Before you travel
Botswana visa requirements.
British, US and many other visitors can enter Botswana visa-free for up to 90 days. Nationalities on Botswana's visa list apply online at evisa.gov.bw.
Correct at the time of publishing, . Fees and entry rules are subject to change without notice, and many rules depend on the passport you hold. Confirm with the official source listed under each answer, or with your airline, before you travel.
Check the rules for your passport. Requirements differ by nationality, purpose and length of stay.
Check Botswana visa requirements →Checker provided by VisaHQ. Site designer Charnette Labs may earn a commission if you apply through them, at no extra cost to you. Famous Africa is not an immigration adviser and neither party decides these requirements.
Do I need a visa to visit Botswana?
Botswana publishes the list of nationalities that need a visa on its e-visa portal, evisa.gov.bw. It includes China, India, Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt; the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and the EU countries are not on it. The UK and US governments confirm their citizens can visit for up to 90 days without a visa.
Visitors may stay for 90 days, and an extension must be applied for before the 90 days end. Tourist visa applications take seven to 14 working days and need a passport valid for at least six months, an itinerary and accommodation bookings.
Sources: Botswana e-visa portal: do I need a visa?; Government of Botswana: tourism visa application; Government of Botswana: extension of days of visit; UK government (FCDO): Botswana entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 31 August 2026); US Department of State: Botswana travel information, for US citizens (guidance issued 25 June 2026)
What passport validity and blank pages does Botswana require?
The UK and US governments both advise a passport valid for at least six months after arrival, with three blank pages. The US adds that Botswana does not accept US emergency passports.
Sources: UK government (FCDO): Botswana entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 31 August 2026); US Department of State: Botswana travel information, for US citizens (guidance issued 25 June 2026)
What documents do children need to travel to Botswana?
Carry an original or certified copy of the full birth certificate for any child aged 17 or under, entering or leaving Botswana. If a parent is not travelling, bring their signed consent affidavit; the US government says it must be notarised. A Botswana border official has said the absent parent's affidavit should come with a copy of their identity document.
Sources: UK government (FCDO): Botswana entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 31 August 2026); US Department of State: Botswana travel information, for US citizens (guidance issued 25 June 2026); Botswana Daily News, via AllAfrica: requirements for minors at the border (24 December 2025)
When do I need a yellow fever certificate for Botswana?
A yellow fever certificate is required for travellers aged one year or older arriving from, or having transited through, a country with yellow fever risk. Unlike South Africa and Namibia, Botswana sets no minimum transit time, so a short connection in a risk country counts.
Source: World Health Organization: country list of vaccination requirements (revised 3 January 2023)
What else should I know before arriving in Botswana?
Cash of P10,000 or more, in pula or foreign banknotes, must be declared when entering and leaving. Drones must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana, and foreign operators present the drone for inspection. Botswana has also introduced health screening for travellers arriving from Ebola-affected regions.
Sources: Botswana Unified Revenue Service: declaration of currency; Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana: drone registration; UK government (FCDO): Botswana entry requirements, for British citizens (updated 31 August 2026)
Where this sits in planning a trip
Entry requirements are the traveller’s responsibility, but they shape an itinerary — a routing through a third country can change what is needed, and documents for children can take weeks to obtain. Famous Africa raises them early when planning rather than leaving them to the week before departure.