Overview
The High Commission for the Republic of Namibia in London is the senior Namibian diplomatic representation in Europe outside of Berlin, accredited bilaterally to the United Kingdom and concurrently to Ireland, Greece and Malta. Officially designated as a High Commission under Commonwealth protocol — Namibia and the United Kingdom are fellow Commonwealth members — the mission is commonly searched as 'Namibian embassy London' and serves a high-volume route between the two countries: British nationals are the second-largest European source of arrivals into Namibia after Germans, and the United Kingdom hosts a long-established Namibian student and professional community. The High Commission processes paper visa applications at the counter in Marylebone for travellers who prefer in-person submission, alongside the now-standard online Visa on Arrival route through the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs e-Services portal, and provides full consular services for Namibian citizens across its four-country jurisdiction.
Visa Services
British, Irish, Greek, Maltese, EU and other listed-nationality passport holders travelling to Namibia for tourism apply for a Visa on Arrival, either online before travel through the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs e-Services portal (recommended, electronic payment, approval letter to print and present at the port of entry) or in person at the High Commission counter in London. The fee is N$1,600 for travellers aged twelve and above, with reductions for children. Payment at the counter is by debit card or bank transfer only — cash, cheque and credit cards are not accepted, a frequent stumbling-block for first-time applicants. Collection of visas applied for at the counter is a minimum of two to five working days after submission. Work, study, research and long-stay applications are not processed by the High Commission and go through the Ministry's online portal; diplomatic and official-passport visas are processed in-house by appointment.
Consular Services
The Consular Section assists Namibian citizens resident in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece and Malta with passport applications and renewals, emergency travel documents, civil registration (birth, marriage, death), citizenship matters, identity-document replacement, police clearance and apostille on Namibian-issued documents. The High Commission also supports Namibian students at UK universities — there is a sizeable Chevening-funded community — and Namibian nationals in distress within the jurisdiction.
Trade & Export Support
Trade and investment work supports two flows. UK companies looking at the Namibian market — particularly in green hydrogen and renewable energy, mining and beneficiation, oil and gas, financial services, English-medium higher education and tourism — engage with the High Commission's Economic Section. Namibian exporters seeking British buyers in beef, table grapes, wine, marine products and tourism services are introduced to UK chambers and trade bodies. The High Commission works with the UK Department for Business and Trade, the British Chamber of Commerce in Namibia and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) on inward delegations and joint trade events.
Investment Opportunities
Investment promotion priorities mirror Namibia's wider international strategy: green hydrogen and ammonia, critical minerals and rare earths, oil and gas (Orange Basin deepwater finds), sustainable agriculture and tourism. The High Commission routes UK public-finance enquiries to UK Export Finance and British International Investment (BII), and connects UK private investors with NIPDB and the Bank of Namibia for project finance dialogue.
Business Support
Practical support for UK companies includes market briefings, introductions to Namibian counterparts, guidance on the regulatory environment (NEEEF, work permits, profit repatriation) and coordination with AmCham Namibia, the German-African Business Association and AHK Southern Africa on regional missions. The High Commission can issue economic letters of introduction for UK firms attending Namibian trade events.
Cultural & Educational Programs
Cultural and education work is anchored by the Chevening Scholarship programme — Namibia is a long-standing Chevening country with a partnership between the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Bank of Namibia funding scholarships for Namibian postgraduates at UK universities in trade, human rights, governance, media and climate change. The British Council operates English-language education and exam programmes in Windhoek (IELTS, Cambridge English, Aptis). Other anchors include UK-Namibia university partnerships through institutions such as the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (TB and HIV research), the Royal Society, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, and the Namibian Society in the UK which the High Commission supports on diaspora events and the Namibian National Day reception each March.
Service Area
Consular and diplomatic jurisdiction: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (host), Ireland, Greece and Malta. London-based multilateral organisations — the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Commonwealth Secretariat — are also covered. Honorary Consulates further extend Namibia's presence; the High Commission remains the only resident mission across the four states of accreditation.
Appointment Information
Visa and consular counter service is offered Monday to Thursday, 10:00–15:00, on a walk-in basis within that window; documentary services with multiple originals are handled more efficiently with a prior email exchange to confirm what is needed. Diplomatic and official-passport visas, and any complex consular matter, are by appointment via info@namibiahc.org.uk. Online Visa on Arrival applicants should not travel to London — the application is filed entirely through the Ministry's e-Services portal.
Special Notes
Chandos Street is in Marylebone, a four-minute walk from Oxford Circus station (Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines) and an eight-minute walk from Bond Street station (Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines). Parking in central London is restricted; the nearest public car park is the Q-Park at Cavendish Square. Bring originals and copies of every supporting document — originals are returned at the counter. Note again that the counter accepts debit card or bank transfer only; budget travellers used to paying small embassy fees in cash should plan accordingly.