Apply In-Person

1. To apply for a research permit, the applicant should visit the specific Government Ministries or ministries department on which the research will be based, or the Botswana High Commissions and Embassies abroad or the Office of Research and Development (University of Botswana) {contact details are listed below}.
2. Applicants are required to collect and complete the Research Permit Application Form; Forms are available for free at the front desk at any of the All-Government Ministries, The Botswana High Commissions and Embassies abroad, The Office of Research and Development (University of Botswana); directly download it using this link:Link (Application form)
3. It should be noted however that different ministry may have additional sector-specific application forms and/ or requirements; so please consult with the ministry first before completing the above form.
4. Two (2) copies of a completed application form for a research permit accompanied by the relevant supporting document (listed below under required document section) must be submitted to the relevant ministry, or the Botswana High Commissions and Embassies abroad, at least two months before the commencement of the study.

   • Individuals residing outside the country should submit their application documents at least one month before their intended travel to Botswana.

5. The application is then assessed by the relevant ministry/department, based on the information and documents that have been provided and if complying; the application will be approved.
6. Applicants will then be notified of the outcome of their application by way of a letter.
7. The research permit will be drawn up, signed, and stamped by the authorized official at the Ministry or Department that the Research is based on.
8. Beneficiaries of the permit should visit the relevant ministry or department office or the Botswana High Commissions and Embassies abroad and collect the permit at the dispatch office against their identity document

• A letter of endorsement from the applicant’s sponsoring institution and/or funding agency.
• If the applicant is not affiliated with any institution, the endorsement should come from a person of professional standing in the field of the applicant’s discipline, supporting the application and providing assurance that the research will conform to these guidelines.
• Detailed curriculum vitae for all researchers (including passport particulars).
• Research document or proposal.

PLEASE NOTE: The Ministry or Department that your Research is based on, reserves the right to request for additional document/s as applicable.

Public Relations office
Office of the President
Government Enclave
Private Bag 001
Gaborone,
Botswana
Tel. (+267) 369 8516 / 395 0873
Email: op-pr-office@gov.bw

All Botswana Government ministries contact details link:Link

Opening hours: 07:30 to 12:45 then 13:45 to 16:30, Monday to Friday except, public holidays

For abroad applications, please contact your nearest Botswana Embassy or High Commission to help you.

All Botswana Mission Abroad contact link;Link

• Citizens and non-citizens wishing to research Botswana.

• No fee associate with the service

• The validity of the research permit depends on the Ministry or Department that your Research is based on discretion.

Link (Application form)

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• The time around for processing the request is within 1 month.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

IMPORTANT NOTES;
Requirements within Botswana
The relevant institution reserves the right to second/ attach local counterpart(s) to the research team for purposes of building local capacity. The costs for such seconded/ attached staff would be the responsibility of that institution.
Where the researcher wishes for his/ her part to obtain assistance from local institutions such as the University of Botswana (UB), such applications of assistance should be directed to the relevant institution. Ordinarily, in this case, costs related to such assistance would be agreed upon between the relevant institution and the researcher.

Monitoring
The relevant institution reserves the right to monitor the research project to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the research permit. Any contraventions of the conditions on the permit would result in the cancellation of the research permit and any costs resulting from such cancellation would be borne by the researcher.

Progress reporting
A progress report which shall include short descriptions of investigations and findings will be submitted to the relevant institution at intervals that shall be specified in the research permit.

Submission of a Preliminary Report
The researcher must submit a preliminary report (hard and soft copy) to the Ministry which issued the research application permit. If so, required the researcher may also be asked to present his/her preliminary findings to a seminar and/ or a paper for a local publication.

Submission of a Final Report
Researchers are required to deposit their Final Reports as follows: The Ministry which issued the research permit, the National Archives, the University of Botswana Research and Development Office, the Botswana National Library Services (1 copy each), and to the affiliating body in Botswana (2 copies) within two months after the completion of the Final Report.

Special Guidelines
In addition to these generic guidelines, different Ministries might have additional specific guidelines specific to their sectors. It is therefore important that researchers obtain such before the formulation of the research proposal.

• Description of the Proposal
  • Title of Research
  • Name and Address of Applicant
  • Name and address of home institutions (if any) which you are affiliated
  • Name and address of supervisor of research in home country or responsible referee
• Research plans
  • Main aims (general)
  • Objective: detailed description of issues/problems and/or topics to be investigated, the relevance of the research; hypothesis, etc.
  • Methods or techniques
• Budget for the costs in Botswana (give a detailed breakdown of research costs such as subsistence, traveling, local staff, secretarial service, seminar, printing etc). Please state the amount in Pula
• Name and address of financial sponsor(s) of the research (if appropriate)
• Has funding already been obtained
• If you have previously researched in Botswana, please give details of the research
• Name and address of institution in Botswana to which the researcher is to be affiliated
• Details of Botswana – based personnel that will be involved (names, functions, qualifications).
• Places in Botswana where the research is to be undertaken
• Proposed time – schedule for the research
• Plans for dissemination of research findings
• How are the research findings going to be used in the home country?
• Passport particulars (if applicable)
• Declaration by the applicant

• Individuals wishing to research Botswana must first apply for a research permit. This Permit ensures that information on Botswana is not misrepresented and it also assists in monitoring the kind of research done in the country.

Refer; GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH PERMITS Link

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

• Government procedure link: Link
  

Residence Permit
All applicants, other than citizens of Botswana, are required under the Immigration Act to obtain a temporary residence permit prior to arrival in Botswana. It is against the regulations for visitors to change their visitors’ permit into a temporary residence permit while visiting Botswana. Applicants outside Botswana should apply to the Botswana High Commission or Embassy (if there is one resident) in the country from which they are applying. In the case where there is no Botswana High Commission or Embassy in that country, then the application for a residence permit should be sent to:

The Chief Immigration Officer

P O Box 942 Gaborone Botswana

Tel: + 267 3611 300

Fax: + 267 3952 996

A copy of any agreement (by the Ministry responsible) on the research proposal should be attached to the application form for the residence permit.