The Namibian government's newly launched visa-on-arrival e-platform has been met with criticism from stakeholders in the tourism industry.
They have raised concerns over security flaws, pricing inconsistencies, and overall functionality.
The long-awaited platform, launched on Monday by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, aims to streamline the visa application process for international visitors.
The roll-out has, however, been marred by technical glitches and confusion.
An industry expert, who wishes to remain anonymous, has expressed concerns about the platform's lack of verification measures during the application process.
This is the first concern: One can apply with any fake documents, and they approve it. There is no checking. And how do you approve a visa without payment?" the expert asks.
POTENTIAL ABUSE
The platform allegedly grants visa approvals before payment is processed, raising fears of potential abuse.
With Namibia having experienced several cybersecurity breaches in recent years, questions have also been raised about the platform's data protection protocols.
"What security protocols are in place? Does the server follow general data-protection regulations (GDPRs)? Is the data deleted according to GDPR rules? If not, the site could be blocked in Europe for collecting data without following the regulations," the expert says.
Further confusion stems from the platform's pricing structure.
The visa-on-arrival fee is listed as N$1 650, nearly three times the price of the N$600 holiday visa required by certain nationalities, including Chinese and Indian visitors.
"The whole portal is confusing.
The holiday visa is also an e-visa that people can apply for online, but it's much cheaper than the visa-on-arrival option. There is no clear explanation for this price difference," the expert says.
Meanwhile, ministry spokesperson Margaret Kalo says the new visa system responds to information provided by applicants.
She says while the system is integrated with security databases, including Interpol, and can flag individuals with known security concerns, it cannot independently verify the authenticity of uploaded documents at the time of application.
"However, the final authentication and verification process takes place at the point of entry.
Immigration officers at Namibia's borders will conduct thorough checks on the original passport and supporting documents before granting entry.
This ensures that any false or misleading information submitted online does not guarantee access to Namibia."
Kalo says even if an application is "approved" in the system, the applicant remains subject to profiling and verification upon arrival.
"Should discrepancies arise, the immigration officer has the authority to deny entry.
Thus, while the system enhances efficiency in processing visa applications, it does not replace the critical security measures enforced at Namibia's ports of entry."
VISA ON ARRIVAL
Home affairs minister Albert Kawana on Monday said the platform is a step forward in the government's ongoing commitment to enhancing Namibia's border efficiency and streamlining immigration processes.
Kawana said the ministry has continuously sought ways to simplify the visa experience for international guests and that they have expanded visa-on-arrival facilities to include a number of strategic entry points.
African countries requiring a visa to enter Namibia are Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tunisia, Western Sahara Republic, and Uganda.
International countries are Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Moldova, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, the Vatican, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
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"The Namibian government is open to negotiating reciprocity visa agreements with countries that have been listed and is committed to ensuring efficient service at all ports of entry," the ministry says in a note.
Meanwhile, in-person visa-on-arrival applications can be processed at the various ports of entry except Rundu Airport, Sarusungu Border Post, Nkurenkuru Border Post, Keetmanshoop Airport, Klein Manasse Border Post, Lüderitz Airport, Gobabis Airport, Ondangwa Airport, Dobe Border Post, Grootfontein Airport, Kasika Border Post, Mpacha Airport, Mata-Mata Border Post, Singalamwe Border Post and Vioolsdrift.
