Thanks for the information. What do you mean by a biometric visa? Do you mean you need to have a biometric passport to get a visa on the spot?

No... the visa is biometric..and yes you get it at the border with maroc for 120 euros single entry 30 day. Just don't pay a fixer for all this please..they are scum and its simple to sort everything yourself..

To get a multiple entry visa, which is best - Rabat or border?

We know how people who got Multi entry but they said it was a hassle...no biometric..no entry so make sure Rabat are up to speed.
Plus if you wish to head back north and want to avoid the Rosso nightmare you can cross north at Diama with a multi entry visa..

when i was in rabat, the official statement was that at the moment there are no multiple entries visa for mauri

i know everybody hates rosso, i thought so too.. but this time it was a walk in the park, with the carnet, everthing was so easy and sure it was the second time so i knew more or less what was to do. my car was full, and i mean full ;) of gifts,clothes and two computers and no problem at all with the customes... neither in senegal nor mauri or maroc. thumbs up!

Then I will investigate for multiple entry and report back. Was hoping to skip Rabat

Heading north; Mali/Senegal to Mauritania visa.
 

Today I phoned AND visited the Mauritanian embassy in Dakar. Told that for a year now the embassy does not issue visas. Visas must be acquired on the border. We were told this must happen in Rosso and no where else along the southern Mauritanian border including Mali/Mauritania border.

Before entering Mauritania we aim to head east to Mali then cross to Néma (Mauritania). But the embassy said it is now not possible for tourists to cross from Nara (Mali) to Néma as you can not get Mauritanian visa at the border (or any Mali/Mauritanian crossings), but the Mauritanians do not issues visas at the embassy, only Rosso/Senegal border. This suggests the Nara and Nioro borders are not available for us? Cant be.

Am I taking crazy pills or has anyone managed to figure this out?

Let's see what happens with this one. I believe Dagana is the 'crossing' to the east of Rosso. Not sure where the other 4 crossings will be:

IOM, Partners Begin Construction of New Border Posts in Senegal -

Crossed Morocco>Mauritania the other day and decided to use Cheikh...and all in all very glad I did:
Total crossing from arrival Morocco side to leaving Mauri side = 5hrs 20 mins.
Morocco side was slow but straightforward, including going through the truck scanner (no actual search of vehicle).

I needed a visa, and this was the cause of about 90minutes delay, since there was apparently a delegation visiting from some international body or other and the visa guys were off dealing with them. Once they finally came back, those of us with fixers got processed first...could have been a lot longer otherwise. I ended up agreeing an all-in fee with Cheikh, which basically was 25euro plus all the other fees, and then let him run around and get on with it while I brewed coffee and watched the world go by. I just wasn't in a DIY sort of mood...

You take your choice...but he seems a reasonable guy, bargain with him on price or do it yourself if you feel inclined to have some entertainment...

Crossed April 19. Visa price is the same in Rabat and border €120.
No multiple entry available anywhere.
Rumours that price and visa structure will change soon.
Mauri customs havs confiscated over 1500 (one-thousand-five-hundred) vehicles over the last year. From wrecks to near new cars and 4x4. Custom's compound long since overfilled. They are stored and guarded in nomansland. Noone dare get close.
Have yer papers in good order. My vehicle was in someone elses name and I sought counsel from Hamida (who is more fun then Cheick) before the crossing.
Here's Hamida 222 47403323
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mN...w=w943-h707-no
Here's 1500 vehicles, wouldnt get closer
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2z...g=w943-h707-no

I have searched the river Senegal from Diama to Kayes and to my best knowledge, there is nowhere you can cross with a vehicle other then with the ferry at Rosso. A few kilometers west of Kaedi there is a wide road going down to the river, and it continues at the Sengalese side, so perhaps they have had plans for a bridge here. But there are only small pirogues. You could probably cross with a bike.
Kidira is the main crossing on the Mali-Senegal border, west of Kayes. It is rather corrupt but not like Rosso/Diama. I passed here last week, and was the only one who wasnt asked for a bribe. Most paid 1000 CFA, like they do at every checkpoint in Mali. Ghanaians paid 5000.
The best part of the article is that the border posts at Rosso and Diama will be "restored". Let's hope that involves removing/replacing defunct customs officers.

did it look like they're searching/xray bikes when exiting Morocco?

nope

So basically after much research, it seems the only thing you actually need to pay for when entering on the Mauri side is the TIP which is 3000 UM (8 euro), and insurance. It seems the "helpers"//scammers are attempting to fill this form out for people, is this typically because the form is in French? Is there any way to avoid paying these guys to fill out the form for you, and just do it yourself with a pen?

If a "helper" costs any more than 10 Euro excluding the official TIP cost then I'm not really interested, does anyone have experience doing it themselves?