What is Botswana's Work Permit + Residence Permit?

Anyone employed in Botswana. The employer applies for the work permit at a Labour Office; the residence permit is a separate application to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, and both are needed. It lasts work permits are commonly issued for one to two years and renewed, tied to the employer and the post. The National Immigrants Selection Board sets the validity on each grant. Permanent residence exists and is granted after a long period of continuous lawful residence, at the Board's discretion. Holders of permanent residence can apply for a Certificate of Exemption, which removes the need for a work permit thereafter.

What is Botswana's Investor work and residence permit?

Founders and shareholders establishing a business in Botswana, whose permit is granted on the strength of the enterprise rather than an employment contract. It lasts issued for a defined period aligned to the business case, renewable. Long-standing investors are among the categories considered for permanent residence, and thereafter for a Certificate of Exemption removing the work-permit requirement.

What is Botswana's Dependant residence permit?

Spouses and children of permit holders, and foreign spouses of Botswana citizens. It lasts aligned to the principal's permit and renewed with it. The foreign spouse of a citizen has the strongest case for permanent residence and, in time, for citizenship — but neither is automatic on marriage.

What is Botswana's Student residence permit?

Students enrolled at the University of Botswana, BIUST, BAC or another recognised institution. It lasts for the length of the programme, renewed annually. None directly. Converting to work means an employer running the localisation advertisement and a fresh work permit.

GlobeQuest

Moving from Comoros to Botswana

What your passport gets you at the border — and what it takes to actually stay.

Comoros

BotswanaShort stay

e-Visa

Comoros passport holders need an e-visa for Botswana, applied for online before travelling.

This is short-stay visitor policy only. It does not let you work, study or settle in Botswana — that needs a residence permit.

Passport Index · updated 17 February 2026Botswana's official immigration service

Long stay

How you actually move to Botswana

Work / sponsoredMedium confidenceVerified August 2026

Work Permit + Residence Permit

Anyone employed in Botswana. The employer applies for the work permit at a Labour Office; the residence permit is a separate application to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, and both are needed.

What you need

A copy of the job advertisement, not older than six months, evidencing that the post was offered to citizens first
Employment contract and appointment letter, plus a signed application letter
CV and certified educational certificates, translated into English where they are not in English
Certified passport copy and two passport photographs
Professional clearance from the relevant regulatory body where the occupation requires it — Botswana names specific trades and professions here, including drivers, farm workers, medical professionals, teachers, accountants, pilots, engineers and footballers
Residence permit application on Forms 15 and 3 with proof of financial support and a local supporter

How long it lasts: Work permits are commonly issued for one to two years and renewed, tied to the employer and the post. The National Immigrants Selection Board sets the validity on each grant.
Path to permanent residence: Permanent residence exists and is granted after a long period of continuous lawful residence, at the Board's discretion. Holders of permanent residence can apply for a Certificate of Exemption, which removes the need for a work permit thereafter.
Cost: Government fees are modest — gov.bw publishes P1,500 for the residence permit in the dependant (18–25), student and over-65 categories, and does not publish a figure for the immigrant or spouse-of-citizen categories on the same page. Confirm the current work-permit fee at a Labour Office; it is not published alongside the application requirements at all.
Processing time: The published service standard for a work permit is fourteen working days and for a residence permit thirty working days. In practice, allow longer, and note that renewals must be lodged six months before the current permit expires.

Worth knowing

Two ministries, two permits. A valid work permit without a valid residence permit leaves you unlawfully resident, and the reverse leaves you unable to work.
The renewal window is six months before expiry, which is much earlier than most countries. Missing it is the most common avoidable problem here.
The advertisement requirement is real evidence, not a formality — the advert has to have run and to have been open to citizens. Roles where a citizen could plausibly have applied are refused.
Botswana has no digital nomad or remote-work visa. Remote work for a foreign employer has no route here; it is done, quietly, on visitor status, and that is not residence.
Permits are tied to the employer and the post. A change of either requires a fresh application, not an endorsement.

Sources:Government of Botswana — Work Permit Application Government of Botswana — Residence Permit Application Government of Botswana — Residency and Work

InvestmentLow confidenceVerified August 2026

Investor work and residence permit

Founders and shareholders establishing a business in Botswana, whose permit is granted on the strength of the enterprise rather than an employment contract.

What you need

Company registration documents and a business profile
Bank statements evidencing the capital available to the business
A list of employees, showing the citizen jobs the business creates or will create
Documentation of assets held by the business
The same residence permit application as any other applicant, in parallel

How long it lasts: Issued for a defined period aligned to the business case, renewable.
Path to permanent residence: Long-standing investors are among the categories considered for permanent residence, and thereafter for a Certificate of Exemption removing the work-permit requirement.
Cost: Driven by the capital the business actually needs. Botswana does not publish a single statutory investment threshold for this permit — the case is assessed on the business profile, so treat any quoted minimum from a consultancy with suspicion and confirm with the Department of Labour and Social Security.
Processing time: Weeks to a couple of months once company registration is complete.

Worth knowing

Certain sectors are reserved for citizens under Botswana's economic-empowerment policy — small-scale retail, some trades and services. Check whether your line of business is reserved before committing capital.
The citizen-employment element is assessed at renewal as well as at grant. A business that never hires locally is a weak renewal case.
Registering a company is straightforward; the permit is the constraint. Do not treat incorporation as evidence that residence will follow.

Sources:Government of Botswana — Work Permit Application Government of Botswana — Residency and Work

FamilyMedium confidenceVerified August 2026

Dependant residence permit

Spouses and children of permit holders, and foreign spouses of Botswana citizens.

What you need

Marriage certificate or certified birth certificates
The principal's work and residence permits, or the citizen spouse's Omang
Completed Forms 15 and 3, passport valid at least six months, and a passport photograph
Proof of financial support or a bank statement
A local supporter in Botswana

How long it lasts: Aligned to the principal's permit and renewed with it.
Path to permanent residence: The foreign spouse of a citizen has the strongest case for permanent residence and, in time, for citizenship — but neither is automatic on marriage.
Cost: P1,500 for the dependant (18–25) and over-65 categories per the gov.bw residence-permit page. The spouse-of-citizen category is listed without a published fee — ask Immigration directly.
Processing time: Thirty working days is the published standard.

Worth knowing

Anyone over 18 applies separately, including an adult child. A family does not file as one application.
A dependant residence permit does not carry work rights. A working spouse needs their own work permit with their own employer and their own job advertisement behind it.

Sources:Government of Botswana — Residence Permit Application Government of Botswana — Residency and Work

StudentMedium confidenceVerified August 2026

Student residence permit

Students enrolled at the University of Botswana, BIUST, BAC or another recognised institution.

What you need

Admission letter from the institution
Completed Forms 15 and 3
Proof of financial support and a local supporter
Valid passport and a passport photograph

How long it lasts: For the length of the programme, renewed annually.
Path to permanent residence: None directly. Converting to work means an employer running the localisation advertisement and a fresh work permit.
Cost: P1,500 per the published residence-permit fee for students.
Processing time: Thirty working days.

Worth knowing

A student permit does not carry work rights, including part-time work.
Graduates get no automatic grace period to look for work. Line up the employment application before the permit expires.

Sources:Government of Botswana — Residence Permit Application

FamilyMedium confidenceVerified August 2026

Certificate of Exemption (work-permit exemption)

Non-citizens exempted from holding a work permit — most commonly holders of permanent residence, and categories the Minister exempts by notice in the Government Gazette.

What you need

A qualifying basis, in practice usually a permanent residence permit
Application to the Department of Labour and Social Security

How long it lasts: As specified in the certificate; it removes the recurring work-permit cycle rather than adding a new one.
Path to permanent residence: It follows permanent residence rather than leading to it. It is the point at which employment in Botswana stops being permission-by-permission.
Cost: Application fees only.
Processing time: Weeks.

Worth knowing

This is the prize at the end of the process and it is why the long grind of permit renewals is worth tracking carefully — an unbroken residence record is what makes the permanent residence application, and hence the exemption, viable.
Exemption from a work permit is not exemption from a residence permit. Permanent residence has to be maintained.

Sources:Government of Botswana — Application for Certificate of Exemption Government of Botswana — Residency and Work

On the ground