Banking in Namibia for Foreigners

Namibia has four large commercial banks: Bank Windhoek, FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank. The account you open depends on who you are to the bank: a foreigner living in the country, a non-resident or a company. The guides below follow those three cases.

Which account to open

A personal account in Namibia dollars covers everyday life: rent, shopping, salary. The bank checks your passport and, if you have one, your visa or residence permit.
A foreign currency account for non-residents: FNB Namibia offers a separate FCA Non Resident Account in EUR, GBP, USD, JPY and other currencies.
A corporate account is opened after registration. The bank checks directors, signatories and owners with 20% or more.

Cards and transfers

Under FNB Namibia's fees from 1 July 2026, an inward SWIFT transfer costs 0.79% of the value (minimum N$149, maximum N$968) and a Visa debit purchase abroad costs 3%. Worked examples and Standard Bank fees are in the guides on the foreign currency account and the Visa or Mastercard card for non-residents.

Customer checks and FATF

Banks request identification documents under the Financial Intelligence Act, and each bank sets its own list. On 19 June 2026 the FATF removed Namibia from its grey list; what that changes for accounts is covered in Namibia leaves the FATF grey list. The public FNB and BIPA document lists are combined in our account and company checklist.

Where to start

Decide whose account it is: personal, a non-resident currency account or a company account.
Collect documents with the checklist and ask the bank for its list in writing.
Ask the bank whether you need to visit a branch in person.
For a company account, register the company first: company registration with BIPA.

Opening personal and corporate accounts is part of our services. The choice of bank and the timing are discussed at the first free consultation.