Niël Terblanché
The Cabinet has authorised the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to establish a mutual visa exemption agreement with the People’s Republic of China in order to improve bilateral relations.
This agreement will allow holders of diplomatic and official or service passports from both nations to travel without the need for prior visa arrangements.
The proposal, submitted by Albert Kawana, the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, received Cabinet approval during its latest session.
The initiative is a demonstration of the efforts of both countries to facilitate smoother diplomatic engagements and official exchanges.
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology announced the plans in the latest Cabinet decisions, earlier this week.
The agreement applies specifically to individuals carrying diplomatic and official or service passports.
The home affairs minister in his submission to Cabinet said the approval aligns with Namibia’s broader strategy to reciprocate favourable visa policies.
In May 2024, the Namibian government decided to impose entry visa requirements on nationals from countries that had not reciprocated Namibia’s lenient visa policies.
This decision affected 31 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
China has a history of entering into similar agreements with various countries to promote international cooperation.
These agreements, according to research on the internet, often allow holders of diplomatic, official, service, consular, or special passports to travel without a visa for stays of up to 30 days.
The specific terms can vary based on bilateral negotiations and the unique relationship between the countries involved.
The minister in his submission stated that the implementation of the planned visa exemption is expected to streamline official travel, reduce administrative burdens, and encourage more dynamic diplomatic engagement between Namibia and China.
