Immigration
Immigration Act permits and a residence route tied to investment or skills
Entry and residence are governed by the Immigration Act, with employment requiring a work permit issued on proof that the position could not be filled locally. Residence permits are granted on investment, skills or family grounds, and citizenship by naturalisation requires an extended period of lawful residence.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Department of Immigration and Citizenship decides applications; appeals lie internally and then to the High Court on review.
- Deadline — Work permit: applied for before taking employment; renewals filed before expiry
- Deadline — Visitor's permit: commonly 90 days per entry for visa-exempt nationals
Governing law
- Immigration Act 2011
- Citizenship ActCap 01:01
In practice
Botswana's immigration policy is explicitly localisation-oriented: work permits are the principal instrument, and the residual discretion of the immigration authorities is wide, with judicial control exercised through administrative-law review rather than a merits appeal.