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Visas for western Africa route - please update Visas for western Africa route - please update
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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
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  #1  
Old 30 Sep 2019
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Nigeria accepts visa on arrival. I documented the process here. It's safer not to use third party companies when applying to avoid falling victim to forged documents.

Not visa related but useful: Ghana now requires a bond on vehicles without a carnet. The bond is then collected at the same border post when leaving, which makes overland travel through the country problematic. I found this info in the West Africa Travellers group, which was very helpful to me when I was in the area.

Angola visa on arrival at Cabinda worked great for me. The only issue was that DRC denied me entry even with a visa. This was about 6 months ago. There were lots of travellers who had the issue at that time. I don't know the latest info for this border now. It might be OK. Just a heads up, in case it's still a problem.
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  #2  
Old 3 Nov 2019
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Sadly some Western African countries continue the policy of issuing visa's via consular locations ....What's been of great benefit to me is E-Visa's
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  #3  
Old 3 Nov 2019
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Hi Cheecha

Which countries have you used E-Visas for
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  #4  
Old 9 Dec 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 7800 View Post
Hi Cheecha

Which countries have you used E-Visas for
Sorry for late reply just been busy working long hours for my next trip ...
Suggest you Google or look at this website link below ( I hold 3 passports so I'm lucky in certain aspects) this link relates to Australian passport holders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_r...alian_citizens
Certain details should be fine tuned as you can get a Kaza Visa to visit Zambia & Zimbabwe for the price of 1 visa payment ....or if visiting Rwanda/Uganda/Kenya there the East African Tourist visa which I had to purchase twice this year,only because I entered Northen Kivu state in DR Congo.....
Simple question to you is where do propose to go ?
hmmm I noticed Djibouti has E-Visa ,I got mine in Addas Adaba ......
Again apologies for late response..... ( small stupid statement sometimes the Yellow fever book is more important then your passport .....)
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  #5  
Old 19 Dec 2019
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DRC visa - headed north from CT
Hi all,

Does anyone have any recent experience/info on successfully applying for a visa for DRC whilst on the road, headed northbound from South Africa/Zambia?

I’m a Brit, and aware of the existing guidance of applying in London. I’m riding from Cape Town to London, with a loop up to Uganda and then back down to Zambia and into DRC. So would prefer to get the visa on the road.

Alternatively is anyone aware of you being able to stipulate/request a later start date for the visa validity period?

Thanks,

Ed
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  #6  
Old 27 Dec 2019
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Originally Posted by edwardbgill View Post
Hi all,

Does anyone have any recent experience/info on successfully applying for a visa for DRC whilst on the road, headed northbound from South Africa/Zambia?

I’m a Brit, and aware of the existing guidance of applying in London. I’m riding from Cape Town to London, with a loop up to Uganda and then back down to Zambia and into DRC. So would prefer to get the visa on the road.

Alternatively is anyone aware of you being able to stipulate/request a later start date for the visa validity period?

Thanks,

Ed
Not knowing your exact entry point or exit point, then all I can say is that I entered this year for the inaugural re opening of the Virunga National Park this Feb 2019 .After my stay I ventured north to Butusande ( spelling) to then head into Uganda and head to Murchison Falls. All I will say its a slog in epic proportions ( state of road and getting transport to move ) and never reached my destination as UN troops basically refused me entry to head north -reason EBOLA & insurgency. In fact I was politely questioned if I was mad by an Uruguayan officer (I think ?)......
I did not enter DRC from the south ie heading to Lambuashi(spelling) but tried to take in Mozambique,Malawi,Burundi,Rwanda instead. So I entered the easy way through Goma . If you want to visit Virunga Park ( highly recommended but expensive) I would highly recommend you somebody to process your papers & DRC visa (entitles you to travel North & South Kivu in 14 days from memory)...... DRC is a confronting country in many ways....good luck
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  #7  
Old 17 Jan 2020
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700$ Visa for Nigeria?
Hi,

I just heared from someone who paid 700$ for a Visa for Nigeria.
First time I‘m hearing such amounts.

Anyone who can confirm this?

Thanks,
David
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  #8  
Old 20 Apr 2020
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Originally Posted by 7800 View Post
Hi Cheecha

Which countries have you used E-Visas for
Sorry after 3 months travel in Western Africa I just got released from quarantine in Melbourne, Oz after scrambling out from Dakar on a repatriation flight to Europe ....do you still require me to answer this question ? In fact I assume you have already done your research .....
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  #9  
Old 30 Jan 2021
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Adding into this discussion - but at a (slight) divergence:
Has anyone ever used the services of folks like passportvisasexpress.com or traveldocs.com ?


We (my wife & I) are US Citizens, and we found that some of the countries we want to travel through are extremely restrictive on WHERE we can obtain our visas.

For instance, Cameroon requires Visas in advance (No visa upon arrival), but for us - as US Citizens - the visas can only be obtained at their embassy in Washington, DC.

Everything we've been able to find says - Essentially - "Nope. Go back to your home country for the Visa"

We're NOT interested in flying to Washington, DC from Benin or Nigeria in order to sit with our thumbs up our bums waiting on visas - only to fly BACK to Africa to continue our travels.

So....to repeat the question: Has anyone ever used the services of folks like passportvisasexpress.com or traveldocs.com ?
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  #10  
Old 30 Jan 2021
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Of course. I've used Traveldocs from time to time, and have been prepared to use them as backup at other times. Service has generally been exactly as they promise--varying greatly from one country to the next--although at significant cost. Most recently I used them to get me a new passport and then obtain a certain African visa from a country known for slow service, all on a very tight timeline due to approaching winter. I had my new passport with its new visa in hand within a week. I haven't ever had to send a passport home so that applications could be submitted in D.C., but I've met others from the US or Europe who've done similar.

There are an infinite number of intersecting variables, therefore no hard and fast rules. Furthermore, rules and on-the-ground practices change a lot, often without warning. Costs are significant: expedited services, courier fees, and the passport agencies themselves.

I'm always running into people who carry more than one passport so that they can continue with their travels while waiting for visas in the other. I'm honestly not sure how this really works in the situation you're describing, but it's worth checking into.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark
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  #11  
Old 31 Jan 2021
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Another thing worth adding is that a visa can be valid for up to three months.
That is: once you have the visa you have say, 90 days to enter the country and start your typical 30-day transit.
Aggro like this is why this Western Route about all, is chiefly predicated on visa acquisition and duration, not the season or which place you like the sound of.
Most here manage to fit travels around these visa restrictions. Sending passports home to get visas is a last resort.

In the UK a second UK passport is not so hard to acquire, last time I tried.
The circumstances above are a good reason.
Don't know about other countries.
Dual nationality (another passport) is also allowed of course, but travelling with both passports is viewed poorly, if caught.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 1 Feb 2021 at 13:09.
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