For overland travelers planning on visiting multiple countries in West Africa, organizing visas is often the biggest logistical headache. Visa policies are asymmetric and often vary from embassy to embassy.

In one country, the Ghanaian embassy may not grant you a visa unless you are a permanent resident of the country where you are applying. However, you may be able to travel to a neighboring country and find that the Ghanaian embassy there has a completely different policy.

To make matters worse, visa policies are constantly changing. What was true last year or even six months ago, may be completely different from the current policy. We wrote an article about getting a Nigerian visa in Bamako, a process that was easy and straightforward, and now it is no longer possible to even apply in Bamako unless you are a resident of Mali.

The best way to organize your trip would be to get all of your visas beforehand. However, overland travelers that are coming from Europe can’t apply for every visa in their country of permanent residence. If they did, some of the visas would expire before they even arrived in the country. For example, you apply for a Nigerian visa in the UK. Three months later you arrive at the border of Nigeria. Your visa is already expired. The other issue is that sometimes the visa can cost much more in your home country than it would if you got it from an embassy in a neighboring country.

Skip directly to individual country visa requirements

So how do you plan your trip? 

Travel in West Africa can be unpredictable and this certainly applies to acquiring visas, but here are a few tips to help you stay on top of things as much as possible. After that, we will break down each country with the most up-to-date info that we have on securing their respective visas.

• If possible, get the hard-to-get visas before your trip begins. If an embassy allows you to get a visa that is valid from the point of entry into the country (rather than at the time of your visa application), all the better. Nigeria and Ghana are two of the visas that often cause issues for travelers.
• Reach out to travelers that are currently on the road. The best information comes from people who are actively traveling. Don’t bother with info that is months or years old. There is a good chance that the info is no longer reliable. While we will be laboring to keep our visa info updated on this site, there are other online venues where you can connect with travelers directly. The Facebook group West Africa Travellers is an excellent forum with a pinned thread all about the latest visa requirements for different countries. Another great resource that has dynamic info is the application and website iOverlander, which can be especially useful for locating embassies and getting the latest on opening hours and procedures.
• Have a backup plan. Don’t settle on one make-or-break route. Research alternate routes ahead of time and look into regional air travel and/or shipping options (hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but it’s good to know your options). Also, be prepared to get waylaid by a visa application every now and then. Give yourself a cushion of at least a few days whenever you are planning on stopping somewhere to apply for a visa. West African bureaucracy is generally not the most efficient.
• Got your visa? Great. Now make sure all the info is correct. The euphoria that comes with an approved visa application can quickly dissipate when you are on the border and realize that the clerk back in the capital city wrote the visa’s start date incorrectly. This is an excruciating mistake that will almost certainly cost you both time and money.

Finally, it’s important to note that visa requirements vary widely for citizens of different countries. Make sure that any information you come across also applies to citizens from your country. As an example, the Nigerian visa is more expensive for Americans than it is for British citizens. At the same time, American citizens can get a five-year multi-entry visa for Mali for only $100.

Visa Requirements and Procedures for Each Country in West Africa

Benin

If only every country would follow Benin’s lead. Everything happens online. The new visa takes 24 hours to process. Once approved, the visa is sent to your email address and you can print it out. You will need to have this document at all times from the moment you arrive at the border of Benin to the moment you leave the country. Here is the website for the e-visa. One thing to note: make sure you use the same email on the registration page as you do on the payment page. If they are different, your application could get hung up.

The costs are as follows:

thirty (30) day visa with single entry (50 euros)
thirty (30) day visa with multiple entries (75 euros)
ninety (90) day visa with multiple entries (100 euros)
Payment can be made with either VISA or MasterCard.

In the online application itself, you can specify the start date for your visa. According to the e-visa site: We recommend you to make your on line eVisa request at least 7 days before your date of entry in Benin. However it is not possible to make your request more than 90 days before your date of entry in Benin.

Here is the e-visa website.

Burkina Faso

It is possible to get a visa on arrival for Burkina Faso, but the price is on average double what it would cost if you get the visa in advance.

UPDATE AUGUST 2023: Burkina Faso has a new evisa system and we have a confirmed report from a traveler who has successfully used it. The website is here.  

It is also possible to get the visa in neighboring countries, and it is usually a straightforward process.

Getting a visa for Burkina Faso in Mali

The Burkina Faso embassy is located in ACI 2000 near the Direction Nationale de la Police (taxi drivers will know this if they don’t know where the embassy is located). The cost is 48,000 CFA for a 3-month single entry visa. The alternative is a 3-day single entry transit visa for 12,000 CFA. Americans are often able to get (and sometimes seemingly don’t have a choice) a 5-year multi-entry visa for 50,000 cfa.

At the border of Mali and Burkina Faso, the cost will be 96,000 CFA. The visa is typically processed at the embassy in one day. If you apply in the morning, you can typically expect to receive it in the afternoon.

Getting a visa for Burkina Faso in Togo

Same deal as in Mali: 48,000 CFA for a 3-month single entry visa. The alternative is a 3-day single entry transit visa for 12,000 CFA.

The location of the Burkina Consulate in Lomé can be found here on Google Maps.

Getting a visa for Burkina Faso in Benin

For whatever reason, the visa for Burkina Faso is about half the price if you get in Cotonou (information as of early 2019). Count on 22,000 CFA for a 3-month single entry visa that is often delivered the same day. The consulate is located here on Google Maps.

Getting a visa for Burkina Faso in Côte d’Ivoire

Similar to Togo and Mali, the price is 48,000 CFA for a 3-month single entry visa. The alternative is a 3-day single entry transit visa for 12,000 CFA. It is essential to arrive between 8h30 and 11h30 in the morning. Expect to have hotel reservations and two photocopies of your passport in addition to the typical two photos.

The Burkina Faso Consulate is located in the central business district of Abidjan (the Plateau neighborhood). You can do a simple google maps search for Burkina Faso Consulate and it pops right up.

Getting a visa for Burkina Faso in Ghana

The price at this embassy is 411 GHC (which puts at the same price more or less as the other embassies) for a 3-month single entry visa. Similar to many of the other Burkina embassies and consulates, if you apply in the morning you have a good chance of getting your passport back by the afternoon. Expect to bring two photocopies of your passport, two photos, and of course the passport itself. You also need to have an address in Burkina Faso, so just copy down a hotel address before you go to the embassy.

The embassy is located in the Asylum Down neighborhood, which is a bit further out from the center. You can easily locate it on Google Maps here

Cape Verde

While there are many nationalities that do not need a visa for Cape Verde, for those that do there is an easy visa on arrival offered for 25 euros (valid up to 30 days) at all four of the country’s airports.

Whether you need a visa or not, you are supposed to pre-register online at https://www.ease.gov.cv/. The pre-registration should be completed more than 5 days before the start of your trip. The cost is approximately 30 euros. Afterwards you will have a pdf that you can print out and bring with you when you travel.

Sometimes the website will not deliver the final document. If this happens, don’t worry. I have arrived more than once without the printed out registration. I took a screenshot with the error message and showed it to the immigration official on my phone. It has never been an issue.

Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire has moved to a largely online system. If you are traveling by air, you can do everything online here. Keep in mind, the online system does not issue the visa itself, just a pre-enrollment. This pre-enrollment is required to receive the visa at the airport. Do this pre-enrollment at least 48 hours in advance (shorter than that and you are unlikely to have a response in time), preferably longer in case there is a problem with your application.

The pre-enrollment application will ask for an image or scan of your flight ticket, your passport, and your lodging (can be done on booking.com and cancelled, otherwise you will need to arrange an invitation that must be legalized by someone in Côte d’Ivoire).

You will do the pre-enrollment and payment online and then print out a confirmation that you will need to bring with you to the airport. The visa costs 73 euros, which you will pay online with a bank or credit card. When you arrive at the airport in Abidjan, you will need to have your passport (with at least 6 months of validity), your receipt of payment for the visa and your visa application approval (you will print both from your computer) and your yellow fever vaccination certificate. Once again, here is the website.

If you are traveling overland, you will not be able to pick up your visa at the border. However, you can still apply for the visa in neighboring countries without having to be a permanent resident in those countries. This means you can get your visa en route if needed. In this case, you will still use the SNEDAI website, but it is a different version: https://snedai.com/visaenambassade/. You simply select the embassy where you will be on the right and then follow the instructions. You will pay for the visa online and then take the receipt to the embassy itself along with your passport where you will do the rest of the application.

Expect to have hotel reservations, a copy of your yellow fever certificate, a copy of your visa of the country where you are currently (for example, if you are in Mali, a copy of your Malian visa), a copy of your passport itself and two photos. Phew!

The Gambia

On paper, the Gambia has a very accommodating visa policy. Most EU countries along with the UK, Canada and Australia, do not need a visa at all. For citizens of the United States, France, Portugal and Spain (don’t know what these three EU countries did to piss off the Gambia), a visa on arrival is possible.

Here’s where it gets tricky. Each border post seems to be operating independently. You may get to the border post at Karang and be asked to pay 7000 Delasi (about $112) as a US citizen for your visa on arrival. At a different border post, say Farafenni, the price may be different. What’s more, the same border post may have different prices and terms on different days, depending on who’s working. What we can say for certain is that you don’t need to get the visa in advance, even if you are from one of the countries that requires one.

*UPDATE* January 2023. The Gambia has raised the price of their visa for most nationalities to 7000 Delasi (about $112 USD). This is up from the price of 3000 Delasi. Yes, they sadly more than doubled the price of their visa.

Ghana

Ghana is one of those tricky visas that can be very difficult to get en route. If possible, get it before your trip starts in your home country. For example, if you are a US citizen follow the instructions here on applying and mailing in your passport.

If you cannot get the visa in advance of your trip for one reason or another, your two best options at the moment are Conakry and Abidjan. In Conakry (as recently as June 2019), the Ghanaian embassy has been issuing visas for travelers at a rate of $80 for a 3-month multiple entry visa. The turnaround time is typically 48 hours. The website for the embassy in Conakry is here and the embassy is located here on Google Maps.

In Abidjan, it is a bit trickier to get the visa, but it may be possible. Your best bet is to check in with recent travelers on the West Africa Travellers FB group.

*UPDATE* As of May 2019, it is also possible for the moment to get the Ghanaian visa in Monrovia. See this detailed travel report here.

*UPDATE* As of May 2023, it is possible to get a visa at the border. It is $150 for a 1 month visa and $50 for a 48 hour transit visa. We are aware of this working at the Elubo border.

*UPDATE* It is April 2024 and it seems Ghana has unfortunately stopped doing the visa on arrival at land borders. We will update if we get any information confirming otherwise. For the moment, it remains a good idea to get the visa from your home country or country of residence.

Guinea

You must get the visa for Guinea in advance. There is no visa on arrival.

UPDATE September 2022: like many other countries, the Guinea visa application process has been moved online.

The website is here: https://www.paf.gov.gn/dnpaf/?page_id=335&lang=en.

For most nationalities, the price and basic conditions of the visa will be as follows:

Here is an important note from a traveler on the West Africa Travellers FB group:

As many of us know, the Guinée (Conakry) visa system has been migrated entirely online (paf.gov.gn/visa), however, many people have reported that they never received the actual evisa, despite completing the form accurately (some repeating the process, and paying multiple times). To make matters worse, local embassies are virtually unable to help with issuing a paper visa, as visa issuing powers have been taken away from them when the system was migrated online.
I have had the pleasure of being one of the unlucky ones, but after a few days of (very) patiently discussing this with the extremely kind and hard working staff at the embassy in Bissau, I have some significant explanations and potential solutions, as follows. This is key to those applying for the visa from anywhere, but particularly in West Africa or Europe….
A. It appears that although the visa application process is entirely centralised now, the process is actually split, with the system either approving the application almost automatically (with a type of software that analyses the data and decides it’s all in order), or bounces it to further scrutiny by a visa officer. This will explain why some people got their visas within a few hours, and some had to wait for a few days.
B. Here is a key issue. If the system bounces your application for further scrutiny, it could (and often does) goes to your *local* embassy for them to scrutinise / approve! The local embassy to which this is sent to is determined *based on the address which you’ve entered in the application process as your permanent address, and NOT your passport country*!
C. While I’m not entirely sure of the following, but from our discussions with multiple Guinean government officials this week it appears that all EU (or possibly even wider European definition, inc possibly UK Switzerland Balkans etc) are sent to the consulate in Paris….
C. The embassies are often not even aware they have this power / responsibility! Following my case and intervention, the Consul in Bissau has learnt about it during a call to a colleague in Conakry, and he has then requested and completed two hours of mind numbing online training on operating the system (I and other staff were there for emotional support and lols), which means he now has the login to the system, and actually started approving a sizeable bottleneck of visas that was waiting for him in the system as soon as he logged in…. However, it seems that many other embassies aren’t aware of this, which is a key explanation as to why so many visa applications are just disappearing….. I also have a lingering suspicion that the Paris embassy staff either can’t or don’t want to call non French phone numbers, which might explain the high amount of unresolved European applications….
D. As an immediate solution, particularly if you are travelling via Guinea-Bissau (which many people are), the absolute advice is to wait until you’re in the country, with a working local number, and then submit your application, with a Bissau address and phone number…. The staff there are now fully able to assist with applications submitted in this way, and have actually asked to circulate this!
E. If you’re travelling from elsewhere, again the advice is to input a local address and a working local phone number in a country that has a working consulate, and this way they will at least be able to help you if anything goes wrong….
F. If your application is ghosted and you entered a European address, the people you need to look for are the ones at the French consulate office…. I have no contact details for them, but it’s them who will be able to help you….
G. This goes without saying, but there was absolutely not one iota of a suggestion or demand for any money or favours from the embassy staff for their help, and please *NEVER, EVER* ruin that, no matter how desperate or rushed you feel. Corruption destroys everything behind you, to the travellers and to the communities we visit, so please never indulge in it. People will always be happy to help you, if you’re respectful and patient (literally never failed me)….

Guinea-Bissau

UPDATE September 2022: Guinea-Bissau’s E-VISA site has not been working for some time now.

It is still possible to get a visa on arrival at the airport. The cost is 55000 CFA for this visa on arrival. It is not possible to get a visa on arrival at a land border.

If you are traveling overland, you must get the visa in advance. The easiest place to get the visa is in Ziguinchor, the capital of the Casamance, Senegal’s southern province. We have written a detailed article about the process here, including a map to the embassy in Ziguinchor. Expect to pay 20,000 CFA for a one month, single entry visa — cheaper than the visa on arrival and the whole process takes about five minutes. Once again, see our article here for all the details.

Liberia

Officially, Liberia doesn’t have a visa on arrival. However, if you are willing to part with a bit of cash – $150 USD to be exact – there is a company, JOS Travel, that can arrange a visa on arrival for you whether you are arriving at the airport or at a land border. You can get in touch with them here. Otherwise, you can get it before your trip – either in the states, London, Paris or Berlin. Or you can get it en route at one of several Liberian consulates in embassies in the region.

For embassies in the region, expect to pay $100 for the Liberian visa. This includes Conakry, Freetown and Abidjan. In Dakar, the price has been reported as more expensive at 70,000 CFA (about $130). Expect the usual two photos, photocopy of your passport, photocopy of your yellow fever vaccination and several embassies may also ask for hotel reservations.

Mali

UPDATE August 2023: It has been increasingly difficult to obtain a tourist visa from certain Malian embassies. It seems the government is really restricting entries to the country. We may be able to help you arrange a visa d’entree from where we are in Bamako. Please contact us for more information.

Mali had a visa on arrival up until around 2013. For a while, you could still wheel and deal and get a receipt on a land border, exchanging it for the actual visa once in Bamako. These days, you will be turned away at a land border if you don’t have the visa, and most airlines won’t even let you on the plane.

If you are traveling overland from Europe, you can get the visa in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. However, you can also get the visa in the capital city of every one of Mali’s neighboring countries. That said, the Malian embassy in Nouakchott has repeatedly refused visa requests over the course of 2023. Dakar is still possible but the embassy requires a legalized letter of invitation from someone in Mali. Again, we may be able to assist with this.

By all accounts, the cheapest Malian visas are obtained in Conakry. In Conakry, travelers have received the visa for as little as 86,000 GNF, which sounds like a lot until you realize how devalued the Guinean Franc is — in reality, it is a bit less than $10 for a one month visa.

In Abidjan, we have a trip report from August 2023 in which a traveler obtained a 30 day visa for 45000 CFA and the whole process took about 1 hour.

Keep in mind that some embassies may insist on giving Americans a 5-year multi-entry visa. The price for this should not exceed 110,000 CFA. Great for those travelers who plan on coming back to the region. Not so handy if you are passing through once.

Mauritania

Mauritania issues a biometric visa at the border for a fee of 55 euros. They will also do it in dollars for $70. Best to have the forex on hand instead of other local currencies. For those trying to get the visa in advance, most embassies won’t do it unless you are a resident of that country. We have had plenty of attempts at the Mauritanian embassy in Bamako — all have been refused! That said, if you are driving from south to north, we would recommend heading to Mauritania via Senegal anyways, instead of Mali due to security.

Niger

Niger does not have a visa on arrival option, unfortunately. If you are flying there directly be sure to get your visa in advance from your home country. However, if you will be traveling around the region, this is another exception where it is far better to get the visa while en route at an embassy in a neighboring country.

For example, if you are a US citizen and you get the visa while still in the states, the visa will cost you $155 USD. However, if you get the visa in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, the visa will cost you 20,000 – 30,000 CFA (at most 50,000 CFA for an America as Niger also has the 5-year multi-entry deal for Americans, which is still much cheaper than $155).

The Consulate of Niger is located here in Ouagadougou. Drop your passport off in the morning along with two passport photos. You will fill out the application on the spot. The turnaround is typically one day.

Another option is to get the visa in Bamako, where travelers recently reported paying 40,000 CFA (a bit more than Ouaga but still cheaper than $155). The embassy of Niger has recently relocated in Bamako and is now in the appropriately named Cite du Niger neighborhood. You can see it on Google Maps here.

Nigeria

Oh, Nigeria. This will not be easy. Let’s get that out of the way now. Your best option is to of course get the visa in your home country. The problem is that when Nigeria issues the visa, the countdown begins. Your visa does not start from a day of your choosing nor does it start when you enter Nigeria — the clock starts ticking the day your visa is approved. So let’s say you get your visa in the UK in July. By October, the visa will be expired, which could be before you even arrive in Nigeria if you are traveling overland from Europe.

Getting the visa for Nigeria en route has taken some serious twists and turns over the past year. Almost no embassy in the region is issuing the visa to non-residents now. Some travelers are turning to 3rd party companies or trying to get visas on arrival directly though Nigerian immigration via this website. Given how quickly things have been changing, we strongly suggest joining the West Africa Travellers FB group to see what the latest options are if you need to get this visa while already traveling.

Senegal

Senegal is one of the few countries in West Africa that has an accommodating, traveler-friendly visa policy. Citizens of North America, the UK and most European countries do not need to get a visa. For those traveling by air, if you are not a citizen of one of these countries (see the list of non-exempt countries here), you can get a visa on arrival at the airport.

If you are not exempt from the visa requirement and you are traveling overland, you will need to get a visa in advance of your trip at an embassy in a neighboring country or in your country of residence. I repeat, for those that need a visa, it is only possible to get a visa on arrival at the airport — they will not issue it at a land border!

Sierra Leone

UPDATE 2023: Sierra Leone has an e-visa system now!! Check it out here: https://evisa.sl/#/home. Single entry visas are still $80 and multiple entry visas are $160. 

UPDATE: Sierra Leone has recently announced a new official visa on arrival that is available at both the airport and at land borders. This has been in effect for several months now but we have been waiting for confirmation from travelers to see whether it has been official in practice and not just in writing. Several travelers have now confirmed visa on arrival at both the airport and land borders. The process is straightforward and the cost is $80. Be sure to hang on to your receipt of payment.

Before the above visa on arrival was available, the easiest way to procure a visa for Sierra Leone was through the online service provided by Visit Sierra Leone. The cost is $77 and the process is straightforward on their website. One of our writers got their visa with them and wrote about it here.

You can also get the visa in Conakry, but as you can see from this photo (taken by a member of the West Africa Travellers FB group), it is far more hassle and more expensive if you do it this way:

Togo

UPDATE (July 2024): There has been a very significant change recently to Togo visa policy. Everything now must be done online and there is no longer a visa on arrival OR transit visa option. In other words, whether you are arriving by AIR or by LAND, you still need to go to the e-visa portal and lodge your request there.

According to the website, it can take up to 5 business days for the visa to be processed. 

The website for the e-visa is: https://voyage.gouv.tg/

The prices remain the same:

1 to 15 days Single entry 25 000 F CFA
1 to 15 days Multiple entry 35 000 F CFA
16 to 30 days Multiple entry 45 000 F CFA
31 to 90 days Multiple entry 65 000 F CFA

If you are arriving overland, TOGO NO LONGER OFFERS VISA ON ARRIVAL. This includes transit visas!

Final Word

If you have any of your own tips and tricks for navigating the world of visas and West African bureaucracy, leave them in the comments below. Also, please drop a comment if you are aware of any recent changes to visa policies. We will try to update this page every time we receive new reports and info.