Namibia turns the visa tables on Western nations

Namibian Michelle Nehoya has spent practically $500 (£390) on the appliance course of for a visa to go to Canada – however nearly two years later it has but to materialise.

The 38-year-old, who lives in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, is determined to get to Quebec to see her aunt and cousins whom she has not seen for nearly a decade.

The visa software has concerned filling in a number of varieties – and amongst different necessities, she has additionally had to supply six months of financial institution statements, an invite letter plus an in depth journey historical past.

There isn’t any strategy to apply in Namibia, so this has additionally meant travelling to South Africa to submit her biometric information, which entails giving her fingerprints and having a photograph taken.

Her expertise just isn’t unusual for Africans travelling to Western nations.

In 2022, seven of the highest 10 nations with the best visa rejection charges within the bloc of European nations often known as the Schengen space have been African, based on consultancy agency Henley and Companions.

“It has been prolonged and irritating. I haven’t been given any motive why it’s taken so lengthy,” Ms Nehoya tells the BBC.

Nonetheless, if her household in Quebec resolve to journey to Namibia on Canadian passports, they won’t face something just like the challenges and prices she encountered. Canadian residents can at present enter Namibia and not using a visa.

However this can change in eight months’ time.

From subsequent April, Canadian nationals, together with these from Germany, the US, the UK and 29 different nations, would require a visa for entry.

These embody all “non-reciprocating nations” – that means the brand new visa guidelines will have an effect on residents from all nations that require Namibian passport holders to have visas.

“Namibia has prolonged gestures of goodwill and beneficial remedy to nationals of assorted nations. Nonetheless, regardless of these efforts, sure nations haven’t reciprocated,” Namibia’s immigration ministry stated in Could.

“In gentle of this disparity, the federal government has deemed it essential to implement a visa requirement to make sure parity and equity in diplomatic interactions.”

However these guests will have the ability to purchase their 90-day visa, costing $90, on arrival in Namibia – in contrast to the onerous necessities positioned on African passport holders who have to get their visas beforehand.

The British Excessive Commissioner to Namibia, Charles Moore, stated he revered the fitting of Namibia to impose new laws.

“[The UK] sadly imposed a visa regime on Namibia final yr because of the variety of asylum seekers we have been receiving. That was impacting on our relationship with Namibia,” he advised the Namibian Broadcasting Company in Could.

A press release from the UK authorities additional defined there had been a sustained and important improve within the variety of asylum functions from Namibians on the UK border since 2016.

“This constitutes an abuse of the availability to go to the UK for a restricted interval as non-visa nationals,” it stated.

For Ms Nehoya, Namibia’s visa announcement is lengthy overdue: “I believe it’s truthful. It appears like Namibia is standing up for itself.”

The reactions on social media to the information echo her sentiments.

“Lastly. I hope in addition they require them to submit a bible of paperwork, take medical exams, [and] Namibian language exams,” wrote one commenter.

One other stated: “If I have to deliver financial institution statements… and all form of paperwork and nonetheless purchase visa simply to achieve entry to a rustic, that nation also needs to do the identical to achieve entry to my nation.”

And visas for the Schengen space, the US and Canada don’t come low cost for African passport holders.

The European Union made greater than €53m ($58m; £45m) on rejected visa functions from African nations in 2023, based on a latest report by the Lago Collective, a think-tank that focuses on migration.

Visas may be rejected for a number of causes. The report says most rejections are based mostly on “affordable doubt concerning the visa applicant’s intention to return residence”.

In June 2024, the worth of Schengen short-term visas went up from €80 to €90 for adults, and in October 2023, the UK visa price rose from £100 to £115.

The report additionally confirmed that just about a 3rd of Africans making use of for a visa to the Schengen space have been rejected, larger than the worldwide common.

Even when visas are authorized, African travellers say their experiences at border safety make them really feel uncomfortable and undesirable.

Winnie Byanyima, the top of UNAids and who’s herself Ugandan, drew consideration to this when she tweeted in 2022: “I’m at Geneva airport, I’m nearly refused to board, all paperwork scrutinised over and over, calls made… I board final.”

Regardless of Namibia’s visa initiative receiving reward on social media, the tourism trade is much less enthusiastic.

The Hospitality Affiliation of Namibia stated it was “very involved” concerning the message it “sends to the worldwide journey commerce”.

In 2022, the tourism sector accounted for 7% of GDP, making it the third largest contributor to the economic system – with most vacationers coming nations similar to Germany and the US.

Although Soni Nrupesh, a tourism professional based mostly in Windhoek, believes the visa transfer is not going to deter guests: “It is not going to change a lot; you possibly can nonetheless get on a aircraft and not using a visa.

“It’s simply while you get to the airport you’ll fill a type pay the charges and enter.”

Potential travellers like Ms Nehoya hope this type reciprocity would be the future for everybody.

“Folks come to Namibia, and so they like it. However we additionally need to see what is occurring on the opposite aspect,” she says.

“It will be good to go to Canada, the US or the UK and simply get a visa on arrival. However proper now, we should plan every part thus far upfront.”