🇨🇷→🇱🇸Costa Rica→Lesotho

Permits a single journey to Lesotho for tourism, family visits, or other short-term purposes. Issued to ordinary passport holders from countries not exempt from visa requirements.

• Fee is M1,000 (Lesotho Maloti).
• e-Visa system is currently suspended; applications submitted by email to VISA-Applications.Immigration@gov.ls.
• Processing maximum 10 working days.
• Upon approval, a 72-hour visa-on-arrival authorization letter is emailed; traveller must enter via Maseru Port of Entry or Moshoeshoe I International Airport only.
• USD equivalent not stated in official source.

Permits multiple journeys to Lesotho within the validity period for tourism, business visits, or other short-term purposes. Issued to ordinary passport holders requiring a visa.

• Fee is M2,000 (Lesotho Maloti).
• Valid for 6 months with multiple entries.
• e-Visa system suspended; applications by email to VISA-Applications.Immigration@gov.ls.
• Maximum 10 working days processing.
• Approval results in a 72-hour visa-on-arrival letter for entry at Maseru Port of Entry or Moshoeshoe I International Airport only.
• Per-stay duration not specified in official source.

Authorises foreign nationals to reside and conduct business activities in Lesotho. Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.

• Two-year or indefinite duration available.
• Applications processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.
• Minimum investment not specified on official pages.
• After 5+ years of lawful residence, may qualify for citizenship.
• Fee schedule referenced in Aliens Control (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 2018 but amounts not published online.

Issued free of charge to holders of diplomatic, official/service, UN, or Laissez Passer travel documents visiting Lesotho.

• UN Passport holders, Laissez Passer holders, Diplomatic Passport holders, and Official/Service Passport holders are issued visas free of charge.
• UN Passport and Laissez Passer holders do not need a visa at all according to official source.
• Application process same as ordinary visa (email to VISA-Applications.Immigration@gov.ls).

Residence permit allowing qualified foreign teachers to reside and teach in Lesotho.

• Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.
• Specific eligibility requirements and fees not published on official pages.

Residence permit allowing foreign medical professionals (doctors and nurses) to reside and practice in Lesotho.

• Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.
• Specific eligibility requirements and fees not published on official pages.

Authorises foreign nationals to reside in Lesotho for the purpose of studying at an accredited institution.

• Valid for up to 4 years per official immigration page.
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.
• Specific eligibility requirements, supporting documents, and fees not published on official pages.

Residence permit allowing a foreign national to join a relative who is lawfully resident in Lesotho.

• Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.
• Also referred to as 'Joining Relative Permit' and 'Spouse Joining Spouse Permit' (separate sub-categories).
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.

Residence permit allowing a foreign spouse to join a partner lawfully resident or working in Lesotho.

• Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.
• Distinct from the 'Married Women Permit' category, which the official Home Affairs portal lists separately (a foreign woman married to a Mosotho male).
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.

Residence permit issued to a foreign woman married to a Mosotho (Lesotho citizen) man who wishes to reside with her husband in Lesotho.

• Distinct residence-permit category listed on the official VFS-operated Home Affairs portal (homeaffairslesotho.com), separate from the Spouse Joining Spouse permit.
• Issued to a woman married to a Basotho male to reside with him; available as a two-year or indefinite permit (Married-women-permit-Indefinite.html).
• Requires marriage certificate, medical certificate, police clearance from Lesotho and country of origin, sponsor (husband) national ID/passport copy, and proof of payment.
• M2,800 service/handling charge applies via the portal; statutory permit fees payable at the Ministry of Home Affairs per the Government Gazette.

Residence permit for foreign nationals engaged in missionary or religious work in Lesotho.

• Available as a two-year or indefinite permit.
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.
• Specific requirements and fees not published on official pages.

Short-term permit for foreign nationals who require an authorised stay in Lesotho beyond a visa or for purposes not covered by standard visa categories.

90-day temporary permit listed as a distinct permit category on the official immigration page. Specific eligibility, requirements, and fees not published on official pages.

Permanent residence authorisation for foreign nationals who have met the long-term residence requirements in Lesotho.

• Indefinite permit categories mirror the two-year permit categories: missionaries, business, joining relative, spouse joining spouse, returning former citizens, doctors/nurses, teachers.
• Minimum residence period and eligibility criteria not specified on official pages.
• Processed at the Residence Permit Facilitation Centre in Maseru.

Authorises a foreign national to take up general employment in Lesotho. The Lesotho-based employer sponsors the application and must demonstrate the position cannot be filled by a suitably qualified Mosotho national.

• General employment work permit, distinct from the profession-specific residence permits (teachers, doctors/nurses).
• The sponsoring employer must supply a Business Permit, valid Trader's Licence, Tax Clearance Certificate and Letter of Invitation, and complete the general visa requirements.
• Issued via the Ministry of Home Affairs Department of Immigration with Ministry of Labour and Employment (Labour Commissioner) involvement.
• Fee and validity period not published on the official page.

Residence permit for a person who was previously a citizen of the Kingdom of Lesotho and wishes to return and reside in the country once again.

• Listed as 'Returning former citizens' on the official Ministry of Home Affairs immigration page; available as a two-year or indefinite residence permit.
• Applications submitted online via the VFS-operated Home Affairs services portal (homeaffairslesotho.com/Returning-Citizens-permit.html), which cites a standard residence-permit application fee of M2,800.
• Requires proof of previous Lesotho citizenship, medical certificate, police clearance and passport photos.
• Dependants under 21 are exempt from the fee; police clearance is not required for applicants under age 16.