WINDHOEK – Amid Donald Trump’s aggressive moves regarding immigration and visa overhaul, an African country has stepped up to deprive US visitors of their visa-free travel liberty.
The government of Namibia has announced that it will end the visa-free relaxation available to the visitors from the United States from April 1st, 2025. The visitors from the United States will now to have obtain visa for visiting the country, a diplomatic move which is being considered bold across the African continent.
The Namibian cabinet had taken decisions in this regard last year but the decision would come into effect from next month at a time when Trump’s administration is exercising increased scrutiny of visitors and even revoking visas of students citing national security concerns.
Interestingly, the Namibian government has ended visa-free access for more than 30 countries including the United Kingdom citing a lack of reciprocity for Namibian passport holders.
It bears mentioning that other countries whose citizens would now have to obtain visa before visiting Namibia include Germany, France, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland etc.
The local tourism industry is apprehensive regarding the latest move and experts opine that the move would hurt Namibia more than European countries. Tour operators believe that other African countries which offer visa-free access to European visitors or the American visitors would take advantage of the move.
Travelers from the countries deprived of visa-free access will now have to navigate to online visa application system or obtain a tourism visa on arrival.
The latest development by Namibia is important considering that the Trump’s regime is on a rampage regarding visa revocations at a mass level. US Vice President, J.D Vance has even said that the Green Card does not give indefinite right to stay in the country. More recently, US Secretary of State, Rubio confirmed that the government has revoked visas of at least 300 students, s move which has stirred concerns among the academic circles of the country.
