Retaliation? Namibia Requires Visas For Citizens Of U.S. & 30+ Countries

Starting on 1 April, citizens of the United States and more than 30 other countries planning to visit Namibia must obtain a visa at an airport or border crossing.

The move is widely seen as a response to Western countries’ continued refusal to reciprocate Namibia’s visa-free entry policy for their citizens.

For instance, the US government locked out all African countries from the 2025 US visa-waiver programme despite many countries on their continent allowing US citizens to enter their territories without visas.

Further, a proposed US travel ban leaked to the media in recent weeks categorises many countries, including African ones, on a three-tier basis to denote the level of restrictions. More than 20 African countries appear in the second and third categories, where travel would be allowed, but under severe scrutiny and restrictions. However, Libya, Sudan and Somalia are in tier 1, facing a complete ban on travel to the US.

The US has historically discriminated against visa applicants from Africa. In 2017, the Trump administration banned Libya, Somalia and Sudan. According to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, the US denied 57 per cent of African student visa applications in 2023 compared to 38 per cent for Asians and 8 per cent for Europeans.