Namibian Short Term Work Visa

A Short-Term Work Visa in Namibia is ideal for people who need to be in the country for a few weeks, up to 6 Months, carrying out physical work (proper work-related activities), host meetings, workshops, and conduct training. An example of this would be in the Oil and Gas industry that has been established in Namibia.
It is very important to ensure that any form of work conducted, is authorised by obtaining a Namibian Work Visa/Permit first.

There are two forms of Short-Term Work Visas for Namibia, the key difference is in the duration of the short-term work project in Namibia. One short term Work Visa is valid for 3 Months and the other for 6 Months. The core differences are in the processing time, documents required, government application fees and the requirement for Labour Market Testing.

1. The first is is valid for up to a few weeks to 3 Months, depending on the basis and length of your work and travel and is renewable for another 3 months.
2. The other is for people who need to be in the country for precisely 6 Months, and it is in most cases non-renewable. Renewal of this visa depends on circumstance and is at the discretion of the Immigration Board.

Multiple Entry is permitted with the period of holding a valid short-term work visa in Namibia, entry and exit should be specified in the motivation letter.

Your spouse or children must apply for the Namibian Accompanying Spouse/Dependant Visas if they plan to accompany you on your short-term work assignment in Namibia.

To apply for a Namibia Short-term Work Visa, the Applicant must provide the following forms and documents (In English or Transcribed into English by a sworn translator)

• A Completed and Signed Visa Application Form (3-1/0033)
• Certified copy of passport bio data page (certification not older than Six months)
• Certified copies of Qualifications required for this Work (certification not older than 6 months)
• Completed and Signed Power of Attorney Form

When applying for the 6 Month Short-Term Work Visa:

• Original Police Clearance from country of origin and country of residence if different for the past 12 months
• Original Medial Certificate (3-1/0003)
• Original Radiological Report (3-1/0004)

Documents required from the Local Namibian Business/Receiving Entity

• Motivational letter addressed to Home Affairs from the Namibian entity confirming the short-term work in the country with the exact duration of stay. – Signed by HOD or HR of the company

These letters should contain the following Applicant Information:

• Work/Visit Duration (Start and end Dates)
• Place of Work (Official Company Letterhead)
• Role/Position of the applicant within the Namibian entity

When applying for the 6 Month Short-Term Work Visa:

• Employment Contract
• Local Labour Market Testing: The Namibian company must advertise the position and demonstrate they couldn’t find a suitable Namibian candidate. This involves advertising in 3 local newspapers (not digital), and through the Ministry of Labor. Proof of this advert is required.
• Confirmation Letter: The company will a need a confirmation letter from the Ministry of Labor (NIEIS) stating the unavailability of Namibian candidates with the required skills. Letter is required.
• Deed of Surety: With a revenue stamp which the employer to complete and sign

Documents for visa application required by the Sending Entity (Foreign)

To apply for a short-term work visa for Namibia, there must be a “sending entity”. If you are self-employed this can be in the form of your own self proprietorship.

• Motivational letter addressed to Home Affairs from the Sending entity confirming the short-term work in the country with the exact duration of stay. – Signed by HOD / HR

These letters should contain the following Applicant Information:

• Work/Visit Duration (Start and End Dates)
• Place of Work (Official Company Letterhead)
• Contract/Agreement/Tender Awarded between Namibian and foreign entity /Employment Confirmation Letter for the applicant

Additional documents required for special short term work visa applications

• Filming application – the applicant must attach filming permit from Namibia filming commission – Only applicable to those applying for filming permits
• Media Application – the applicant must attach accreditation letter from Namibia Ministry of Information and Communication Technology – Only applicable to those applying for media permits
• Tour Operator Application must attach Namibia Tourism board certificate from Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism – Only applicable to tour operators
• Research permits must attach research permit from the Namibia National Commission on Research Science and Technology (NCRST) – Only applicable to those performing research in Namibia.

The accompanying Spouse and Dependant Visas are separate and unique Namibian visa that must be applied for in conjunction with the primary visa applicant.
This Namibian visa has it’s own unique information, including required documents and forms, processing time, costs and application steps.

Please visit this page if you wish to apply for an accompanying dependant and/or spousal visa for Namibia

Preparation:

If all documents are in order and complete, it will take 24 – 48 hours to review, complete and submit this application.

Submission:

When applying for a Namibian Short-Term Work Visa, it is important to understand that the processing time from date of submission to approval of application takes 2-3 weeks and can vary significantly due to various steps in the application process. Several other factors can extend the total timeline.

Post Application:

Once visa application is approved, government fees needs to be made to the Home Affairs for the actual loose visa to be issued which typically takes 5-7 working days.
Note: The physical visa is sufficient for travel if printed out, however should endorsement (visa sticker) in the passport be required, it will take additional 3-5 working days. (this is optional)

As an employee/employer looking to expand into Namibia with a work assignment, it is fundamental to understand the costs and application process for Namibian Work Visas.
Short-Term Work Visas are less complicated to apply for an obtain compared to Long-Term Work Visas, which require more complex requirements.

Visa application fees paid to the Namibian Home Affairs Department once the visa is approved:

Application for a Namibian Short Term Work Visa can be done using the Namibian Visa E-Portal, or made in person. The Namibia E-Visa portal is currently known to have intermittent outages. This can affect application submission and processing times. We advise applicants to be prepared for delays and check back regularly, otherwise physical application should be considered.

Please Note:
When applying for a Short-Term Work Visa, physical presence is not required.
To apply for a Namibian Short-Term Work Visa, your application must be linked to a Namibian Registered Entity (Receiving Business Entity).

Work Visa applications in Namibia often have extended processing times, so we encourage you to begin the application process as soon as possible. You don’t want your employment start date to come and go because there were unexpected delays in processing your Namibia permit application.

Step 1: Identify and Confirm Your Eligibility

• Ensure your role in Namibia is not in a market saturated industry, meaning there is enough Namibians available to fulfil this role. (at the discretion of Home Affairs)
• Qualifications and Experience: Make sure your qualifications and work experience align with the requirements of the job in Namibia you are applying for.

Step 2: Job Advertisement

• The company needs to prove that efforts were made in advertising the position widely, in doing so the advertisement must be placed in 3 different local newspapers.
• The company needs to advertise the post through the Namibian Integrated Employment Information system.

Step 3: Gather Required Documentation

• You can find a list of all Documents and Compliance Requirements for your Namibian Short Term Work Visa here.
• This includes the Visa Application Form 3-1/0033 Application Form. This form can be filled through digitally, while hand-written forms are also accepted. All forms should be signed.

Coordinate with the sponsoring Namibian entity for documents like motivational letters, confirmation letters from the Namibian Ministry of Labour, and a signed deed of surety. Missing opr incomplete documentation or forms are the leading cause for delayed or even rejected visa applications

Step 4: Application Submission

• Compile Documents: Ensure all required documents are complete and correctly compiled.
• Submit Application: the applicant will submit the application to The Mistry of Home Affairs physically. Get Acknowledgement Receipt (when submitting physically) and regularly follow up on the progress via counters.

Ensure you have the exact application fee ready.

Step 5: Wait for processing and receive your Visa-Outcome

• Notification: The applicant will have do the physical follow ups at The Ministry of Home Affairs if the application is submitted at the Home Affairs counters.

Step 6: Payment to Home Affairs/Upon Approval

• Once application has been approved, proceed to make payment of Government Fees to the Ministry of Home Affairs for the actual loose visa to be issued.

Step 7: Visa Issuance/Travel

• Once the visa is issued, you physically will collect the visa from the Home Affairs department, and forward it to the applicant via email.
• Present a hard copy of this visa at the port of entry to the country where the immigration official will stamp the visa in your passport.

Step 8: Renewal and Compliance

• Monitor Visa Expiry: Keep track of your visa expiry date by marking a date on your calendar, should you wish to submit a renewal.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with all visa conditions and Namibia laws during your stay.

• Namibian Department of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security – For the latest updates, forms, and application guidelines.
• Ministry of Home Affairs E-Services – For more access to application information.
• Immigration Consultants – If you find the process overwhelming, consider engaging a Namibian immigration consultant to handle the application on your behalf.

Tips for a Smooth Application Process

• Plan Ahead: Start gathering your documents early to avoid delays, especially for items like police clearances or translations.
• Double-Check Requirements: Verify any changes to the visa requirements on the official website before submission.
• Stay Informed: Processing times and fees can vary, so always confirm current timelines and costs directly with the Namibian Department of Home Affairs or a Namibian visa consultant.

Disclaimer

At IBN Immigration Solutions, we adhere to Google’s standards for transparency. As a private immigration firm, we follow the regulations outlined in the Immigration Act of South Africa. We are not affiliated with the Namibian Government. Our clients pay for our expertise in handling applications for both temporary and permanent residency. While forms required during the process can be obtained for free at any Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs office, we also provide them as part of our service. Those who prefer to deal directly with the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs can visit their website at https://mha.gov.na/