A Facebook post sharing the false claim on April 15 said: “Namibia has announced a shift in its immigration policy, declaring its intention to deport over 500 American nationals found to be residing in the country without valid visas.”
However, the Namibian government said the claim is false.
A spokesperson for Namibia’s presidential office referred Reuters to an April 16 statement online which reads in part: “The Presidency wishes to make it categorically clear that no such order of deportation or statement has been issued by the President and no mass deportation of American nationals is underway.”
The same day, the international relations ministry’s executive director told national media
the claim is “fake news”.
The U.S. State Department also referred Reuters to the April 16 statement from Namibia’s presidential office.
American tourists entering Namibia from April 1 are required to obtain a visa. The U.S. embassy advises its citizens to apply for the visa before traveling, though visas can also be obtained upon arrival at major ports of entry.
The Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security announced
its changes to entry requirements in May 2024, saying at the time that it would be applied to “countries that have not reciprocated the favourable treatment granted to their nationals when visiting Namibia”.
VERDICT
False. Namibia’s government said it made no announcement about deporting 500 U.S. citizens. The U.S. State Department also directed Reuters to the Namibian government’s statement.