Hi!
I am heading to west africa in two weeks. I will be crossing the border from morocco to Mauritania and Mauritania to Mali. Could anybody give me any information whether i can get a visa at the Mauritanian border or should i get it fromCasablanca? Same question for Malian border!!! Also if anybody could give me some information for border crossing and visa stuation between Senegal and Mauritania it will be great.

Thanks!!

Mauritania easiest and quickest at border, don't bother with Casablanca, unless perhaps you're going there anyway, as the process now takes 24 hours. Mali visa can be had over the counter in Nouakchott.

Senegal - dunno, I'm sure it's in the forum though just search.

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

here we go . Visa regulations for EU citizens

Morocco .. no Visa needed
Mauritania you get it on the border
Mali you get it on the Border
Senegal no Visa needed
Gambia no Visa needed.
Burkina you get it on the border
Niger you get it on the border
Tunisia you get it on the border
Libia you get in on the *tunisian* border ,althought some pre-arrangement needs to be done


COUNTRIES WHICH WON"T ISSUE VISAS ON THE BORDER

Algeria
guinea Bissau
Guinea Conakri
Chad
Ghana
Togo
Benin
Nigeria
Sierra
Liberia
Ivori coas
Cameroon ( Well , they issue the visas in Chad , which is mostly the border , also in Calabar , which is also the border in Nigeria)


\have a nice day

Javier,

is the Mali visa available at all the immigration points?

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

hi,

french citizens need a visa f. gambia.

greetz,
todo

>>is the Mali visa available at all the immigration points?

More or less so . In main borders , they have even a visa printing machine , which prints a nice sticker with the visa ,which is stuck into your passport.

In other "lesser" border points they give you a receipt "Payments to the State " (every border post ha a book of those for the customs' duties ) stating that this is a emergency Visa , and the ammount paid (10000 CfAS ? ) which seemed to be valid in all around Mali (even at the airport , when leaving)

>>>>french citizens need a visa f. gambia.

No , they don't. Neither Spanish , English , and I think all EU members . Just try in any Gambian Embassy and they will not give you any Visa , cos you are not supposed to need it .

BUT , somehow the borders play the trick , triying to con the tourist thinking they need a visa "new laws" , "new inmigration regulations started just last week , etc " *(and cashing some money in the trick) . Law says that EU members as of 2005 (this excludes polish and Slovakians I think ) don't need a Visa. I am asked for a visa from time to time , specially at the south (casamance) border , and in one occassion I wasnt left other choice that to pay for that visa , but this is entirely a trick Big border posts (Barra , f/e ) follow the rules , and don't demmand any visa to any EU member . Anyway , Its only 4 Euros.

On the other hand , if you pay those 4 Euros (and specially if you don't ask for a receipt ) they often forget the "tourist Tax" (10 Eur./ 250 GBD ) that they may ask you *(as they often to in the Airport) .

Does anybody know if any of the above is any different for Kiwi & Canadian passports?

__________________
Kiwi, 7 years around Africa. Overlanding channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/roamingyak

Surely It is very different . Cant' say which countries are , but definitely I remember some Kiwis having Visa troubles at Morocco and /or Senegal ?

sorry

Javier

Thanks for the useful info Javier,

From what you've said about Mali - it sounds like getting the 'full' Mali visa from one of the main border points or NKT, might still be easier than travelling with the emergency visa?

Or do you think it is no problem at all?

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

Hi Richard !

Id say that there is no difference at all . They seldom ask for the visa once inside mali , and whenever I was asked for it (at the passport , leaving for EU) It seemed perfectly ok for them

Anyway ... West Africa is not like EU /US/Australia in which you can not enter without Visa. Law is flexible in WestAfrica ... a lot . I know lots of people travelling without visa , or even worse , without passport ! . Everthing can be sorted out with a bit of cash/chat.

Having said that ,the case for the Malian Visa is that ,,.as most people go via Nouatchott , Its better to get it there IF THE TIMING IS OK (that is , is not weekend , or night , etc) . If not .. Id go happily to the border without Visa at all.

Have a nice day

[QUOTE=javierCarrion]>>

>>>>french citizens need a visa f. gambia.

No , they don't. Neither Spanish , English , and I think all EU members . Just try in any Gambian Embassy and they will not give you any Visa , cos you are not supposed to need it .
BUT , somehow the borders play the trick , triying to con the tourist thinking they need a visa "new laws" , "new inmigration regulations started just last week , etc " *(and cashing some money in the trick) . Law says that EU members as of 2005 (this excludes polish and Slovakians I think ) don't need a Visa. I am asked for a visa from time to time , specially at the south (casamance) border , and in one occassion I wasnt left other choice that to pay for that visa , but this is entirely a trick <<

hi,

regarding the question wether french passport holders need visa for
gambia i wrote a email to the gambian tourism authority.
see the answer i got ( after three weeks or so ) :


<In connection with your email sent to Gambia Tourism Authority,
<asking for there exist a visa between The Gambia and France.
<
<There exist visa between the two countries, you have to apply
<through our ambassador in France.
<Otherwise you travel to The Gambia and have
<to get it in 24 hours on arrival.
<You Pay 10 Euro for visa.
<
<Yours faithfully
<Gambia Tourism Authority
<
<Lamin Danso
<For: Director General

french can enter gambia without visa, but then they have to
see the immigration within 24 hours.
it´s true that gambia has got a new scheme concerning visa f. eu- countries.
but only f. certain countries they have an agreement with.
at the moment these are :
Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, San Marino, Slovakia, Sweden.

greetz,
todo

as for Gambian visa - as I am Latvian passport holder, and its said I need a visa for the Gambia - have been there twice - 2005 and 2006 - allways just 'velcome to the Gambia', and 'how long will you stay in the Gambia'. Never had visa. Once entered overland, once - by plane.

hi kaspars,

as you can read in the list above, latvia is included,
means you do not need visa.
passport holders from the listed countries need no visa.

greetz,
todo

QUOTE
here we go. Visa regulations for EU citizens
Niger you get it on the border

That would be great. Does this also include the Mali/Niger border? I heard that it sometimes depends on the goodwillingness of the border official!

Comment is very welcome.

You definitely can get it in the mali-niger border . They have a surprisingly good equipment to issue visas . The visa itself is of the "Sticker" type , propperly made , and they got even the prices/tariffs in a signboard so I guess Its not up to the officer to issue you or not with a Visa . They just MUST issue you

Speaking about visas. In Nyamey , they issue the Chadian Visa in about 30 minutes !. No need of intro-letters , long waits , nothing . Just go there , and get your visa on the spot.

oi
have a good day