actively pursuing education reform to overcome this problem.

For more information please visit: afdb.org  or en.wikipedia.org

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Renting: 

The most expensive city in this county is the capital City, Windhoek. The amount of rent may vary from city to city as it depends on the main city, neighborhood, market, size of the property, subways. Prices in the major cities are comparatively higher than the rural areas. If you are planning to buy a property in this country then it is suggested to rent first as to find a place according to your need might take time. Renting an apartment or a house is cheaper in Namibia than many other countries in America and Europe.

You can search for an accommodation online or hire a broker. This will save your time and energy. They will help you to find a reliable and comfortable accommodation. Both the furnished and unfurnished flats are available. Taking a property on lease in Namibia is easy as it gives freedom of issuing contract between tenants and landlords. A real estate agent can be hired to make the essential arrangement for both the landlords and tenants. 

Documents: 

• Passport
• Identity Card
• Documents issued by the Namibian Government
• Proof of employment

Buying: 

It is possible for foreigners to buy a property in Namibia as the government allows buying your accommodation according to your choice and does not have any regulation against it unless it is an agricultural property. You can pay in Namibian Dollars (NAD) or in South African Rand (ZAR). In the recent years it is seen that the sale is increasing compared to the neighboring countries like America and the Europe. Here also, while buying a property, prices may vary due to various aspects. For instance, the property is in the city centre or is in outskirts, its size, near the coastline or in the middle of the country, etc. Apart from the house price you will also need to pay the transfer duty, conveyance fee, stamp duty and real estate agent fee. 

During the process of buying a freehold property, there will be four parties involved; the seller, buyer, real estate agent and the conveyer (lawyer). While the buyer works through the estate agent, the seller will have the conveyer set up a deed of transfer. Bothe the buyer and seller will have to deliver identification documents for the transaction. The seller will be liable for any defects (defects that are not visible during property inspection). 

Documents: 

• Passport
• Identity Card
• Mortgage papers
• Title transfer papers
• Purchase or Sale Agreement 

For more information please visit: propertyinnamibia.wordpress.com or  oranjemunder.com

Climate

The climate in Namibia has three different types that influences on Namibia’s landscape, however most of the country has an arid climate. This nation is a sunny country with six months of sunshine per year. It has on an average 40 degree Celsius which goes down at night to cooler level. Average monthly night time temperature ranges from twenty to thirty four degree Celsius in summer. 

Summer Season: This season in Namibia occurs for six months which starts from the month of October till the month of March. 

Autumn Season: This season in Namibia occurs for only two months which starts from the month of April and ends in the month of May.

Winter Season: This season in this country stays for three months which starts from the month of June till the month of August. 

Spring Season: This season stays in Namibia only for one month which is September.

Rainfall: This happens in Namibia during the summer season which starts from the month of October till the month of March, but also sometime extends till April or May. Heavy rainfall in this country is from January to March. The majority of the rain falls in the evening and at night. 

For more information please visit: vreugdeguestfarm.com

Languages

English is the official language which is spoken by only three percent of people as their native language. From Secondary level, English is the medium of instruction. English is not widely spoken; but some people can speak and understand this language and are fluent in it. However English language is very much used at the popular tourist destinations in Namibia and near the border of the other neighboring countries. The most widely spoken languages used in households are Oshiwambo dialects, by forty nine percent of the population. They also traditionally speak the indigenous Nama language of the Khoe-Kwadi language family, although many of these also speak Afrikaans, RuKwangali, Otjiherero. Afrikaans is the only language that comes close to a lingua franca and is spoken by most townspeople together with English and their native language. Other Bantu languages are Setswana, Gciriku, Fwe, etc. Some people also use German and Portuguese. Indigenous languages are included in the school syllabus at primary level. 

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Traffic

Namibia’s road condition is the best in Africa, as there is a continuous effort by the roads authority to maintain them. According to the World Economic forum (WEF), Namibia’s road infrastructure scored 5.2 out of 7, leaving South Africa and Rwanda behind, which scored 5.0. This country is receiving the WEF’s African road quality award for the past five consecutive years. Most of the roads are gravel, varies from coarse gravel to fine dust and sand. Driving in this country is not difficult, there is less traffic on the roads and navigation is very easy. To drive in this country a driving license is must. The only thing is must that you need a valid driving license and must keep it with you while driving. If license is in language other than English then it is suggested to travel with an international Driver’s License. Insurance papers also must so you should keep them with you while driving.

There are different speed limits imposed by the Namibian government from 60 km/h to 120 km/h depending on the area you are driving through. In urban areas speed limit is 60 km/h and on tarred roads outside of urban areas limit is 120 km/h. On gravel roads outside urban areas the speed limit is 100 km/h, however it is suggested not to exceed 80 km/h as gravel roads are not predictable. 

Documents: 

• Passport
• Driving license
• Insurance papers
• Vehicle Registration Proof
• International Driving License

For more information visit: allafrica.com

Currency

Namibian official currency is Namibian Dollar (N$, NAD). It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or N$ to distinguish it from other dollar dominated currencies. The Namibian dollar is divided into 100 cent (c). The currency is printed by the Bank of Namibia and the paper currency is in six denominations, which are N$10, N$20, N$30, N$50, N$100, N$200 and coins as cents in 5c, 10c, 50c, N$1, N$5, N$10. From the year 2019, 5c coins are no longer produced but are still used for daily transaction. The Namibian dollar has been the currency of Namibia since the year 1993. The dollar replaced the South African Rand, which had been the currency of this country while it was under South African rule as south west Africa until 1990. The African Rand is still legal as the Namibian Dollar is linked to the South Afrocan Rand and can be exchanged on a local basis.

Payment Transaction

Payment can be done in Namibia through cash, cards or online. Cash is the oldest payment method in the whole world, so it is easy to make payment through cash. But if one wants to make cashless transaction, then there is good news for them as the Banking system in this country is modern and closely knitted to the South African System. Three out of eight licensed local commercial banks are subsidiaries of South African Banks. Every local commercial bank handles international transactions and trade financing. Payments with Credit cards, Debit cards, Checks, Direct bank transfers and Cash are accepted throughout the country. Two more online payment methods available to send money in this country are World Remit and Payoneer. These are one of the cheapest and easiest ways of money transfer. 

• Cash
• Credit/Debit Cards
• Checks
• Direct Bank Transfers
• Online payment system: WorldRemit and Payoneer

For more information visit: moneytransfers.com and privacyshield.gov

Cost of living of Namibia  

The cost of living in Namibia is higher than most of the African countries. The capital city Windhoek is considered one of the most expensive cities among the African cities in 2024. The cost of living is high in Namibia as it depends on imports for most of its products used for daily life. Street food is cheap in Namibia than food in restaurants. However, cooking food at home will save a lot of money. Public transport is cheap but is very unreliable with mostly drivers not following traffic rules. Branded clothes and shoes are expensive.

For you to get a clear idea of the cost of living, we give below the cost of some products:

For more information visit: expatistan.com

Apartment Rent

Windhoek is the most expensive place to rent a residential property, followed by Swakopmund and Walvis Bay in Namibia. Also the city of Rundu, in the Kavango East region in Northern part of this country has the expensive apartments. Fully furnished one bedroom apartment in the city centre will cost you approx N$17,323 and same apartment, outside city will cost approx N$13,423. A furnished studio apartment of 2 to 3 bedrooms in the city centre will cost you approx $22,911 and outside the city it will cost you approx $19,487.

The below mentioned link gives the cost of monthly rent under the heading “Housing”. You will find the apartments online or with the help of a local friend.  Websites which shows available Property also mentions prices below so that you can choose from according to your need and comfort. You can also hire a broker or real estate agent who will save your time and money, but do not final any property before you observes it by yourself. Also take a look around the neighborhood; it will help you at the time you are in need. 

For more information visit: expatistan.com

Taxes

There are two main types of taxes in this country, Direct and Indirect Taxes. There are different taxes under these two main parts, Corporation Tax, Withholding Tax, General Sales Tax, Additional Sales Tax, Transfer Tax, Stamp Duty, Customs Duty and Municipal Tax rates levied in Namibia. You can pay taxes here in annually as the year runs from 1^st March to 28^th or 29^th February. This nation has no inheritance tax, Donation tax, estate duty or Capital gains tax. Income tax and Value Added Tax (VAT) are administered by the Minister of Finance through the office of the Commissioner for Inland Revenue in the capital city Windhoek. Stamp duties and transfer duties are also managed by this office. Value Added Tax (VAT) rate is 15%, and is applicable to almost every commodity with some exemptions. Basic commodities like sugar, bread, etc are exempted from VAT. Personal income tax is levied to total taxable income of an individual are taxed at progressive marginal rates over a series of income brackets. Personal Income tax rate is 37% and Corporate Tax rate is 32% in this country. Namibia and the United Kingdom have signed a Double taxation agreement to avoid entrepreneurs being taxed in both the countries. 

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org  or embassyofnamibia.se

Health Insurance

Namibia has dual healthcare system, consisting public and private healthcare providers. Public healthcare system provides the medical aid to the 82% of Namibian population and private healthcare system provides medical aid to the 18% of the population. Most citizens are unable to get the expensive private health care services due to the country’s high income inequality system and most of the population has no option other than relying on the public healthcare system. It is good to see that the quality if healthcare in Namibia is up to par with the international standards. 

Public healthcare system is widely available to all the citizens of Namibia. It is that easily accessible in this country, with 76% of the population living within a 10 kilometer radius of a healthcare facility. 

Under private healthcare system there are 844 private health facilities where 72% of the doctors and a more than 30% of registered nurses work in Namibia. All patients are requires to pay out of pocket in the private sector. There are certain specialized services like organ transplants, which are only available from private medical centers. As a result, these medical procedures are inaccessible to those who cannot afford private care. 

For more information visit: nhp.com.na or pacificprime.com

Important addresses 

Hosea Kutako International Airport
Windhoek,
Namibia
Ph: +264 61 295 5600

Eros Airport:
3 Aviation Road,
Windhoek,
Namibia,
Ph: +264 61 295 5500

Walvis Bay International Airport:
Walvis Bay,
Namibia,
Ph: +264 64 271 100

Windhoek Railway Station:
Windhoek,
Namibia

TransNamib Train Station:
Bahnhof St,
Windhoek,
Namibia

Swakopmund Railway Station:
Mandume Ya Ndemufayo,
Swakopmund,
Namibia

Main Bus Station:
Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue,
Windhoek, Namibia

Embassy of Germany:
145 6th Floor,
Sanlam Centre,
Independence Ave,
Windhoek, Namibia
Ph: +264 61 273 100

Embassy of Spain:
C3JJ+53R,
Windhoek, Namibia
Ph: +264 61 223 066

Embassy of Portugal:
4 P O Box 433,
Karin Street, Windhoek,
Namibia
Ph: +264 61 259 7913

Embassy of China:
C4J5+FQH, Windhoek,
Namibia
Ph: +264 61 402 598

Summary

Namibia, a Southern African Country with breathtaking places, Amazing Wildlife, pleasant climate and a fun spot for people who love to travel. This country is also known for the highest sand dunes in the desert of Sossusvlei. Namibia is full of cultural heritage and has a rich history, sweet and spicy drinks with food, and many cultural attractions. People are friendly and happy, modern and trendy. Namibia provides good public healthcare system to locals as well as foreigners. Namibia is a good destination, but there is still take some safety precautions to lessen the risk such as crime and corona virus. Many Places are safe and fun to visit, if you know where they are and what areas to ignore. Cost of living in Namibia is relatively cheap than the countries in the American and European continents. Namibia is one of the most visited Countries for tourism and jobs. There are jobs available here but you need to search a bit hard, upgrade your skills and make international professional contacts to land a job in this country. All these factors make Namibia a nation you will never forget.