Top 5 tips to live in Namibia

Hi,

When you are going to live abroad, you may have a lot of questions. Hence to facilitate you in this process, we are inviting expats to share their top 5 tips with regards to settling and living in Namibia.

What recommendations would you give soon-to-be expats in Namibia?

How should they prepare efficiently for their expatriation project and settling in?

Please share with us your best advice for a successful expatriation in Namibia!

Thank you in advance :)

Top Five Tips -

1 - Don't expect anything to be done immediately, Things here work on 'African Time', so develop a sense of patience.
2- Haggle, Haggle, Haggle. - Shop around for the best services and don't be afraid to haggle the price.
3 - If you're married to a Namibian, you don't need a work permit. You must apply for a Certificate of Identity though.
4 - The Certificate of Identity or any other permit to live in Namibia is vital when applying for a bank account.
5 - Make sure you have all the correct documentation before applying for anything. Documents change here all the time, and some officials are not even sure which is the latest version.

Above all else, enjoy yourself, it's a great country...

Mike

1. Sort out necessary visas and where you will work before coming here.  Consider a visa agent, they can reduce the stress significantly.

2. Leave your 'stuff' behind.  Consider selling it.  Once you get rid of it, you won't even miss it and bringing it with you will only make the move more stressful and expensive.

3. However, do bring some favorite books and movies and other small things that remind you of home.  Books especially are hard to come by in Namibia.

4. Namibia has SPCAs to adpot from, but if you want to bring pets in, beware that the paperwork is outrageous and not cheap.  It is not an easy process.  Getting them out of Namibia, I believe, is even harder so if you bring them in, be sure you, and the animals, are staying.

5. Try to learn the languages!  While there's a lot of them, and a lot of folks here do speak English, you can impress, befriend, and respect people by even making an attempt to learn their language.  It really makes a difference.