Botswana requires visas for most travelers, but citizens of the United States, Canada, European Union member states, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and most Southern African Development Community countries receive free entry permits on arrival for stays up to ninety days. The permit is issued at the port of entry by immigration officers who may request proof of onward travel, sufficient funds, and return tickets. Citizens of countries not on the visa-exemption list must apply for visas in advance at Botswana diplomatic missions. The official government immigration portal at www.gov.bw provides current visa requirements, though processing information changes and the website updates irregularly. Overstaying the ninety-day permit results in fines of approximately 1,000 Pula per day and potential deportation with bans on re-entry.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone handles most international arrivals, with flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Addis Ababa, and Nairobi operated by Air Botswana, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways. Kasane Airport near Chobe National Park and Maun Airport near the Okavango Delta receive regional flights and serve as entry points for travelers arriving from Victoria Falls or other regional hubs. Overland entry from South Africa occurs at border posts including Tlokweng near Gaborone, Pioneer Gate near Francistown, and Ramatlabama in the south. The border with Namibia crosses at Ngoma Bridge near Kasane and at Mohembo in the northwest. The Kazungula Ferry crossing connects Botswana to Zambia across the Zambezi River, though the Kazungula Bridge opened in 2021 to replace ferry operations with a road bridge. All land borders require the same visa documentation as airports, and most close between 6 PM and 8 PM daily.
The Botswana Pula replaced the South African Rand in 1976 at a one-to-one ratio. The currency subdivides into one hundred Thebe. As of 2024, the exchange rate fluctuates between 13 and 14 Pula to one US Dollar, though this varies with global commodity prices since Botswana's economy ties closely to diamond exports. Notes exist in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Pula, with coins for 5, 10, 25, and 50 Thebe and 1, 2, and 5 Pula. The Bank of Botswana issues all currency and maintains foreign exchange reserves that ranked among the highest per capita in Africa through the 2010s. The Pula trades freely without restrictions on currency conversion, and visitors may import and export unlimited foreign currency if declared to customs, though Pula export is limited to 50,000 Pula for residents and 10,000 Pula for non-residents.
ATMs operate in all major towns and accept Visa and Mastercard networks reliably. Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, and Kasane have multiple ATM locations at banks including First National Bank Botswana, Standard Chartered, Barclays Bank Botswana, and Absa Bank. Daily withdrawal limits range from 2,000 to 4,000 Pula depending on the bank and card type. ATMs outside these four urban centers appear less frequently, and villages in the Central Kalahari or remote areas of the Okavango have no banking infrastructure. International transaction fees charged by home banks typically range from 2% to 5% per withdrawal plus fixed fees between $3 and $5. First National Bank operates the largest ATM network in Botswana with over 70 machines nationwide as of 2023. Power outages occasionally disable ATMs in smaller towns, making cash backups necessary.
Credit cards see acceptance in hotels, lodges, tour operators, and restaurants in Gaborone, Maun, Kasane, and Francistown, with Visa and Mastercard both widely recognized. Smaller guesthouses, local restaurants, fuel stations outside major towns, and all informal vendors require cash. American Express has minimal acceptance outside luxury lodges. Card machines occasionally fail due to connectivity issues in remote areas including safari camps in the Okavango Delta and parks. Some establishments add surcharges between 3% and 5% for credit card payments to offset transaction fees. Contactless payment infrastructure exists in Gaborone but has not spread widely to other regions. Budget travelers and those visiting rural areas should carry sufficient cash for several days, as banking access becomes sparse outside urban centers.