The Basotho Tourist Visa for your Holiday or Visiting a Family
Applying for a Basotho Tourist visa is necessary if you are travelling on vacation trip or to meet a relative residing in Lesotho.
Usually, a visitor should be able to apply for the required Basotho tourist visa online/ at the nearest Basotho embassy in the country of your residence for a stay in Lesotho of up to three months.
General Visa Requirements and Validity Period of Basotho Tourist Visa
It is advisable to check the Basotho tourist visa requirements, before applying for your tourist visa to Lesotho.
A brief list of the most important requirements and conditions when obtaining the tourist visa for Lesotho:
- You do not intend to conduct volunteer work that may otherwise be performed by a paid employee in Lesotho.
- You do not intend to enter into an employment relationship in Lesotho.
- You do not intend to provide services to Basotho organisations (this is allowed with a Basotho work visa or business visa).
- You do not plan to provide or market services or products to consumers in Lesotho.
- You and your family members are not in debt to the Lesotho Government.
- You do not pose a threat to the health or safety and security of residents of Lesotho.
- You have the ability to show that you have sufficient financial resources to cover your visit and return from Lesotho.
Do you need a Basotho tourist visa?
It depends upon your nationality as well as the kind of travel document you are using to take a trip to Lesotho.Please go here to find out if you need a Basotho visa.
Who exactly can make an application for a Basotho tourist visa?
Anybody hoping to go on holiday to Lesotho can make an application for a Basotho tourist visa.
There are many types of visa for Lesotho which you can use as a visitor to Lesotho. If you are not sure which type of Basotho tourist visa you need to apply, please get in touch with the local Basotho visa office to get additional clarification as objective of this page is to provide you general overview when making an application for Basotho tourist visa.
What kind of Basotho visa do I need?
This depends upon three factors:
- The nationality according to your passport – If the citizenship according to the passport is from a nation that is on visa free travel to Lesotho or eligible to apply for a visa on arrival in Lesotho, then you may not require to get a Basotho tourist visa prior to leaving from your home country. Please click here to confirm if you need a Basotho visa.
- The duration of your stay in Lesotho – If you intend to remain in Lesotho for a shorter duration less than 90 days, then you can apply for the Basotho tourist visa. If you want to stay much longer, then contact the nearby Basotho visa office to secure the appropriate visa for your trip.
- The activities you like to carry out in Lesotho – If your sole purpose of taking a trip is for tourism, then you can apply for all kinds of Basotho tourist visas stated on this web page.
General Visa Application Requirements to Obtain Basotho Traveller Visa
- Tourist visa application form for Lesotho – Completed Basotho visa Form.
- Original and signed passport – The passport should be valid for at least 6 months before going into Lesotho and three months after leaving Lesotho. It must have at the very least two extra visa pages and can not be older than 10 years.
- Passport type photo – Photo has to be no older than six months and need to be 35 x 40mm in width.
- Previous passport – Supply a previous passport if you had any.
- Previous visas – Copies of previous Basotho visas details if you had any.
- Flight tickets to Lesotho – Reservation of return or round trip flight tickets. In some situations the Basotho visa office might ask for pre paid air travel tickets to Lesotho.
- Travel insurance – Evidence of travel insurance with a minimum cover set by the Basotho consular office provided with the Certification of Insurance coverage and the table of benefits. The travel insurance should cover the cost of repatriation for medical reasons and the Certificate of Currency should be issued by an insurer. If you are considering using your credit card travel insurance for your travel to Lesotho, please call Basotho consular office for more information and travel insurance coverage requirements for the Basotho visa.
- Original bank statements – Original financial institution statements for the last 3 months revealing adequate funds to cover your visit in Lesotho. If statements are printed online then it has to be Authenticated (stamped) by the bank representatives.
- Hotel Reservations in Lesotho – Copy of confirmed hotel reservations including name of the applicant, name and address of the hotel, time-span of stay. In the majority of circumstances, only bookings which are partly or completely pre-paid can be accepted.
- Employment letter – This letter needs to be: original and signed letter from employer written on company letter head paper, verifying your ongoing employment, the status of employment, regular monthly income and yearly leave. Additionally, please give your 3 latest pay slips. If you are self-employed: provide certified copies of company registration, income tax return.
- For students. Please provide the following:
- Proof of current student status: Certificate of Enrollment.
- Original and signed letter from university written on university letter head paper, affirming ongoing enrolment, verifying the payment of tuition fees or any kind of scholarships, and confirming semester break.
- Insurance policy from Organisation/University – Provide a letter from the University specifying the purpose, period of travel and confirmation that you are going to be covered by the insurance for the whole trip together with the Certificate of Currency and summary of benefits.
As a whole, visa applications for Basotho visa must be submitted for a maximum of 6 months, and no later than 15 days, prior to the journey.