Lesotho visa and entry requirementsVisa approved by Home Affairs, with a 72-hour visa-on-arrival letter
- Fee
- Not published
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
M1000 for a single entry; M2000 for multiple entries.
Lesotho visa and entry requirements
Lesotho's Ministry of Home Affairs says every foreign citizen who wishes to visit must first obtain a visa through the Lesotho e-visa system, except citizens of countries with visa-abolition agreements with Lesotho and of some Commonwealth countries. Lesotho's embassy in Washington publishes a list of all countries whose citizens require or do not require a visa to enter Lesotho, and marks those whose citizens need one only to stay more than 14 days. The UK, Italian, Canadian and Australian governments say their citizens can visit without a visa.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Oct 2, 2026· How this site works
Check requirements for your passport
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
Visas & entry authorisations
Entry visa
- Fee
- 1,000 LSL
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
- Entries
- single
Entry visa
- Fee
- 2,000 LSL
- Processing
- 3–5 business days
- Entries
- multiple
Temporary permit extension
- Fee
- Not published
- Processing
- —
- Stay per entry
- 90 days
Entry requirements
Passport validity
The UK government says your passport must have an expiry date at least 90 days after the date you arrive in Lesotho and at least 4 blank pages, because Lesotho border control need to stamp it and so do South African border control on your way to and from Lesotho.
At least 4 blank pages required. Compare every country
Vaccinations
Not officially statedNo official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.
Travel insurance
RequiredThe Government of Lesotho's service charter lists medical insurance among the requirements for an entry visa, including the tourist category. No official source we could read states whether visa-free visitors need it.
Onward or return ticket
RequiredThe Government of Lesotho's service charter lists a return ticket among the requirements for a visitor's entry visa. No official source we could read states an onward-ticket check for visa-exempt visitors.
Verified Oct 9, 2026 · Source: gov.ls (opens in a new tab)
Proof of funds
RequiredThe Government of Lesotho's service charter lists, for a tourist entry visa, a 3 months' bank statement or a valid debit or credit card with sufficient funds to sustain the duration of stay, and, for a visitor's entry visa, a 3 months' bank statement of the sponsor or applicant (M10,000). No official source we could read states an amount for visa-free arrivals.
Verified Oct 9, 2026 · Source: gov.ls (opens in a new tab)
Staying past your permitted stay
The UK government says that if you overstay without permission, the Lesotho authorities may detain you and will charge you weekly fines. No Lesotho official page we could read states the amount.
Customs & currency
The UK government says to declare cash or travellers cheques in any currency if the value is 25,000 maloti or more; if you do not, the authorities could seize your money when you leave and you could be fined. It says the loti is pegged to the South African rand one-to-one, and both currencies are accepted throughout Lesotho.
- The UK government says there are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Lesotho, and you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Verified Oct 2, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Country in a nutshell
- Currency
- Lesotho loti (LSL, L)
- Cards & payments
- The UK government says the loti is pegged one-to-one to the South African rand and both are accepted throughout Lesotho, that UK debit and credit cards are widely accepted for payment and at ATMs, and that if you are travelling outside Maseru you should take enough cash to cover local purchases. Canada's travel advice says major credit cards are accepted, but only at major tourist establishments and banks.
- Safety — Exercise caution
- The UK government says foreigners are vulnerable to opportunistic street crime and vehicle crime, that muggers can target foreign nationals and armed carjackers or robbers may try to stop your car, with the danger greatest in urban areas, and advises not walking alone in isolated areas or after dark. It says driving standards and road conditions are poor and that animals roaming on the roads are a hazard, especially at night.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Apr 28, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Power plugs
- M · 220V 50Hz
- Emergency numbers
- General emergencies: 112
- Languages
- Sesotho, English
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Driving side
- left
- International Driving Permit
Lesotho is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection).
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country- Tap water
- not for drinking. Use bottled
Best time to visit
Canada's travel advice says to expect extreme cold and heavy snowfall in the mountains during the winter months (June to August), which could lead to road and mountain pass closures, and that violent thunderstorms occur in the summer (November to February). No official source we could read recommends a time to visit.
Tips & warnings
Canada's travel advice says weather conditions can change rapidly in mountainous regions and that even in summer it can become cold unexpectedly; during the winter months (June to August) it says to expect extreme cold and heavy snowfall in the mountains, which could lead to road and mountain pass closures, and to carry a blanket, warm clothes and a flashlight in case of snowfall or vehicle breakdown in mountain areas.
Canada's travel advice says you must have a four-wheel-drive vehicle to enter and depart Lesotho through the Sani Pass on the eastern border, and may need one in rural mountain areas connected only by dirt roads.
The UK government says the Lesotho loti is pegged to the South African rand on a one-to-one basis and both currencies are accepted throughout Lesotho.
Visa requirements by nationality
| Passports | Visas & entry authorisations | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | eVisa | — |
| Albania | eVisa | — |
| Andorra | eVisa | — |
| Angola | eVisa | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free | — |
| Argentina | eVisa | — |
| Armenia | eVisa | — |
| Australia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Azerbaijan | eVisa | — |
| Bahamas | eVisa | — |
| Bahrain | eVisa | — |
| Bangladesh | eVisa | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free | — |
| Belarus | eVisa | — |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Belize | Visa-free | — |
| Benin | eVisa | — |
| Bhutan | eVisa | — |
| Bolivia | eVisa | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | eVisa | — |
| Botswana | Visa-free | — |
| Brazil | eVisa | — |
| Brunei | Visa-free | — |
| Bulgaria | eVisa | — |
| Burkina Faso | eVisa | — |
| Burundi | eVisa | — |
| Cabo Verde | eVisa | — |
| Cambodia | eVisa | — |
| Cameroon | eVisa | — |
| Canada | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Central African Republic | eVisa | — |
| Chad | eVisa | — |
| Chile | eVisa | — |
| China | eVisa | — |
| Colombia | eVisa | — |
| Comoros | eVisa | — |
| Costa Rica | eVisa | — |
| Côte d'Ivoire | eVisa | — |
| Croatia | eVisa | — |
| Cuba | eVisa | — |
| Cyprus | eVisa | — |
| Czechia | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | eVisa | — |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Djibouti | eVisa | — |
| Dominica | Visa-free | — |
| Dominican Republic | Visa-free | — |
| Ecuador | eVisa | — |
| Egypt | eVisa | — |
| El Salvador | eVisa | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | eVisa | — |
| Eritrea | eVisa | — |
| Estonia | eVisa | — |
| Eswatini | Visa-free | — |
| Ethiopia | eVisa | — |
| Fiji | Visa-free | — |
| Finland | Visa-free | 14 days |
| France | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Gabon | eVisa | — |
| Gambia | Visa-free | — |
| Georgia | eVisa | — |
| Germany | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Ghana | Visa-free | — |
| Greece | eVisa | — |
| Grenada | Visa-free | — |
| Guatemala | eVisa | — |
| Guinea | eVisa | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | eVisa | — |
| Guyana | Visa-free | — |
| Haiti | eVisa | — |
| Honduras | eVisa | — |
| Hong Kong | Visa-free | — |
| Hungary | eVisa | — |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 14 days |
| India | eVisa | — |
| Indonesia | eVisa | — |
| Iran | eVisa | — |
| Iraq | eVisa | — |
| Ireland | eVisa | — |
| Israel | Visa-free | — |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jamaica | Visa-free | — |
| Japan | Visa-free | — |
| Jordan | eVisa | — |
| Kazakhstan | eVisa | — |
| Kenya | Visa-free | — |
| Kiribati | Visa-free | — |
| Kuwait | eVisa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | eVisa | — |
| Laos | eVisa | — |
| Latvia | eVisa | — |
| Lebanon | eVisa | — |
| Lesotho | Free movement | — |
| Liberia | eVisa | — |
| Libya | eVisa | — |
| Liechtenstein | eVisa | — |
| Lithuania | eVisa | — |
| Luxembourg | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Macau | eVisa | — |
| Madagascar | Visa-free | — |
| Malawi | Visa-free | — |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | — |
| Maldives | eVisa | — |
| Mali | eVisa | — |
| Malta | eVisa | — |
| Marshall Islands | eVisa | — |
| Mauritania | eVisa | — |
| Mauritius | Visa-free | — |
| Mexico | eVisa | — |
| Micronesia | eVisa | — |
| Moldova | eVisa | — |
| Monaco | eVisa | — |
| Mongolia | eVisa | — |
| Montenegro | eVisa | — |
| Morocco | eVisa | — |
| Mozambique | Visa-free | — |
| Myanmar | eVisa | — |
| Namibia | Visa-free | — |
| Nauru | eVisa | — |
| Nepal | eVisa | — |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 14 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Nicaragua | eVisa | — |
| Niger | eVisa | — |
| Nigeria | eVisa | — |
| North Macedonia | eVisa | — |
| Norway | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Oman | eVisa | — |
| Pakistan | eVisa | — |
| Panama | eVisa | — |
| Papua New Guinea | Visa-free | — |
| Paraguay | eVisa | — |
| Peru | eVisa | — |
| Philippines | eVisa | — |
| Poland | eVisa | — |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Qatar | eVisa | — |
| Republic of the Congo | eVisa | — |
| Romania | eVisa | — |
| Russia | eVisa | — |
| Rwanda | eVisa | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free | — |
| Saint Lucia | Visa-free | — |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | — |
| San Marino | eVisa | — |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | eVisa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | eVisa | — |
| Senegal | eVisa | — |
| Serbia | eVisa | — |
| Seychelles | Visa-free | — |
| Sierra Leone | Visa-free | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free | — |
| Slovakia | eVisa | — |
| Slovenia | eVisa | — |
| Solomon Islands | eVisa | — |
| Somalia | eVisa | — |
| South Africa | Visa-free | — |
| South Korea | Visa-free | — |
| Spain | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Sri Lanka | Visa-free | — |
| Sudan | eVisa | — |
| Suriname | eVisa | — |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 14 days |
| Syria | eVisa | — |
| Tajikistan | eVisa | — |
| Tanzania | Visa-free | — |
| Thailand | eVisa | — |
| Timor-Leste | eVisa | — |
| Togo | eVisa | — |
| Tonga | Visa-free | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | — |
| Tunisia | eVisa | — |
| Turkey | eVisa | — |
| Turkmenistan | eVisa | — |
| Tuvalu | Visa-free | — |
| Uganda | Visa-free | — |
| Ukraine | eVisa | — |
| United Arab Emirates | eVisa | — |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | — |
| Uruguay | eVisa | — |
| Uzbekistan | eVisa | — |
| Vanuatu | Visa-free | — |
| Vatican City | eVisa | — |
| Venezuela | eVisa | — |
| Vietnam | eVisa | — |
| Yemen | eVisa | — |
| Zambia | Visa-free | — |
| Zimbabwe | Visa-free | — |
Afghanistan
Albania
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
ZimbabweStay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No official page we read states the rule for 9 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Algeria, Austria, Kosovo, North Korea, Palau, Palestine, Samoa, South Sudan, and Taiwan.
Neighboring countries
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Lesotho?
Lesotho's Ministry of Home Affairs says every foreign citizen who wishes to visit must first obtain a visa through the Lesotho e-visa system unless their country has a visa-abolition agreement with Lesotho or is one of the Commonwealth countries it exempts. Lesotho's embassy in Washington publishes a list of all countries whose citizens require or do not require a visa to enter Lesotho, and marks those whose citizens need one only to stay more than 14 days. The UK government says British visitors can visit for up to 90 days without a visa, and Italy's foreign ministry says no visa is needed for tourism up to 90 days; Canada says no tourist visa is required for stays up to 30 days, and Australia says tourists can enter for up to 30 days without a visa.
Can I visit Lesotho on a day trip from South Africa?
The UK government says all visitors to Lesotho must travel through South Africa, whether by air or land, and must meet South Africa's entry requirements, and that Lesotho border control and South African border control both need to stamp your passport. Canada's travel advice says you must have a four-wheel-drive vehicle to enter and depart Lesotho through the Sani Pass.
Can I extend my stay in Lesotho?
The UK government says you can extend your stay by completing a 90-day temporary permit extension form and taking it to the Visa Application Centre in the Manthabiseng Convention Centre, Maseru; your passport will need to be valid for the extension period, and if you overstay without permission the authorities may detain you and will charge you weekly fines.
Can I still apply for a Lesotho visa online?
Lesotho's Ministry of Home Affairs says visas are obtained through the Lesotho e-visa system, but no official source we could read offers a working online visa application for Lesotho. The Government of Lesotho's service charter lists the documents required for an entry visa.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Lesotho?
WHO's country list says Lesotho has no yellow fever requirement at entry; Australia's Smartraveller says you'll need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Lesotho if you are travelling from a country where yellow fever occurs, and Italy's foreign ministry says it is mandatory for travellers over 9 months of age coming from countries at risk or who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in one. South Africa, which the UK government says all visitors to Lesotho must travel through, requires proof of vaccination from travellers aged 1 year or over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and from those who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of such a country, according to WHO.
Sources & verification
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
- Australian Government Smartraveller — Lesotho (opens in a new tab)
- CIA World Factbook — Lesotho: languages (Factbook discontinued in 2026; cited from its archived copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of the Kingdom of Lesotho in the USA — Visa Applications (list of countries whose citizens require / do not require visas) (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Canada — Travel advice and advisories: Lesotho (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Lesotho — Service charter: Issuance of entry visa (3–5 working days) (opens in a new tab)
- IEC World Plugs (International Electrotechnical Commission) — plug types, voltage and frequency by location (opens in a new tab)
- Lesotho Ministry of Home Affairs — Do I need a visa? (visa first obtained through the Lesotho e-visa system) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Netherlands) — Reisadvies Lesotho (opens in a new tab)
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri (Italy) — Viaggiare Sicuri: Lesotho (opens in a new tab)
- UK FCDO — Lesotho safety and security: mugging and vehicle crime; driving standards and animals on roads (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Lesotho travel advice (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Lesotho travel advice: entry requirements (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Lesotho travel advice: getting help (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (Lesotho not listed) (opens in a new tab)
- United Nations — Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13(2) (opens in a new tab)
- WHO — International Travel and Health country list: vaccination requirements (Lesotho: no yellow fever requirement at entry; South Africa: required from risk countries) (opens in a new tab)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source