Diamonds, Democracy & the Okavango Delta
If your document comes from a Hague Apostille Convention member state, it only needs an apostille from that country's competent authority — no embassy legalisation is required, because Botswana has been a Convention member since 1966. Foreign-language documents must additionally be translated into English, and academic credentials should be verified by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) for permit and professional-registration purposes.
Apostilles for Botswana-issued documents (birth, marriage, death and police clearance certificates, diplomas, court and company documents) are issued by the Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation at the Government Enclave in Gaborone. Book an appointment first; processing typically takes about two weeks. If your destination country is not an Apostille Convention member (e.g. UAE, Qatar, Thailand), you must also have that country's embassy legalise the document afterwards.
No. The Omang is issued only to Botswana citizens aged 16 and over. As a foreign resident you are identified by your passport together with your residence and/or work permit from the Department of Immigration — those are what you present when banking, renting or converting a driving licence. Former citizens who renounced their nationality may hold a Botswana Blue Card for unlimited stay, but it does not entitle them to an Omang or passport.
Non-citizens may stay up to 90 days without a residence or work permit. To remain longer you must apply for a residence permit before that period ends (or request an extension), and a separate work permit is required if you intend to work — a residence permit alone does not authorise employment.
You may drive on a foreign licence for a maximum of 90 days. Holders of valid International Driving Permits and SADC-issued licences are exempt; otherwise you must convert through the Department of Road Transport Services (DRTS), presenting a certified copy of your foreign licence and a verification letter. For a SIM card, BOCRA rules make registration mandatory — you must present your passport to activate any Orange, Mascom or BTC (beMobile) SIM, and an unregistered SIM cannot make calls or use data.
The currency is the Botswana Pula (BWP, symbol P), divided into 100 thebe; the name means 'rain' in Setswana. Notes circulate in P10, P20, P50, P100 and P200. The Pula is managed by the Bank of Botswana against a basket of the South African rand and the IMF's SDR (a 'crawling peg'), which keeps it relatively steady but it does drift — it depreciated about 2% in 2025. To defend the Pula and curb inflation, the central bank raised its Monetary Policy Rate to 5.5% in April 2026.
Yes. Resident foreigners (on a work or residence permit) can open a full current/savings account at any of the main banks — FNB Botswana, Absa, Stanbic, Standard Chartered, Bank Gaborone and others. You generally cannot open an account remotely from abroad; you must appear in person with your passport, permit and proof of a Botswana address. Requirements vary slightly by bank, so confirm with the branch before you go.
With complete paperwork — passport, valid permit, proof of address and a source-of-funds declaration — a straightforward salaried account can often be opened same-day or within a few business days once documents are verified. Delays usually come from a missing proof-of-address or a permit that is still being processed, so many expats open the account after their permit is issued and they have a lease in hand.
Yes. Since July 2023 the Deposit Insurance Scheme of Botswana (DISB), administered by the Bank of Botswana, guarantees up to P250,000 per depositor per member bank if a member institution fails. The cover applies equally to individuals and companies regardless of nationality. All licensed commercial banks are members.
For everyday life, yes. Mobile money is used by well over a million people in Botswana and is handy for peer-to-peer transfers, airtime, and paying utilities and smaller merchants — especially outside the big towns where card acceptance thins out. Orange Money is by far the largest platform, followed by Mascom MyZaka and BTC Smega. You register the wallet against your SIM and Omang/passport and cash in or out at agents.
If you are employed and earn above BWP 48,000 a year you should register with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) for a Tax Identification Number (TIN). It is free to register on the BURS eServices portal or at a BURS office, and a TIN is also required to open a business bank account. Employee PAYE is normally withheld by your employer.
Botswana abolished most exchange controls in 1999, so there is no hard cap on repatriating salary or transferring funds abroad through a bank. Banks still apply AML/KYC checks and will ask for documentation (source of funds, proof of the underlying transaction) on larger transfers, and cross-border cash declarations apply at the border. Keep your permit and payslips handy to evidence legitimate income.
The tax year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Individuals must file their annual income tax return by 30 September — three months after year-end. Companies file within four months of their financial year-end.
Following the 2025/2026 reforms, resident individuals pay 0% income tax on the first P48,000 of annual taxable income. Income above that is taxed progressively at 5%, 12.5%, 18.75%, and a top rate of 25% on amounts over P156,000. Non-residents do not get this tax-free band and are taxed from the first Pula.
You are treated as a resident if you are ordinarily resident in Botswana, are physically present for more than 183 days in a tax year, or maintain a permanent home there. Residents are taxed mainly on Botswana-sourced income; non-residents are taxed only on income sourced within Botswana.
The standard VAT rate is 14%. A temporary cut to 12% expired on 31 March 2023. A business must register for VAT once its annual taxable turnover reaches P1,000,000. Some goods, such as basic foods and exports, are zero-rated or exempt.
Botswana uses a source-based system. Income earned from a source within Botswana is taxable, while foreign-source income is generally outside the net unless it has a Botswana connection. This makes Botswana relatively favourable for people with offshore investments — but always confirm your position with a local tax adviser and check any applicable double-taxation treaty.
Yes. Even if all your income is employment income taxed at source through PAYE, you are generally still required to register for a TIN and file an annual return with BURS.
Property buyers pay transfer duty: 5% for citizens on value above P1.5 million, and 10%–15% for non-citizens depending on value. Where VAT applies to a sale, transfer duty is generally waived. A separate Capital Transfer Tax of 12.5% can apply to inheritances and gifts of property.
Yes, but with restrictions. Foreigners can purchase property on freehold land (mainly in urban areas) but cannot own tribal land, which makes up the majority of the country. A Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of Lands is required. Many expats prefer renting unless they plan to stay long-term.
Tap water in Gaborone and major towns is treated and generally safe. However, during the dry season, supply can be intermittent and quality may vary. Many residents use filtered or bottled water as a precaution. Water conservation is taken very seriously — Botswana is a semi-arid country.
Fibre broadband is available in Gaborone and Francistown from providers like BTCL, Mascom, and Orange, with speeds of 10–100 Mbps. Coverage in smaller towns is more limited. Mobile data (4G/LTE) from Mascom and Orange provides a reliable backup. Expect to pay P500–1,200/month for home broadband.
In principle yes, but most expat families choose private or international schools. Government schools follow the national curriculum (Setswana in early years, then English) and are geared toward the local PSLE/JCE/BGCSE examination path. For continuity with a British, American or IB system, and for globally portable qualifications, Gaborone's international schools are the standard choice.
Gaborone is the hub. Westwood International School offers the full International Baccalaureate continuum (PYP, MYP, DP), with fees roughly P70,000–200,000 per year depending on grade. Maru-a-Pula and Gaborone International School run the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level path; Maru-a-Pula is a well-known co-educational day and boarding school. Northside and Thornhill are popular English-medium primaries. Places at the top schools fill early, so apply well ahead of your move.
In the national system, students sit the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) at the end of Form 5 — the standard university-entry credential, administered by the Botswana Examinations Council. Earlier milestones are the PSLE (end of primary, Standard 7) and the JCE (end of junior secondary, Form 3). International schools instead offer Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level or the IB Diploma, which are widely recognised by universities worldwide.
The University of Botswana (founded 1982, 15,000+ students) is the flagship, strong in medicine, law, business and the social sciences, with campuses in Gaborone, Francistown and Maun. BIUST in Palapye specialises in science, engineering and technology as part of the country's economic-diversification push. BUAN (agriculture) and the Botswana Accountancy College round out the public sector. Combined public-university enrolment is around 33,000. All qualifications are quality-assured by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA).
Yes, but it prioritises citizens. The Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF) sponsors tuition and living allowances for qualifying Batswana — 12,034 sponsorships in the 2025/26 cycle, with a 36-point admission cut-off and applications typically closing at the end of July. Sponsorship covers both local and, for some programmes, overseas study. Expats generally pay privately or rely on employer/education packages, as government sponsorship is reserved for citizens.
Botswana has a well-established TVET sector. The community Brigades (running since 1965) and government technical colleges in Maun, Jwaneng, Palapye and Selebi-Phikwe deliver artisan and craft qualifications up to National Craft Certificate level, assessed via the Madirelo Training & Testing Centre and accredited by the BQA. From August 2025 the government raised the monthly allowance for brigade and technical-college trainees from P300 to P1,900 to boost uptake of skilled trades.
It is genuinely difficult unless you hold a scarce skill. Botswana enforces a citizen-first (localisation) policy: the employer must prove no qualified Motswana is available for the role. Permits are realistically obtainable in specialist medicine, engineering, geology and mining, senior finance and audit, university lecturing, and advanced ICT. Applying for generalist roles almost always fails.
The national minimum wage is P9.06 per hour for most standard sectors (construction, wholesale, manufacturing, hotel and catering, security and similar), and it carried over unchanged into 2026. Lower floors apply to domestic service and agriculture (around P1,500 per month). These are minimums only — professional and expat salaries are far higher.
The national average gross salary is around P7,500 a month, but the median is much lower (about P3,000), reflecting high inequality. Skilled and senior roles pay well above average — IT managers, finance managers and directors typically earn from roughly P15,000 to over P30,000 a month, with mining engineering, specialist medicine and executive roles among the highest paid. Expat packages often add housing, insurance and relocation on top.
Botswana uses a progressive personal income tax administered by BURS. The first P48,000 of annual income is tax-free, then rates rise in bands to a top marginal rate of 25% on income above P156,000. Employers deduct PAYE at source. Non-residents are taxed only on Botswana-sourced income and face different withholding rules on passive income; confirm your residency status and current rates with BURS.
Yes. Work permits are issued for a specific employer and role, so switching jobs requires a fresh application by the new employer, again subject to the localisation test. Permits are typically valid 1–2 years and renewable, but you must apply to renew six months before expiry to avoid penalties.
Budget for both permits: the work (employment) permit is BWP 1,500 to apply or renew, and the residence permit is BWP 3,000 per applicant. Regulated professionals may also pay registration fees to their professional council. Many employers cover or reimburse these as part of an expat package — clarify this in your offer.
Yes — visitors can drive on a valid foreign licence (ideally with an International Driving Permit if it isn't in English) for the life of the permit, and new residents may use a foreign licence for up to 90 days. After 90 days, residents must obtain a Botswana licence. SADC licence holders are exempt from converting. Non-SADC licence holders should contact the DRTS before the 90 days expire, as some licences require sitting the local test rather than a straight swap.
Most people use combis (white 15-seater minibuses with blue plates) that run fixed routes for a few Pula, paid in cash on board. For door-to-door trips, ride-hailing apps — inDrive, Yango and Bolt — are widely used, cheaper and safer than unmarked taxis, and give you upfront pricing. Special taxis exist but are less common and require negotiating the fare in advance.
Not currently. The Botswana Railways 'BR Express' passenger service between Lobatse and Francistown was suspended in 2020 and remains suspended as of 2026, with resumption still under review. For long distances, use intercity buses/combis, Intercape coaches to South Africa, or Air Botswana domestic flights instead.
Air Botswana flies from Gaborone to Maun (for the Okavango Delta) and Kasane (for Chobe National Park), which is the fastest option. By road, distances are vast and a 4x4 is essential for the parks and unpaved routes. Avoid driving at night outside the cities — free-roaming livestock and, in the north, elephants are a serious collision hazard.
Not for the main tarred roads and cities — a normal car is fine for the A1 corridor (Gaborone–Francistown) and urban driving. But a 4x4 with high clearance is essential for the Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari, Makgadikgadi Pans and most national-park and rural sand/gravel roads. Always carry extra water and fuel on remote stretches.
English is the official language and is used in government, business, education, and media. Setswana is the national language spoken by the vast majority of the population in daily life. Learning basic Setswana greetings and phrases will earn you enormous goodwill. Several minority languages including Kalanga and Sekgalagadi are also spoken regionally.
Botswana is one of the safest countries in Africa. Violent crime is rare, particularly against foreigners. Petty theft and opportunistic crime exist in Gaborone (as in any city) but at much lower rates than in Johannesburg or Nairobi. Common-sense precautions — locking your car, not leaving valuables visible — are sufficient. The political environment is stable and welcoming to foreigners.
Botswana is generally conservative but not strict. Business attire is expected in offices and government buildings. Casual wear is fine for everyday life, but very revealing clothing is frowned upon, especially in rural areas and at Kgotla meetings. Sunhat and sunscreen are practical necessities year-round.
Gaborone is the capital and largest city (244,107 residents at the 2022 census). It is not a major wildlife destination in itself, but it is a safe, walkable, English-speaking base with good malls, restaurants, museums and the Three Dikgosi Monument. Most travellers spend a day or two here to acclimatise, handle logistics, or catch a connecting flight, then head to the Delta or Chobe. Wildlife is surprisingly close — the Gaborone Game Reserve and Mokolodi Nature Reserve are both within easy reach of the city centre.
It depends on your route. For the Okavango Delta, fly into Maun, the tourism capital and the hub for light-aircraft transfers into the camps. For Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls day-trips, Kasane in the far north is the closest town. Gaborone is the main international gateway (Sir Seretse Khama International Airport) but is far to the south of the wildlife areas, so many safari itineraries connect through Johannesburg to Maun or Kasane directly.
Botswana officially classifies only seven settlements as cities or towns (Gaborone, Francistown, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe, Jwaneng, Orapa and Sowa Town). Other large settlements — such as Mogoditshane, Maun, Molepolole, Serowe and Kanye — remain 'urban villages' governed under traditional tribal structures with a paramount chief, even though several have populations well over 50,000. It is an administrative and cultural distinction rather than a measure of size.
Buy a prepaid SIM from Mascom (the widest national coverage), Orange or BTC/beMobile at any airport kiosk, mall shop or provider store. SIMs are inexpensive (roughly P10–50) and data bundles start around P30, but you are legally required to register the SIM with your passport, so bring it. eSIMs are not yet sold by local operators to prepaid users, so arrange a travel eSIM before arrival if you prefer one.
Yes. Botswana is one of the safest countries in Africa, with low violent crime and stable, well-maintained main roads between the major centres. The main practical risks are the long distances (fill up in every town), wildlife and livestock on rural roads at night (avoid driving after dark), and the intense heat and sun. Take normal city precautions with valuables in Gaborone and Francistown, and you will find the cities relaxed and welcoming.