Residence Permit - Dependants

Overview

If you depend on a family member who lives in Botswana, this is the residence route for you. It is the dependants category of the residence permit, granted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to family members - including dependants aged 18-25 and older relatives aged 65 and over - who rely on a supporter already established in the country. The permit follows the sponsor's status and is renewable rather than permanent, so on its own it does not lead to settlement. You apply through the same residence permit process, choosing the dependants category. Good to know: the permit rests on a genuine dependency and on the sponsor remaining in order, and the documents you need centre on proving both.

Eligibility

Application pathway

1. 01

   Check the route fit

   Confirm the dependency and that the dependants category (such as 18-25 or 65+) fits the family member on the official gov.bw page.

2. 02

   Build the evidence pack

   Gather the relationship and dependency documents, the sponsor's status documents and the dependant's passport.

3. 03

   Submit through the official channel

   Submit the residence permit application in the dependants category through the official Department of Immigration and Citizenship process.

4. 04

   After approval

   Hold the permit in line with the sponsor's status and renew before expiry while the dependency continues.

Also explored by

Compare Republic of Botswana with

• 🇨🇻 Republic of Cabo Verde
• 🇨🇮 Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
• 🇨🇰 Cook Islands (self-governing country in free association with New Zealand)

Related routes

• Residence Permit

  For non-citizens who want to live in Botswana beyond a visit: the residence permit is the general permit that lets immigrants, and certain other categories, reside in the country, applied for through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship on gov.bw.

• Residence Permit - Spouse of a Botswana Citizen

  For the foreign husband or wife of a Botswana citizen: this category of the residence permit lets you live in Botswana on the basis of your marriage, and it can place you on the path toward longer-term settlement.

• Permanent Residence

  For non-citizens with a long, lawful stay in Botswana: permanent residence is the discretionary, durable status you can apply for after years in the country, going beyond the renewable work and residence permits.