Botswana eVisa

Anyone whose nationality requires a visa for Botswana can apply on the platform for tourism, visitor, business, transit, investor, employment and study visas. Embassies remain available to help applicants who have difficulties with the system.

The passport must have at least six months' validity and three unused pages. Upload a recent JPG photo no larger than 30 KB and all supporting documents in English as one PDF no larger than 5 MB; copies must be certified. Check that the passport number, names, nationality, date of birth and issue and expiry dates are clearly readable, or the file will be rejected at verification. Applicants without a first name or surname enter an apostrophe in that field.

The photo must be a colour image of 28 × 36 mm in JPG format and no more than 30 KB, showing the head and the top of the shoulders, centred, with a neutral expression and open eyes; the face fills 70 to 80 percent of the frame against a plain light background, without shadows or red eye. Clear, thin-framed glasses without glare are accepted, and head coverings must not hide the face. The passport bio page is uploaded as a colour PDF of up to 1 MB, scanned or photographed rather than photocopied.

Tourists: BWP 300 single entry up to one month, BWP 500 multiple up to three months. Business: BWP 500 single up to three months, BWP 1,000 multiple up to three months, BWP 1,500 multiple up to one year. Investors: BWP 1,000 multiple up to six months, BWP 2,500 multiple up to five years. Transit: BWP 300 single up to one week. Holders of approved employment or study permits receive their visa free of charge. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard enabled for online use.

Paper applications on Form 1 (Application for Visa) are still taken at regional and district immigration offices and at Botswana embassies and consulates. The approval or rejection letter then goes to the office where you applied, while online applicants download it from the eVisa portal. Either way an approved visa can be printed at the port of entry if you travel with the approval letter.

The approved eVisa is sent to the email address on the form. Download and print it and carry it with your passport. Fees are non-refundable, and any visa is subject to Botswana's Immigration Regulations.