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Africa visas and customs with american passport and no carnet Africa visas and customs with american passport and no carnet
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 23 Jul 2012
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Exclamation Africa visas and customs with american passport and no carnet
I'm currently travelling through Africa on a BMW gs 650 07 purchased in Spain without carnet de passage and no insurance for Africa.
Visas so far: Morocco, no visa and free customs
West Sahara, no visa no customs
Mauritania: $30 ( Rabat ) and $20 for customs in and out,also $12 for insurance
Senegal: no visa $50 for customs and bribes at the border
Gambia: $50 and $10 for customs (border)
Guinea: $30 and no customs fees (casamace)
Mali: $30 and $30 customs (border)
Burkina faso: $50 no customs fees (border)
Ghana: $20 transit and $10 customs (border) Yes,I did it!
Togo: $30 and $10 customs (border)
Benin: $40 and no customs fees (Lome)
Nigeria:$120 and no customs fees(Cotonou)
Camerun: $130 and no customs fees (Calabar)
Gabon: $100 and no customs fees (Yaounde)
Congo: $100 not there yet(Libreville)
DRC: $80 not there yet (Libreville)

So far this are the fees I paid, will update info as I continue on.
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  #2  
Old 23 Jul 2012
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Posts: 3,969
Thanks for the information. Would you be willing to explain what you did in Ghana to enter without visa or carnet? Lots of people would like to know. Thanks in advance.

Mark
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  #3  
Old 23 Jul 2012
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Mark, I just showed up at the border and spent 2 hours convincing the inmigration officers to let me in. They gave me a 48 hours visa for $20.
Customs was very easy,they provided a temporary import for $10.
I found Ghana to be one of the easiest borders so far,very friendly officers.
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  #4  
Old 23 Jul 2012
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
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Thanks. Was that at Paga?

I'm asking because Ghana is frequently mentioned as a difficult country to enter--expensive visa needing to be purchased far in advance, etc. Any details are helpful; for example, many people don't want to transit so quickly, and a 48 hour visa won't work for them. And different border posts operate differently; I once entered on a little sand road from Togo where the border guards had never seen a visa, and I needed to explain it to them. They never even looked at the bike I was riding.

Any further details on any of what you listed? For example, I've only been given a transit visa entering Togo at the border. I've had a full visa issued by the embassy in Accra. Was yours a full visa, or just 2 or 7 days?

Thanks.

Mark
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  #5  
Old 23 Jul 2012
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Location: miami
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In Togo I was able to get a 30 day visa at the border.Again, another friendly border.I overstay my visa in Ghana because they gave me 48 hours to clear 1200 km from north to south and the roads are horrible in some parts of the country.I can't remember the border but after I was issued the visa,the wanted me to stop at another inmigration office down the road,so I did; and the chief gave his phone # in case I had any problems.
I've been waiting on my DRC visa for 7 days now,hopefully I'll get it tomorrow and hit the road again.
Cheers
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  #6  
Old 25 Sep 2013
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 65
How did you get on re the rest of your trip? I am thinking of shipping my vehicle to South Africa without a carnet and touring southern Africa.
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