Where can Botswana passport holders travel?
You can visit 99 countries without applying at an embassy: 48 visa-free, 17 with a visa on arrival, 6 with an online eTA and 28 with an eVisa.
Source: Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 181 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-15). Page built 15 October 2026. Report an error
Visa free 48
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Visa on arrival 17
eTA (online travel authorization) 6
eVisa (apply online) 28
Embassy visa required for 99 countries
Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, North Korea, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Palestinian Territory, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen
Narrow it down to a trip
Rank these countries by your budget, travel month, trip length and interests.
Changing planes with a Botswana passport
These rules cover connecting flights where you stay in the airport's international transit area. Leaving it, changing airports or collecting your bags means entering the country, which needs the entry visa.
Schengen area
No airport transit visa needed
United Kingdom
Direct airside transit visa (DATV) needed
Who is exempt
Not needed with a valid visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US, a permanent residence permit from one of those countries, or an EEA or Swiss residence permit or long-stay (D) visa. A Schengen short-stay visa does not count.
United States
US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa)
Who is exempt
A valid US visitor (B) visa also covers transit.
Canada
Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less)
Who is exempt
US lawful permanent residents can transit without a Canadian visa or eTA.
Recent rule changes for Botswana passports

Chad · 11 May 2026
Chad moved all visa applications online (evisa.td)

Cape Verde · 1 January 2026
Cabo Verde ended visa on arrival: get a visa from an embassy before you travel
Articles for Botswana passport holders
Botswana passport: common questions
How many countries can Botswana passport holders visit without a visa?
Botswana passport holders can visit 99 countries without applying at an embassy: 48 visa-free, 17 with a visa on arrival, 6 with an online eTA and 28 with an eVisa. The other 99 countries require an embassy visa.
Which countries are visa-free for Botswana passport holders?
Botswana passport holders can enter these 48 countries visa-free: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Which countries give Botswana passport holders a visa on arrival?
Botswana passport holders can get a visa on arrival in these 17 countries: Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Laos, Macau, Madagascar, Nepal, Palau, Qatar, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu. A fee may apply.
Where do Botswana passport holders need an eTA or eVisa?
An online eTA is needed for Ghana, Israel, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, South Korea and Suriname. An eVisa, applied for online before you fly, is needed for Albania, Bahrain, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand and Vietnam.
Can a US, UK or Schengen visa help Botswana passport holders visit more countries?
Yes. Holding a valid visa opens more countries that Botswana passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 8 more with a US visa, 7 more with a UK visa and 40 more with a Schengen visa. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Where can Botswana passport holders with a Schengen residence permit, UK residence permit or US green card travel?
A valid residence permit opens more countries that Botswana passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 8 more with a US green card, 3 more with a UK residence permit and 37 more with a Schengen residence permit. A Schengen residence permit allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen countries. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Do Botswana passport holders need a transit visa?
Schengen area: no airport transit visa needed. United Kingdom: direct airside transit visa (DATV) needed. United States: US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa). Canada: Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less). Some visas and residence permits exempt you; the transit section on this page lists them with official sources.
How up to date is this Botswana passport information?
The visa data comes from the Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 181 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-15). This page was built on 15 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the destination's official website or embassy before you travel.

















































