Is it still not possible to obtain visa at the border coming from the north? not even a 3 day transit?

We will be traveling through Mauretania north to south in Januari and south to north in Februari.
I would like to get it in advance but I can't get in touch with the embassy in Berlin. Doesn't answer neither the phone or emails! (I don't speak french, maybe that's why) I'm a Swedish citizen an from what I've heard I'm supposed to obtain visa from that embassy.

I've read you can get it in Rabat but I don't like to possibly wait around for weekends to end in order to get it.

I was in Mauritania last week. We arrived without visas. With a little smile and a few 30 Euros "petite cadeau" (for 2) we did manage to get week long visas at the border.

It's officially not available, but if in reality you can get anything you want.

A

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http://www.BudapestBamako.org

Officially available without smiling for €20 or 300 DH aqt the border about 5 weeks ago.

Sounds great! Do you know if its possible both ways? Comming from West Sahara and the other way from Diama or Rosso.

I don't want rely on gifts to much because I'm organizing a tour from Sweden to Ghana.

Last year they refused us entry at Nioro but let us in at Kayes - Kiffa.

I called the Mauretanian embassy in Berlin just to make sure it was possible to enter from Senegal too and shouldn't be a problem. Hope I can rely on that.

But I must say that I trust other travelers like you guys much more than the embassy staff.

So, officially, is it only the 3-day transit that's sold at the border or are longer permits available as well?

sorry, no more visa at the border (with Morroco) since 5-nov-2009
see other thread for updates

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bart & sophie

Spoked to the Mauretania embassy in Paris today and they told me the same bad news... No visa at the border.

I forgot to ask if it's the same rules coming from the south, but I guess it is...

Do anybody know if they can issue visa the same day if I show up at the embassy in Paris on my way down?

Hey all,

Live from Dakhla, the 2cv heading for Mauritania and stuck in Dakhla.

The visa at the border is no more. We spoke to several people in Dakhla (mostly concentrated at camping, 6km's before Dakhla, just after last checkpoint on your left). They went to the border of Mauritania and since last Thursday the 6th a new law was enforced that no more (transit)visa's are issued at the border. You need to go to Rabat for the visa (which will take 2 days of processing).

Although some of them played all the tricks possible to get accross the border, none of the attempts were succesfull (for perspective, around 35 overlanders with same border-xperience). It has nothing to do with elections or temporary closure, it is because the government want to have control over who is entering. At least, that was -in our opinion- the most credible version and most heard of.
Moroccon police even called the border and came with the same explanation.

In Dakhla right now, groups are being formed (check the camping on ur left entering Dakhla after last checkpoint) or at Hotel Sahara (NOT REGENCY SAHARA!) in order to let 2 or 3 people travelling to Rabat, by bus, plane and car with a dozen of passports, while the rest of "little Europe" waits at the lovely beaches of Dakhla.

Get your visa in Rabat! If you haven't got a visa, please meet eachother at the camping. The manager will help you to get in a group and has even the papers to fill in for the Mauri embassy. Then some of them have to make the trip to Rabat.

Hope this information from Dakhla will help some of you!
Ciao

Ruud
Welkom bij Saharaeend

Just registered tonight on the site.... reason was I am planning my first big trip in January. Ireland to Gambia....via Mauritania..

Decided to NOT go to Rabat, as I was due to arrive there Thursday or Friday, when the embassy was closed.... so plan was to get border visa.

Boy, am I glad I looked in here.... Thanks for the heads up

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!

Hey guys,

Just met 4 Spanish guys, in Dakhla, who had their visas for Mauritania 30st of September in Rabat, for 30 days. After seeing Morocco, they wanted to pass the border yesterday (17th November) but got refused at the border and sent back to Dakhla and back to Rabat for new visa, cause at the border they said it was expired at the 30th of October.

Although it shouldn't be like that, this IS their situation and believe me... the were quite experienced in Africa.
In order to avoid the same situation, make sure when you pick ur visa at the embassy, the dates written on it are somehow the same like your intended date of crossing the border.

I can imagine that lots of travellers will get their visa in Rabat and do a month or so tour around Morocco. Check the dates or you might get refused at the border later on.
I know in the Lonely Planet guide, it is stated that you have a three months period after issueing the visa, but that seemed to be outdated, at least, for the Spanish guys.

You can try ur luck, or keep this post in mind!

Ciao
Ruud

Welkom bij Saharaeend

Just get it in Rabat on the way down. Its easy.

Got my visa in Rabat and asked when the visa starts from, they said 30 from crossing the border

Today i crossed the border and asked the the border police the same question they said i have 30 days

I also asked is a transit visa available here at the border they said NO

Border crossing was easy... 2hrs in total

Asked for a 10 euro stamp fee, I acted dumb and he gave up before i did.

Good camping 35 km south of last gas station on the left near a white cairn, the obvious track that leads behind a large sand dune, its clear of mines.

Tim

Hey,
Half December we will start our trip with 2 cars to Ghana and we would like to obtain all the visums here in Belgium.
The ambassady of mauritanie said before you get a visum that we need a "carnet the passage" or a plane ticket. So we decided to get one in Rabat because a few years ago I also went to mauritanie and a carnet the passage was not necessary in Rabat.
Can somebody tell me ,if this is still up to date?
In the past we just paid a "laissez passez" at the border.

Get the visa in Rabat, the embassy in Belgium and France always had different rules.

Laissez Passer or Passavant is available at the border, usually costs €10, no problems. Same is available at the border in Senegal, Gambia, Bissau, Mali, Burkina Togo, Benin, and Cote d'Ivoire'..... and a lot of other countries.