Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Go to the nearest hospital.
Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Visit the nearest police station or a Tourist Protection Unit.
Exercise normal safety precautions in Namibia.
Exercise normal safety precautions in Namibia.
Full travel advice: Safety
Full travel advice: Health
Full travel advice: Local laws
Full travel advice: Travel
Full travel advice: Local contacts
Petty crime is common, and also occurs in urban centres. This can include:
Mobile phones are particularly targeted by pickpockets.
Criminals use distraction techniques, such as offering assistance, to steal money and valuables.
Car break-ins are common, especially in major urban centres such as:
Violent crime against foreigners includes muggings and robberies. Windhoek and Swakopmund are hotspots. The use of diversion tactics to distract possible victims is common.
Tourists have been robbed after stopping for hitchhikers or to help people.
Crime increases at night.
To protect yourself from crime:
HIV/AIDS is common in Namibia. If you're a victim/survivor of violent crime, including sexual assault, seek immediate medical assistance.
Taxi drivers have robbed travellers.
Risks are highest with unmarked taxis and those hailed on the street.
Use taxis with the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association logo or organised through your hotel or a taxi company.
Don't hail unmarked taxis on the street.
Credit card skimming has been reported.
Don't let your credit card out of your sight.
Check your statements often for fraudulent payments.
You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.
Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.
More information:
Public protests and demonstrations can turn violent.
To protect yourself during periods of unrest:
More information:
Transport and tour operators don't always follow recommended safety or maintenance standards.
If you plan to do an adventure activity:
If proper safety equipment isn't available, use another provider.
Flooding may occur in the rainy season from November to April.
Roads can become blocked.
To protect yourself if a natural disaster or severe weather occurs:
More information:
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave.
Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.
Some Namibian medical and emergency facilities don't recognise all travel insurance policies. Ask your insurer if their product is recognised in Namibia before you buy it.
Carry a copy of the policy and your insurer's emergency phone number.
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Namibia. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.
Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:
More information:
The rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Namibia is high.
Take precautions if you engage in activities that expose you to a risk of infection.
If you're travelling from a country where yellow fever is widespread, you'll need a valid yellow fever certificate to enter Namibia. This does not apply to a child aged under 9 months. If you can't show proof of vaccination, authorities may not let you enter Namibia. You can't get vaccinated on arrival.
Malaria is common in northern Namibia.
Other insect-borne diseases include:
To protect yourself from disease:
Seek medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.
Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are common. These include:
Serious outbreaks sometimes occur.
To protect yourself from illness:
If you're bitten or scratched by an animal, seek medical help straight away.
Get medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.
Medical facilities are limited outside major urban centres.
Private hospitals in major urban centres are better equipped.
You'll need to pay cash before doctors and hospitals will treat you. Your insurer may be able to repay you later if you're covered.
If you become seriously ill or injured, you'll need to be evacuated to South Africa or another place with better facilities. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
If you're detained or arrested, Namibian authorities may not contact the Australian Government straight away.
Ask officials to call the Australian High Commission in South Africa, or the Australian Consulate in Windhoek.
Police resources are varied throughout Namibia.
Penalties for drug offences are severe and include long jail sentences.
More information:
In Namibia, it's illegal to:
Penalties are severe for illegal trading in diamonds and precious stones. Only buy diamonds and precious stones from licensed shops.
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
If you're a dual citizen, this limits the consular services we can give if you're arrested or detained.
More information:
Same-sex relationships are legal in Namibia, but not widely accepted. Public displays of affection may cause offence. Some sexual relations between men are criminalised, but generally not enforced.
More information:
Tourists can visit for up to 3 months without a visa.
For other situations, you'll need to get a visa in advance.
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact a consulate-general of Namibia or the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.
Make sure the correct visa and entry period is stamped in your passport, even if you're transiting.
Check your visa before leaving the immigration counter.
You may be detained or fined if you don't follow visa or immigration requirements.
Border measures
You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Namibia if you're arriving from a country where yellow fever occurs.
More information:
To prevent the spread of Ebola virus disease (EVD), passengers travelling from EVD-affected countries are screened on arrival.
If you're travelling through South Africa, you must meet South African entry and transit requirements.
More information:
If you're travelling with children you must carry:
The affidavit must be less than 3 months old and include:
If you don't have valid documents, authorities may deport you or stop you boarding your flight.
Check your documents meet these requirements with the nearest Namibian High Commission, Embassy or Consulate.
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.
More information:
The official currency is the Namibian Dollar (NAD).
You can also use South African rand (ZAR).
Declare amounts more than NAD50,000 when you arrive and leave Namibia. This covers all forms of currency, not only cash.
In major centres, credit cards are accepted and ATMs are available. This may not be the case in remote areas. Ask your bank if your ATM card will work in Namibia.
Unexploded landmines and remnants of war are a danger in:
Use main routes in these regions.
To drive in Namibia, you need a valid Australian driver's licence
Though not mandatory you may be requested to show a valid International Driving Permit (IDP)
You must obtain your IDP before leaving Australia.
Driving can be dangerous in Namibia.
Hazards include:
Roads between main urban centres are good, but they're usually unsealed in rural areas.
Gravel and sandy roads, flash flooding and water-damaged roads are driving hazards.
Tourists have had accidents because they were driving too fast on unfamiliar roads.
Most vehicle insurance policies only cover accidents involving other vehicles or animals.
Check your insurance policy covers you for accidents on unsealed roads and single-vehicle accidents.
To reduce your risks while driving:
More information:
Check with your travel insurer whether your policy covers you when using a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.
Always wear a helmet.
Use registered taxis, preferably arranged through your hotel.
To protect yourself if you need to take a taxi:
Avoid public transport where possible.
Vehicles are often poorly maintained.
Local buses don't follow permanent routes.
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Namibia's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Go to the nearest hospital.
Call 112 from a mobile.
Call 61 211 111 from a landline.
Visit the nearest police station or a Tourist Protection Unit.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your travel insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia has a consulate in Namibia. It provides limited consular and passport services.
You can also get full consular and passport help from the Australian High Commission in South Africa.
56 Chalcedoon Street
PO Box 86491, Eros
Windhoek, Namibia
Phone: (+264) 61 300 194
Mobile: (+264) 81 283 4629
Email: australian.consulate.namibia@gmail.com
292 Orient Street
Pretoria
Republic of South Africa
Phone: +27 0 12 423 6000
Fax: +27 0 12 342 8442
Email: pretoria.info@dfat.gov.au
Website: southafrica.embassy.gov.au
Facebook: Australian High Commission in South Africa
Twitter: @AuHCSouthAfrica
Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.