Botswana

Visa Botswana

Afrique · Afrique australe

In Botswana, visas fall under the "Immigration and Civil Registration" section of the government's official portal. It publishes pages by visa type (visitor, tourism, study, employment, transit, business) and states filing online on the eVisa platform, at any immigration office, or with a Botswana embassy or consulate. The pages read announce a processing time of seven to fourteen days and publish no amount.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Government of Botswana — Immigration and Civil Registration
Submission channel: Online eVisa platform, any immigration office, Botswana embassy or consulate, as read
Electronic visa: Yes — the pages refer to the platform https://evisa.gov.bw/
Portal language: English

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

Visa Application – Visitor's Visa: Page describing visits to relatives and friends ("Visiting friends or relatives"); the page states that the holder must not work, provide services or sell goods in Botswana, and states a validity of up to two years for the dependants of a resident. Official page (new tab)
Visa Application – Tourism Visa: Page stating that it is issued to persons traveling to Botswana for recreational purposes; length of stay not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
Visa Application – Business Visa: Type named in the Immigration and Civil Registration section of the portal; content of the page not consulted. Official page (new tab)
Visa Application – Study Visa: Type named in the Immigration and Civil Registration section of the portal; content of the page not consulted. Official page (new tab)
Visa Application – Employment Visa: Type named in the Immigration and Civil Registration section of the portal; content of the page not consulted. Official page (new tab)
Visa Application – Transit Visa: Type named in the Immigration and Civil Registration section of the portal; content of the page not consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The visa pages of the government portal state filing online on the eVisa platform (https://evisa.gov.bw/), or in person at any immigration office, or else with a Botswana embassy or consulate.

In-person filing is done using "Form 1" together with the supporting documents. For online filing, the Tourism Visa page states that the documents must be combined into a single PDF document.

Steps in the procedure

Choose the visa type matching the purpose among the pages published by the Immigration and Civil Registration section.
Complete the application form ("Form 1" for in-person filing) or the online application on the eVisa platform.
Gather the supporting documents requested by the page for the visa type chosen, in a single PDF document for online filing.
File the application online, at an immigration office, or with a Botswana embassy or consulate.
Await the assessment: the pages read announce processing in seven (7) to fourteen (14) days.
If approved, the Tourism Visa page states that the visa may be printed at the place of filing, or that the traveler may present the approval letter for printing at the ports of entry.

Documents mentioned by the authority

Certified copy of pages 1 and 2 of the passport showing a validity of at least six months (Tourism Visa page).
Two recent color passport size photographs (Tourism Visa page).
Cover letter stating the reasons for the visit (Tourism Visa page).
Flight itinerary and accommodation bookings (Tourism Visa page).
Travel itinerary and evidence of the intention to leave at the end of the stay (Tourism Visa page).
Sworn affidavit from the host, with the host appearing in person (Visitor's Visa page).
Copies of the marriage or birth certificates for the spouse and dependants (Visitor's Visa page).
Certified copy of the host's national identity document, residence and work permit or exemption certificate (Visitor's Visa page).
Return visa or residence permit of the country of residence (Visitor's Visa page).

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the Visitor's Visa page announces processing in "seven (7) to fourteen (14) days" and the Tourism Visa page processing in "seven (7) to fourteen (14) working days".

No amount or currency appears on the pages read: Not stated on the portal consulted.

After the decision

According to the Tourism Visa page, if approved the visa may be printed at the place where the application was filed; the traveler may also present the approval letter, which is then printed at the ports of entry.

The avenues of appeal in the event of a refusal are not described on the pages read. The authority decides whether to grant or refuse.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Botswana to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required for Botswana?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

The official pages state filing online on the eVisa platform, or in person at any immigration office, or with a Botswana embassy or consulate.

Is there an electronic visa?

Yes: the pages refer to the eVisa platform of the Government of Botswana.

What processing time is announced?

The pages read announce processing in seven to fourteen days; the Tourism Visa page specifies "working days".

How much does the visa cost?

Not stated on the portal consulted: the pages read publish no amount.

Official sources

Immigration and Civil Registration — Government of Botswana (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

Immigration and Civil Registration (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visa Application – Visitor's Visa | Government of Botswana (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visa Application – Tourism Visa (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
botswana-evisa (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The platform https://evisa.gov.bw/ returned no usable content on 2026-09-17: the categories actually open online and the payment method remain to be verified.
The Business, Study, Employment and Transit Visa pages were not opened: their documents, durations and conditions are not described here.
No visa fee amount is published on the pages read.
The two pages read state "days" on one and "working days" on the other for the same interval of seven to fourteen: the exact wording must be resolved by a reviewer.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case