Need a Nambian visa?
The home affairs ministry has apparently taken a leaf out of US President Donald Trump's book by misspelling Namibia's name as 'Nambia'.
The ministry has undertaken to immediately remove a batch of visa application forms containing the error. The faulty form was collected on Monday at the home affairs office in Independence Avenue, Windhoek, and was forwarded to Namibian Sun. The form, which appears to still be in circulation, shows, at the top, Namibia's coat of arms and printed in bold letters 'Republic of Nambia'. Interestingly enough, on the rest of the form where the country's name is mentioned, Namibia was spelled correctly. The spokesperson of the ministry, Sakeus Kadhikwa, assured Namibian Sun that the misspelled forms were “out of date” and not in use anymore.
“I do not doubt the form's authenticity, but it is out of date and the forms have been changed,” he said.
Kadhikwa referred the newspaper to the ministry's website where visa application forms can be downloaded. On these forms there is no error. He stressed that the 'Nambia' forms were not in circulation anymore. However, according to a Windhoek resident, he received the misspelled visa application form from the head office in Windhoek on Monday. Kadhikwa said all the counters at the ministry offices would be thoroughly checked to make sure that none of the old forms remained.
He could not confirm how old the forms were or how many were printed. Late last year Trump was ridiculed for mispronouncing Namibia's name in a televised speech.
ELLANIE SMIT
The ministry has undertaken to immediately remove a batch of visa application forms containing the error. The faulty form was collected on Monday at the home affairs office in Independence Avenue, Windhoek, and was forwarded to Namibian Sun. The form, which appears to still be in circulation, shows, at the top, Namibia's coat of arms and printed in bold letters 'Republic of Nambia'. Interestingly enough, on the rest of the form where the country's name is mentioned, Namibia was spelled correctly. The spokesperson of the ministry, Sakeus Kadhikwa, assured Namibian Sun that the misspelled forms were “out of date” and not in use anymore.
“I do not doubt the form's authenticity, but it is out of date and the forms have been changed,” he said.
Kadhikwa referred the newspaper to the ministry's website where visa application forms can be downloaded. On these forms there is no error. He stressed that the 'Nambia' forms were not in circulation anymore. However, according to a Windhoek resident, he received the misspelled visa application form from the head office in Windhoek on Monday. Kadhikwa said all the counters at the ministry offices would be thoroughly checked to make sure that none of the old forms remained.
He could not confirm how old the forms were or how many were printed. Late last year Trump was ridiculed for mispronouncing Namibia's name in a televised speech.
ELLANIE SMIT
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