Lesotho Entry Requirements

Lesotho Entry Requirements specify all the rules that travelers must familiarize themselves with before the planned trip to Lesotho. One of these requirements is the necessary documents that an individual should gather before departure, including a valid passport and a relevant visa for Lesotho.

There are certain passport requirements, including its minimum validity, that should be at least 90 days from the intended exit date from Lesotho. Moreover, when presenting your passport during immigration control, it should have at least two blank pages for stamping purposes. Owing to the fact that entering Lesotho is possible only from the territory of South Africa, your passport should have another two additional blank pages for stamping by the RSA officials.

When it comes to the Lesothan visa policy, some countries are eligible for an online visa, others need to obtain a visa in a traditional way by visiting the nearest diplomatic mission, while still others enjoy visa-free entry to Lesotho.

It is the traveler's nationality, traveling purpose as well as the planned length of time that one wishes to spend in Lesotho which determine what type of visa is required.

Although some nationalities can travel to Lesotho without a visa, all long-term stays require obtaining a relevant permit regardless of the individual's nationality. Every foreign national who plans to live and/or perform paid work in Lesotho will need to obtain an embassy or consulate visa and/or permit.

Currently, travelers planning to visit Lesotho don't need to worry about providing additional documents confirming their immunity status against Covid-19. The Lesothan authorities lifted all covid-related restrictions on 25 August 2022.

Please, however, bear in mind that the coronavirus pandemic hasn't yet ended. Some changes in Lesotho entry and exit requirements may be implemented at any time. Do remember to always follow the latest updates and travel advice.

Who can enter Lesotho?

There are no countries banned from entering Lesotho. Moreover, the country no longer verifies the incoming traveler's Covid-19 vaccination status.

Documents check-list for entering Lesotho

• valid passport
• Lesotho visa
• travel insurance (optional)

Testing, vaccination, and quarantine requirements

The Lesothan government announced the removal of all coronavirus restrictions on 25 August 2022. Since then, no tests or vaccination certificates are longer verified upon crossing the country's border.

Traveling from Lesotho

When departing from Lesotho, make sure you are familiar with all the travel regulations implemented by your airline or travel provider. Do also remember to check the entry rules for the country you will be visiting next or your home country if you don't have further traveling plans.

Traveling to Lesotho

Travelers to Lesotho don't need to present any coronavirus documents since all Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in August 2022. Nevertheless, they are advised to follow the latest updates in entry requirements. As the pandemic isn't yet over, some changes can be implemented at short notice.

Before going to Lesotho, make sure that you meet all requirements to ensure hassle-free entry to the country, including visa requirements. Check if you need a visa to travel to Lesotho and obtain yours either online or at the nearest Lesothan embassy, depending on your eligibility.

Entry Rules for Children

There are no separate entry rules for underage travelers arriving in Lesotho. They should follow the same entry regulations as their parents or guardians traveling with them.

Transit through Lesotho

There are no transit facilities in Lesotho. However, in order to access Lesotho, passengers must transit through South Africa by air or land. That is why they need to check the Covid-19 entry restrictions as well as other entry requirements applicable to South Africa.

Lesotho visa requirements

Lesotho eVisa

The Government of Lesotho implemented the electronic visa system in 2017 with the aim of improving and speeding up the visa application process, as well as making the country more accessible for international travelers.

Lesotho eVisa can be obtained entirely online by nationals of more than 190 different countries who simply need to go through a 3-step intuitive online application.

Eligible applicants can choose either a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry one. The two visa types differ in terms of the validity period and permitted duration of stay.

After filling out a short online form and covering the eVisa fee, the approved electronic visa is delivered directly in PDF format to the email address.

Read more on Lesotho eVisa and check your eligibility here.

Embassy or Consular Visa

Sometimes, it is impossible to obtain a visa online. According to Lesotho's visa policy, citizens of more than 40 different countries must apply for visit visas at the Lesothan embassy or consulate, including a tourist or business visa for short stays.

Lesothan diplomatic missions are located in major cities around the globe. In order to apply for a regular visa, you will need to first check the location of the nearest embassy or consulate to book an appointment. You will also be asked to submit a number of supporting documents. Remember to start the application procedure a few weeks in advance of a planned trip to ensure that your visa will be approved on time.

Foreigners who wish to live, work or stay in Lesotho for a longer period are also required to visit the embassy or consulate, as long-stay visas aren't issued online.

A complete list of countries whose nationals are required to apply for a Lesothan consular or embassy visa includes:

• Aland Islands
• American Samoa
• Anguilla
• Antarctica
• Aruba
• Bermuda
• Bonaire
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Christmas Island
• Cocos Islands
• Cook Islands
• Curacao
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• French Guiana
• French Polynesia
• Gibraltar
• Greenland
• Guadeloupe
• Guam
• Guernsey
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• Martinique
• Mayotte
• Montserrat
• New Caledonia
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Pitcairn Islands
• Puerto Rico
• Reunion
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Helena
• Saint Martin
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• Sint Maarten
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• Svalbard and Jan Mayen
• Tokelau
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• United States Virgin Islands
• Wallis and Futuna

Visa-exempt countries

Lesotho offers visa exemption to nationals of around 70 various countries and territories. They can travel to the Kingdom of Lesotho visa-free and stay there for different periods of time depending on their nationality.

Around 40 of these countries are permitted a 90-day visa-free stay in Lesotho. The remaining ones may travel to Lesotho without a visa and stay there for a maximum of 14 days. Visa-free entry is allowed only for tourism and leisure-related purposes. They cannot, for example, undertake paid employment without holding a relevant visa or permit.

Additionally, every visa-exempt traveler planning a stay extending beyond the allowed period must apply for a visa for Lesotho. The type of visa should cover the individual's particular travel needs.

A complete list of visa-exempt countries for Lesotho:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Belize
• Botswana
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• Gambia
• Germany
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Luxembourg
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Papua New Guinea
• Portugal
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Swaziland
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Lesotho Passenger Locator Form

Passengers arriving in Lesotho no longer need to complete the Passenger Locator Form.

Travel Insurance

Medical care in Lesotho is at a very low level. You can have some problems accessing medical treatment. All travelers are highly advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance covering the cost of transportation to South Africa and Covid-19 treatment.