Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has addressed recent misconceptions circulating on social media regarding the mutual visa exemption agreement between Namibia and China.
On Friday, the ministry’s executive director, Etienne Maritz, reiterated in a statement that the exemption applies only to holders of diplomatic and official/service passports.
Maritz stressed that the agreement is strictly limited to these specific passport categories and does not extend to ordinary passport holders or the general public.
“This is a bilateral agreement, meaning it applies equally to nationals of both Namibia and China holding diplomatic and official/service passports,” he explained.
Maritz also clarified that Namibia has entered into similar mutual visa exemption agreements with other countries, all of which are based on the same principles.
“These arrangements are aimed at facilitating official engagements and diplomatic relations rather than tourism or personal travel,” he explained.
Maritz stated that the agreement between Namibia and China will only come into effect 30 days after both countries have formally notified each other of the completion of the necessary legal processes.
He added that the public will be informed of the implementation date through official media channels.
The clarification follows the Cabinet’s recent approval of the agreement, which was initially announced by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology.
The agreement is part of Namibia’s broader diplomatic strategy to strengthen ties with key partners while adhering to established protocols for visa exemptions.
Last week, The Windhoek Observer reported that the Cabinet’s decision aligns with Namibia’s practice of facilitating high-level diplomatic relations with its international partners.
The report stressed that these agreements are essential for easing official travel and boosting cooperation in various sectors.
In his statement, Maritz urged the public to rely on verified information from official government sources to avoid confusion.
“The public is encouraged to disregard any misleading reports and to remain informed through credible channels,” he said.
