Ngoma bridge border crossing | Customs and Immigration

July 17th, 2023 by Nomad Katia

Entering Botswana: took me 30 minutes, just because there were tourists in a bus. Cleaned the soles of my boots, immigration stamped passport (I asked for 30 days and was granted), customs stamped carnet and I paid road tax (470 pulas) with my card. It seems a flat tax, I was on a motorcycle. No questions, no search. Off I went. I'm Brazilian, no need for visa.

May 21st, 2023 by boryenek

From Namibia to Botswana with a spanish car :
- immigration : ask well and nicely 90 days for free because our friends obtained only 30 days and us, 90 days !!! we were explaining our trip to the officer before he stamped our passports ;-)
- road tax, insurance, road permit : we payed 430 pulas with a 4x4 spanish mitsubishi 1995 but our friends paid 380 pula with a german truck. it is automatic, the officer put your number plate in the computer and say you the price ! we were complaining about the 265 pulas, it is only for a 4x4 namibian or south african. they are paying less because it is SA countries :-( you can pay cash or by credit card.
- shoes in the desinfection black water, open the fridge for meat : no meat, no veg, no fruits,no eggs,no wood allowed.
very friendly and quick border : 20 minutes ;-)

April 21st, 2023 by carolbiks

We notice that on Botswana side they are much more friendly!
Our exit from Namibia was ok, just had to complete a form, had our passports stamped and sign a book with the car registration.

Arriving on Botswana border:
1-) Asked for us to clean our shoes
2-) Got our passport stamped (just asked our next destination)
3-) we paid for the car entrance. Note: We rented a car in South Africa and they informed that we would need a letter which costs about 70 euro. This was not requested and you will not need in Nambia or Botswana.
4-) already back on the car we gave the papers with both stamped (imigration and car registration) to the security on the way out who check our car (for a few seconds most) and we were ready to go.

Probably took us about 25 min total.

Also note that a few minutes on the road there is a check point on Chobe entrance. You just have to get out of the car and register it on a book. Pretty simple.

April 18th, 2023 by Theodor Bold

entering Botswana from Namibia, very easy border crossing. 265BWP paid by Visa card (road tax, permit, insurance), fast vet check and disinfection, friendly enough officers

June 1st, 2022 by h_wuensche

Bots to Nam
Easy and fast border crossing.
Especially on the Namibian side very friendly people.
They ran out of immigration forms, so they stamped our passports without the forms :)!
The very friendly customs guy explained to us, that we don't have to stamp our carnet between the customs union of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Since Botswana stamped us out, he stamped us in again :)!
Paid 337 NAM$ by VISA card!

May 14th, 2022 by www.trailblazer.co.za

BW to NAM, RSA registered vehicle:
- Parked before building on right.
- In building:
Passport stamped out BW.
Vehicle stamped out on slip of paper on counter on left side.
- Gave vehicle stamped slip to officer when driving out towards NAM.
- TIP: stop at stop signs for a few seconds to avoid potential fines!

March 4th, 2022 by Warthog&PenguinOnSafari

Nam to Bots - very quick and easy.
10 mins on Nam side.
Bots, first stop is health check. We had PCR certs but they didn’t ask for them. Only interested in vaccine status. Our boosters were due so we were sent to another office to receive the vaccine.
Next a very cheery immigration officer stamped our passports and we paid 286 pula at customs for the vehicle. We had cash, but card payment was also an option.
After that the police check. He asked us to open the back of the vehicle and got us to ‘wash’ the soles of all our shoes in the disinfectant tray. Asked no questions about food and did not look in the fridge.
Super smooth, friendly and efficient.

May 6th, 2021 by cluelessinafrica

Arrived mid afternoon, took 1-2 hours. Presented PCR then have to have a free rapid test anyway. Friendly staff, can't complain. They glanced in the back of our vehicle without going inside. Didn't ask us about restricted items or look in our fridge. Just paid a road permit 256 pula total. Vehicle insurance 50, national road safety fund 50, road transport permit 156.

March 5th, 2020 by Geri

Easy passing, although personnel not very friendly. Coming from Namibia you will fiend appr 200 meter after the Botswana border office on the right side a small kiosk. This is a Bureau de Change. We could change here Namibian dollars into pulla's

January 18th, 2020 by Miss Daisy

You can pay only in Pula or with card. 271 Pulaski for 2 persons and car 3.5 ton. easy pass,

May 26th, 2019 by tracksaroundtheworld.de

We have always the problem with food, because of our long travel and our big truck. Therefore we are always happy for detailed information. Here ours: He just looked to the sign (see photos) and asked if we have something like that. I said no, because we ate all before. I always ask to put off the shoes, because it is our home, then he stayed out and took a look from outside into the fridge, the oven and the washing machine. That was all! 3 Min.

November 3rd, 2018 by angie.colston63

Going into Botswana. We had problems paying road tax as the VISA card machine was not working and we had not enough cash. The customs lady was not prepared to let us pay in Kasane so a kind South African paid for us.

March 27th, 2018 by Warthog&PenguinOnSafari

We crossed from Namibia into Botswana, very quick and no troubles at all. BUT I would just say that we did get searched for meat/dairy/fruit & veg. They didn’t do a full search of the vehicle or check inside boxes, but they did look quite thoroughly inside the fridge. Interestingly the guy wasn’t too interested in our few remaining grapes or the quarter litre of milk in our fridge - but he did ask us where we were keeping our wine!
I don’t believe that’s a restricted item at this border crossing, so not sure what he was up to there! Either way we told him we don’t like Namibian wine and he just laughed and let us go.

September 15th, 2017 by tomenansschaap

Took us 30 minutes without any problem.
You have to pay:
Road permit = 221 pula for vehicle -3500 kg
MV Insuranse = 50 pula
Road Fund = 50 pula
Total=321 pula for car.
We had no pula so we payed €35!!!
You also can pay in $ and N$.
To save money get pula's in Namibia. There are no Pula in Katima Mulilo. Try Kongola or Rundu.

June 24th, 2017 by Phil & Angie

We had slight problem exiting Namibia as we did not have the 'road permit', this should have been issued (and paid for!) on entry but we came in at MataMata border and they did not issue. Needed therefore to buy one now upon exit but police (who issue) were most obnoxious and attempted to fine us (up to 4000 !), they also insisted on cash only and in Namibian dollars. We did not pay any fine and eventually left after just purchasing the permit. My advice . . . . If you do not have permit issued on entry then go to the police station in Katima and request one there BEFORE attempting this border without.

For entry into Botswana . . . . . .. . .reasonable easy formalities, pleasant enough staff, friendly and helpful, need to buy vehicle insurance and road permit, for under 3500kg this costs 100 + 221 (pula) (insurance valid for year, permit for 1 month). The talked about "entry tax" that was supposed to be implemented from June 1st 2017 has at this point in time been indefinitely postponed.
If this does get implemented then it will be 30 US$ per person.
Possible to make any payments with either card or any currency.
Foot and Mouth check here too. Disinfect shoes and an enquire of "do you have any meat ?". Though the inspector looked inside vehicle there was no actual checking inside any boxes or even the fridge, of course we had already told him we are vegetarian !