A foreign national wishing to enter Lesotho must obtain a visa unless they are a citizen of one of the eligible visa exempt countries.
Visa policy map
Visa exemption
Nationals of the following 48 countries and jurisdictions do not require a visa to enter Lesotho for visits up to 90 days:[1][2]
1 - Up to 60 days.
Nationals of the following 22 countries and jurisdictions do not require a visa to enter Lesotho for visits up to 14 days:[2][1]
1 - Including all classes of British nationality.
| Date of visa changes |
|---|
Nationals of China holding diplomatic or service passports do not require a visa.
e-Visa
Lesotho introduced an e-Visa system on 1 May 2017.[6] Foreign citizens may apply for tourism, business, student and diplomatic types of visa online through the e-Visa system.[7][8]
Electronic visa is processed within 72 hours. Visitors with a single-entry visa to Lesotho may remain for a maximum period of 44 days.[9] Visitors with multiple-entry visa may travel in and out of Lesotho only within 180 days. Visitors must apply for an extension if their stay is prolonged.[9]
Transit
There are no transit facilities in Lesotho.[1]
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving to Lesotho were from the following countries of nationality:[10]
| Country | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 South Africa | 1,009,856 | 1,081,227 | 970,292 | 968,742 |
 Zimbabwe | 20,991 | 20,835 | 20,995 | 20,523 |
 Netherlands | 9,275 | 7,856 | 6,223 | 4,454 |
 Germany | 8,913 | 7,955 | 5,951 | 3,746 |
 United States | 8,589 | 10,026 | 9,694 | 8,798 |
 China | 7,830 | 6,878 | 8,095 | 9,630 |
 Botswana | 7,513 | 8,972 | 6,712 | 6,942 |
 United Kingdom | 5,554 | 4,970 | 6,436 | 6,128 |
 India | 4,745 | 4,389 | 3,639 | 4,619 |
 Eswatini | 3,930 | 5,006 | 4,627 | 3,716 |
| Total | 1,137,166 | 1,196,214 | 1,082,403 | 1,078,510 |
See also
