UK introduces visa regime for Namibians – Government says citizens should remain calm
Namibian nationals will have to apply for a visa before traveling or visiting the United Kingdom (UK), the UK government announced Wednesday.
The decision to impose a visa regime was made because of the sustained and significant increase since 2016 in the number of UK asylum applications from Namibian nationals at the UK border, the British High Commission in Windhoek said in a statement.
This constitutes an abuse of the provision to visit the UK for a limited period as non-visa nationals, the commission added.
The changes, which come into effect immediately, will apply to all Namibian nationals traveling to the UK, however, there will be a four-week transition period until 16 August of which during this period, Namibian nationals holding confirmed tickets booked before 19 July will still be permitted to travel to the UK as a non-visa national.
“I fully understand that the imposition of a visa regime will be of concern to the many Namibian nationals who we warmly welcome to visit the UK as genuine visitors,” the British High Commissioner to Namibia, Charles Moore said, adding that the significant increase in asylum claims prompted the decision.
“We have regularly discussed the increase in asylum applications with the Namibian government, and continue to work jointly on returning those nationals who are ultimately determined to be ineligible for asylum in the UK,” he noted.
According to Moore, the changes made will bring Namibia into line with many other visa-national countries, including many Commonwealth partners, with whom the UK has warm and friendly relations.
Meanwhile, The Namibian government has urged the nation to remain calm amid the announcement of the new visa requirements for Namibian nationals visiting and/or transiting the UK.
The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Executive Director, Penda Naanda in a statement Wednesday said that Cabinet has deliberated on the matter, and has established a Committee to look into this matter.
“The government, therefore, calls upon the Namibian nation to remain calm; as the Cabinet Committee
will deliberate on the issue, to ensure that Namibian nationals are not disadvantaged by such a decision,” he said.
The UK government Wednesday announced with immediate effect, a decision to impose a visa regime for Namibians traveling or visiting the United Kingdom following the significant increase since 2016 in the number of UK asylum applications from Namibian nationals at the UK border.
