Namibia digital nomad visa (2026)

Who can apply

• Work remotely for an employer or clients based outside Namibia
• Net monthly income of at least US$2,000 (more with dependants)
• International health and travel insurance
• No existing legal status in Namibia at the time of applying (cannot apply while on a tourist visa)

Income requirement

You need to show at least US$2,000 per month. Main applicant needs US$2,000 a month after tax, plus US$1,000 for an accompanying spouse and US$500 per accompanying child; savings shown in six months of bank or investment statements may also be accepted.

Documents you need

• Visa application form 3-1/0033, signed
• Medical certificate and radiological report on Namibian forms
• Certified passport copy
• Proof of income (payslips or employment contract) and 6 months of bank statements
• Employer motivation letter (freelancers write their own)
• Certified copies of qualifications
• Police clearance from country of origin, translated into English

How to apply, step by step

1. Gather the documents on the NIPDB checklist
2. Email the complete dossier to NIPDB (nomadvisa@nipdb.com)
3. NIPDB sends its motivation letter and your file to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHAISS)
4. After approval, pay the fee by transfer (or via a local representative)
5. MHAISS issues an entry visa document once payment is confirmed

Where and how to apply

There is no consulate or online e-visa route for this visa. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) is the only channel: you send one complete dossier by email, NIPDB checks it against its checklist, and if everything is in order it writes a letter of support and passes the file to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS). The ministry makes the decision and issues the visa document. NIPDB states that the ministry's own e-Visa platform cannot be used for this category. You must not hold any legal status in Namibia when you apply, which in practice means applying from outside the country rather than while visiting on a tourist visa or visa exemption. No appointment or biometric visit is mentioned for the application itself; everything is handled in writing.

Timeline

1. Prepare documents Before applying
   Every document, including the police certificate, medical forms and certified copies, must be dated within the last six months when you submit. Medical and X-ray reports must be done on the Namibian ministry templates, and translations must be certified in your country of residence.
2. Send dossier to NIPDB Day 0
   The full set goes by email to NIPDB in English. Incomplete files are not forwarded, so missing items restart the clock.
3. NIPDB review and support letter Included in the 2–3 week estimate
   NIPDB confirms the checklist is met and adds its motivation letter addressed to the ministry.
4. Ministry decision About 2–3 weeks from submission (NIPDB estimate)
   MHAISS reviews the file and approves or refuses it.
5. Pay the fee After approval; about 15 working days for a transfer to clear
   Payment from abroad by electronic transfer can take around three weeks to show in the state treasury account; a local representative can pay in person at the ministry to speed this up.
6. Visa issued and travel Once payment is confirmed
   The six months normally run from approval, but you can state intended entry dates so the period starts on arrival.
7. Leave before expiry End of month 6
   The visa cannot be extended or converted. A new application is possible only 12 months after the previous visa expired.

Proving your income

The threshold is measured after tax, not before. Employees should show payslips from the named employer; if payslips are not available, an employment contract stating the salary is accepted instead. A six-month bank statement is required in every case. NIPDB also accepts savings as proof of self-sufficiency when monthly income falls short, provided bank or investment statements covering the past six months are supplied. Self-employed people and investors are eligible on the same checklist, and freelancers without an employer write their own motivation letter in place of the employer letter. The employer letter, where there is one, must be on company letterhead, signed by an authorised person, dated, addressed to the Executive Director of the ministry, and should state job title, type of employment, how long you have been employed and that the employer supports remote work from Namibia. All papers must be in English; anything in another language needs a translation certified by a notary or commissioner of oaths.

Bringing your family

The visa can cover one spouse and minor children as defined in the Immigration Control Act of 1993. Namibian law recognises only one spouse for this purpose, so a second spouse cannot be added. Unmarried partners are not treated as dependants and must each qualify and apply on their own. The income test rises with each person: in addition to the main applicant's amount, NIPDB asks for USD 1,000 a month for an accompanying spouse and USD 500 a month for each accompanying child. Each dependant completes a separate application form, and spouse files need a marriage certificate and full birth certificate. The fee covers dependants only if their applications are sent together with the main applicant's; files sent later or in a separate email thread are charged separately. Dependants cannot work for Namibian businesses, and children who will attend school need a separate study permit from the ministry.

Health insurance

Applicants must hold valid international health insurance and travel insurance, or comprehensive travel insurance, and submit proof with the dossier. NIPDB does not publish a minimum cover amount or a list of required risks. Because the six-month period can start either on approval or on a stated arrival date, the policy should at least cover the full six months from the date you plan to enter. A separate medical certificate and chest X-ray report on the ministry's own forms are also required; scanned copies are accepted if a registered general practitioner has signed and stamped them.

Cost and processing time

The fee is nAD 3,300 for the main applicant, payable after approval. Processing takes about 2–3 weeks. Budget extra for translations, certified copies and health insurance.

After you arrive

• The visa is single-entry: leaving Namibia, even for a short trip to a neighbouring country, uses up the entry.
• There is no extension and no change of conditions in-country; plan to depart before the six months end.
• NIPDB states the visa does not help with opening a Namibian bank account or buying property, so keep foreign cards or accounts for day-to-day costs.
• Children who attend a Namibian school need a separate study permit from MHAISS.
• If you stay more than 180 days in Namibia in total, NIPDB warns that you may have income tax obligations; Namibia's tax year runs from 1 March to the end of February and individual returns are due on 30 June (NamRA).
• Your foreign employer does not need to register with Namibia's Social Security Commission.

Tax

Namibia taxes on a source basis: the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says income earned, or deemed to be earned, within Namibia's borders is taxable. NIPDB's guidance for this visa is that a holder who spends more than 180 days in Namibia while earning foreign income may become liable to income tax, and that combining a tourist stay and a nomad visa in the same year does not avoid this because the day count applies regardless of visa type. NamRA's brochure sets the tax year as 1 March to 28/29 February, with individual returns due by 30 June. At the rates in force from 1 March 2024, the first N$100,000 of taxable income is not taxed and rates then rise in steps to 37%. There is no special tax regime for digital nomads. Because the six-month visa cannot be renewed, most holders stay under 180 days, but anyone close to that line should get written advice from NamRA.

Does it lead to permanent residence?

None. NIPDB states that the visa does not allow a change of conditions, so it cannot be turned into a work permit or residence permit from inside Namibia, and it cannot be renewed. Time spent on it does not lead to permanent residence. Anyone wanting to stay longer has to apply for a different permit through the ministry under its own requirements.

Why applications get refused

• Applying while already in Namibia on a tourist visa or other status, which NIPDB says is not allowed
• Documents older than six months, or police certificates translated and certified outside your country of residence
• Medical or X-ray reports on foreign forms instead of the Namibian ministry templates
• Income below the post-tax threshold once spouse and children are added, with no six months of savings evidence to make up the gap
• Payslips that do not show the named employer, or an employer letter missing signature, date, letterhead or the correct addressee
• Applying again less than 12 months after a previous digital nomad visa expired

Cost of living in Windhoek

1-bedroom rent

N$6,000–15,000 a month in the centre (average about N$8,300); N$4,000–11,000 outside the centre (Numbeo, updated 6 November 2026)

Coworking desk

No reliable published monthly prices found; options are mainly serviced-office operators

Numbeo lists fixed broadband of 60 Mbps or more at roughly N$550–1,500 a month (6 November 2026).

Good to know

• Single-entry only
• Cannot be used to work for Namibian businesses or to study
• Fee covers dependants only if they apply together with the main applicant
• All documents must be in English and no older than 6 months

Visiting first? Entry rules for popular passports

55 passports can enter Namibia visa-free for a short stay, a common way to try the country before applying. Check Namibia visa requirements for your passport.

Official source

Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB)