Namibia Residence Permits and Permanent Residence
Namibia's Immigration Control Act 1993 separates the permanent residence permit from temporary permits for employment or business, study and visits. The Immigration Selection Board decides permanent residence and employment permits case by case, and the Act sets no number of years of residence for permanent residence.
Which permits the law provides
The permit types, the requirements of sections 26 and 27 and what the Board looks at are covered in Namibia residence permits under the Immigration Control Act.
The investor route
Since September 2026 investors and business owners can apply through NIPDB for a business permit of up to 5 years (Employment Permit to Conduct Business). The next step, permanent residence under section 26, and the N$20,000 application fee are described in Namibia permanent residence by investment. Namibia has no citizenship-by-investment programme.
What you need alongside the permit
- a company: company registration with BIPA;
- accounts: banks and accounts in Namibia;
- a home: buying property as a foreigner;
- the wider picture: business and investment climate in 2026.
Entry before the permit
On 1 April 2025 Namibia ended visa-free entry for 33 nationalities; how to apply for a visa online is covered in Namibia e-visa.
Preparing the document package for a residence permit is part of our services. Timing and cost are discussed at the first free consultation.
All guides on this topic (2)
Residence and permitsNamibia Permanent Residence by Investment: 2026 Guide
Residence and permitsNamibia Residence Permits: Types Under the Immigration Control Act and What the Board RequiresRelated topics
Banks and accounts · Taxes & accounting · Business · All Namibia guides
This material is provided for reference. Data as of October 2026.