CHARGE THEM: Swapo lawmaker Tobie Aupindi says government should reciprocate visa entry requirements for countries who require Namibians hold visas to enter those countries.
CHARGE THEM: Swapo lawmaker Tobie Aupindi says government should reciprocate visa entry requirements for countries who require Namibians hold visas to enter those countries.

Aupindi demands entry fees in response to UK visa change

Ogone Tlhage
Swapo lawmaker Tobie Aupindi says government should impose visa fees on countries that expect Namibians to pay upon entry into those countries.

Aupindi made the comments in the National Assembly on the discussion on the Appropriation Bill.

Aupindi’s call follows a decision taken by the United Kingdom (UK) earlier in July to remove visa-free conditions for Namibians entering that country. Prior to that, Namibians enjoyed visa-free entry into the UK.

“I would want to propose entry fees for all the countries that require Namibians to have visas when travelling to their countries, because now they come here and enter for free while we are paying exorbitant fees just to enter their countries,” he said.

Easy cash

Aupindi cited an example where a country was able to generate excessive revenues because it required visitors to pay for their visas to allow them entry into that country.

“In one particular African country, 2 million of its citizens applied for a visitors visa for a particular western country, and it cost US$250 (N$4 890) per application, irrespective of whether the application was successful or not,” Aupindi said.

“Only about 5 000 applicants were approved, but this foreign government made US$500 million per year. So we must introduce entry fees even if that country does not require a visa,” he added.

Bullying tactic

Aupindi likened the decision taken by the UK to require Namibians to have a visa upon entry as akin to bullying.

“I did say in a local daily that such a decision by the UK could be considered a bullying tactic by a big brother, acting outside the parameters of a good bilateral relationship without a recourse on the impact that such a decision will have on ordinary Namibians travelling to the UK either as tourists or for business, and I called on the Namibian government to offer the British reciprocity on the same with immediate effect,” he said.

The UK said its decision to revoke visa-free entry for Namibians was due to an abuse of its immigration controls. Prior to that, Namibians were allowed visa-free entry into the UK for a period of up to 90 days.

“The UK government has announced today that, with immediate effect, all Namibian nationals will need a visa before travelling to the UK, including to visit,” a statement issued by the British High Commission in Windhoek said.

The UK said it noted a strong uptick in UK asylum applications by Namibians since 2016.

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Namibian Sun 2023-12-03

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Nam 2.2 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.48 SAME | Paratus Namibia Holdings 12 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.5 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 63.66 UP 0.80% | Local Index closed 675.32 DOWN 0.41% | Overall Index closed 1631.36 UP 2.13% | Osino Resources Corp 17.1 UP 2.52% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 071.88/OZ UP +1.56% | Copper US$ 3.87/lb UP +1.66% | Zinc US$ 2 537.50/T DOWN -0.3% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 79.29/BBP DOWN -1.58% | Platinum US$ 936.41/OZ UP +0.50% Sport results: Premier League: Forest 0 vs 1 Everton | Burnley 5 vs 0 Sheffield United | Brentford 3 vs 1 Luton Town LaLiga: Real Madrid 2 vs 0 Granada | Athletic Club 4 vs 0 Rayo Vallecano | Girona 2 vs 1 Valencia | Las Palmas 2 vs 0 Getafe | Mallorca 1 vs 1 Cadiz SerieA: AC Milan 3 vs 1 Frosinone | SS Lazio 1 vs 0 Cagliari | Genoa 1 vs 1 Empoli | Monza 1 vs 2 Juventus European Championships Qualifying: Swansea City 1 vs 1 Huddersfield Town | Southampton 2 vs 0 Cardiff City | Plymouth Argyle 2 vs 1 Stoke City | Millwall FC 1 vs 1 Sunderland | Sheffield Wednesday 3 vs 1 Blackburn Rovers | Hull City 1 vs 2 Watford | Leeds United 3 vs 2 Middlesbrough | Ipswich Town 2 vs 1 Coventry City | Birmingham City 0 vs 0 Rotherham United | West Bromwich Albion 1 vs 2 Leicester City | Preston North End 0 vs 2 Queens Park Rangers | Ipswich Town 3 vs 1 Millwall FC | Sunderland 1 vs 2 Huddersfield Town | Southampton 1 vs 0 Bristol City | Blackburn Rovers 4 vs 2 Birmingham City | Sheffield Wednesday 1 vs 1 Leicester City | Leeds United 3 vs 1 Swansea City English Championship: Swansea City 1 vs 1 Huddersfield Town | Southampton 2 vs 0 Cardiff City | Plymouth Argyle 2 vs 1 Stoke City | Millwall FC 1 vs 1 Sunderland | Sheffield Wednesday 3 vs 1 Blackburn Rovers | Hull City 1 vs 2 Watford | Leeds United 3 vs 2 Middlesbrough | Ipswich Town 2 vs 1 Coventry City | Birmingham City 0 vs 0 Rotherham United | West Bromwich Albion 1 vs 2 Leicester City | Preston North End 0 vs 2 Queens Park Rangers | Ipswich Town 3 vs 1 Millwall FC | Sunderland 1 vs 2 Huddersfield Town | Southampton 1 vs 0 Bristol City | Blackburn Rovers 4 vs 2 Birmingham City | Sheffield Wednesday 1 vs 1 Leicester City | Leeds United 3 vs 1 Swansea City Weather: Katima Mulilo: 22° | 38° Rundu: 21° | 36° Eenhana: 21° | 32° Oshakati: 24° | 30° Ruacana: 20° | 31° Tsumeb: 22° | 33° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 30° Omaruru: 22° | 32° Windhoek: 19° | 28° Gobabis: 21° | 32° Henties Bay: 16° | 20° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 12:19, High tide: 06:27, Low Tide: 00:26, High tide: 18:32 Swakopmund: 16° | 18° Wind speed: 25km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 12:17, High tide: 06:25, Low Tide: 00:24, High tide: 18:30 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 12:17, High tide: 06:24, Low Tide: 00:24, High tide: 18:29 Rehoboth: 20° | 28° Mariental: 23° | 31° Keetmanshoop: 19° | 35° Aranos: 24° | 30° Lüderitz: 17° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 34° Oranjemund: 14° | 22° Luanda: 26° | 27° Gaborone: 19° | 37° Lubumbashi: 17° | 20° Mbabane: 13° | 30° Maseru: 17° | 33° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 19° | 32° Maputo: 19° | 32° Windhoek: 19° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 22° Durban: 19° | 29° Johannesburg: 20° | 33° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 31° Lusaka: 19° | 33° Harare: 17° | 32° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.62 | EUR to NAD 20.25 | CNY to NAD 2.61 | USD to NAD 18.62 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.59 | KES to NAD 0.12 | NGN to NAD 0.02 | ZMW to NAD 0.77 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.81 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.22 | USD to AOA 827.79 | USD to BWP 13.56 | USD to EGP 30.85 | USD to KES 153.08 | USD to NGN 788 | USD to ZAR 18.63 | USD to ZMW 23.82 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 75705.88 Up +0.23% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1630.14 Up +0.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 11748.19 Down -0.28% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 24735.39 Down -0.1% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 8879.08 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.51 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 2.00% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 3.91 UP 0.30% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.97 SAME | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.2 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.48 SAME | Paratus Namibia Holdings 12 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.5 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 63.66 UP 0.80% | Local Index closed 675.32 DOWN 0.41% | Overall Index closed 1631.36 UP 2.13% | Osino Resources Corp 17.1 UP 2.52% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 071.88/OZ UP +1.56% | Copper US$ 3.87/lb UP +1.66% | Zinc US$ 2 537.50/T DOWN -0.3% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 79.29/BBP DOWN -1.58% | Platinum US$ 936.41/OZ UP +0.50%