Any recent experience if visa are really issued at the border when entering from Cameroon? (German passports) Some post here suggest so but noone really seems to know for sure.

Thank you!

Hi, we crossed from Cameroon to Gabon in June 2009. Definitely no visa available here after crossing the bridge from Cameroon to Gabon. There was just a checkpoint where the official lets you pass after having checked that your passport has a Gabon visa. Gabon customs and immigration is done 25-30 km south in the next town called Bitam. Customs was easy, immigration took a while, they needed various photocopies of your passports, visa, etc. which can be done in a fax/copy shop opposite for inflated prices...

GPS waypoints:

Cameroon customs: 2° 19.549'N , 11° 26.148'E
Cameroon immigration/police: 2° 17.694'N , 11° 26.813'E

Gabon/Bitam customs: 2° 4.935'N , 11° 29.389'E
Gabon/Bitam immigration: 2° 4.759'N , 11° 29.558'E

BTW, going north from Gabon to Cameroon would have been a different story, as we would have been able to get a Cameroon visa on arrival.

Micha,

If you got the Cameroon visa at the border coming from gabon, how much would it have cost? I was not aware you could get the Cameroon visa at any border at all?

Thanks for any information.

crossed to Gabon 3 days ago, officer said it is difficult getting visa at the border, but not impossible. Not sure it is worth trying, did not tell me the price.

If you do not speak french, its better you get your visa before the border.

I spent two days at that border (in 2008). There was a German guy there and he was kept for about 8 hours, finally sorted it out.

Not speaking french makes everything a triple hassle as the two officials we met could not/did not/ want to speak anything else.

An Italian couple (with good french) in a LR came in and left in 5mins to the visa processing point which is (as stated before) some 40km inside.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
inyang

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Note that getting a Gabon visa in Lome (overnight) is the easiest place currently (and also for DRC).

Abuja takes 7 +working+ days for about 85 Euros - no budging on that apparently??? Or pay 52,000 Naira (260 Euros!) for the 'express' fee of 3 days!

The embassy in Yaounde is a horrible place - they are arrogant and complacent. The trick of collecting your visa the day after applying without paying the express fee does not apply anymore.

They only issue 20 visa's a day now!

An Italian couple were granted theirs on different days despite applying at the same time (numbers 20 and 21 as they were shown). It is hard to even get in the embassy when you go to collect the visa - they say come at 2pm to collect it, but keep you waiting until 5:30pm.

Different people have had different experiences, I guess it depends if the stampers and signature makers are around and if there is more than 20 applications a day.

Sadly Gabon seems to treat most foreigners with distain from my recent experience. Some won't even acknowledge you if you don't speak good French. Border people ran from efficient to corrupt. Detained a Swedish guy for 6 hours just outside Oyem for no reason. Others had troubles with the police just after the border bridge, I "I only speak english mate" 'ed my way through with no trouble. A constantly smiling kiwi idiot is best gotten rid of quickly I guess (Sweet as bro really confuses those who speak a little English).

I would suggest getting a visa beforehand as it is not a friendly hassle free border to approach without a visa etc.

Visa stamps are done at the Police just before and opposite the Shell station in Bitam. They have computers and attached web cams and everything!

All the points are in the tracks3africa West Africa maps - well worth the 12 odd Euro's.

Great roads in Cameroon and Gabon when they are sealed by the way!

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