Rules of entry and stay
Citizens of 23 countries are exempt from the visa regime with Côte d'Ivoire. For all the latter countries, a visa is required for entry.
To enter Côte d'Ivoire, all foreign nationals must have a valid national passport, pass or travel document containing photographs of the owner to which a biometric entry visa has been affixed in advance.
Biometric visa for entry into Côte d'Ivoire can be either a regular or an official visa. A regular visa is inserted into a regular passport. An official visa is affixed in a diplomatic or service passport.
Whether it is a regular or official biometric visa, depending on the length of stay visas are divided into:
- Transit visa, the validity of which does not exceed three days;
- Short-term visa, which cannot exceed three months;
- A long-term visa that cannot exceed one year.
There are the following types of biometric entry visa, depending on the reason for which it is requested:
- Business visa;
- Student visa;
- Visa for tourism and recreation;
- Medical and social visa.
Biometric entry visas are issued primarily at diplomatic and consular missions abroad and, as an exception, at the Félix Ufue Bouigny International Airport in Abidjan and at any other border post.
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The procedure for issuing a biometric visa begins with the visa application form. This form is available for free at the following locations:
- Center for registration and issuance of the Office of Territorial Supervision or the Embassy;
- The Concessionaire's website is approved by the Administration.
On the condition of reciprocity, an appointment is mandatory. The commissions collected for this purpose and paid by the user cannot exceed 3,300 CFA francs converted into local currency.
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The procedure for obtaining an electronic visa to Côte d'Ivoire:
Step 1: Pre-registration
The applicant must register online in advance.
Select the duration of the requested visa.
Fill in the form with all the socio-demographic and tourist data and local contacts in Côte d'Ivoire, add (upload) all the necessary documents and send the request by clicking "confirm".
Step 2: Payment
After pre-registration, the applicant pays the fees for obtaining a visa at the airport, which are:
- 70 euros (without bank fees) for a short-term visa – up to three months.
- 130 euros (without bank commission) for a long-term visa – up to one year.
Payment option 1.
Payment on the site during the first online registration by Visa or MasterCard. If the payment for the biometric e-Visa is made, the applicant is sent an instant email (with an attachment displaying the unique and personal payment certificate code).
Payment option 2.
Payment of e-visa fees at the airport at the cash desk of the bank partner, which will be installed near the biometric visa issuing points (with the option of paying by cash or card). You will receive the receipt.
Step 3: Obtaining a confirmation document (in case of prior online registration)
After the approval of the application, the applicant receives a confirmation document (with a barcode) sent to their e-mail address within 48 hours, which includes all the information of the visa applicant and provides information about the procedure for submitting biometric data (location, hours of operation, documents etc.).
! Note: Cases without prior online registration are exceptions and are under the responsibility of the Department of Territorial Surveillance (DST).
Step 4. Check-in at the airport
The applicant takes the confirmation document that they received by e-mail on the plane. It will need to be presented upon arrival at the airport in the "airport visa" area. There, the applicant performs biometric registration and immediately receives a printed visa.
Please note that:
- Biometric visa requires the presence of the applicant. Submission of fingerprints is mandatory for everyone except minors under 12 years of age, but their presence is mandatory.
- Biometric registration (taking of fingerprints and photo) is mandatory for every visa application, even if the applicant has already received several biometric visas.
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The list of documents that must be submitted to obtain a visa to Côte d'Ivoire
- Original receipts for the visa fee (70 euros for a short-term visa, 130 euros for a long-term visa);
- Approval from DST (Department of Territorial Supervision);
- Certificate of hotel or other accommodation reservation;
- Passport valid for at least 6 months + a photocopy of the first three pages (pages with photo and address);
- International certificate of vaccination against yellow fever;
- Detailed information on booking an airline ticket or a photocopy of a return ticket.
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For entry into the territory of Côte d'Ivoire, the authorities recommend several vaccines, in particular against:
- Yellow fever (mandatory)
- Meningococcal infection (optional)
- Typhoid fever (optional)
- Hepatitis A and B (optional)
- Poliomyelitis (optional).
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To obtain a visa to Côte d'Ivoire for minors, in addition to the documents indicated above, you must add:
- Original legalized permission of parents (father, mother or legal guardian);
- A document proving the identity of one of the parents (father, mother or legal guardian) who gave permission to travel (passport, national identity card or card/residence permit).
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For a tourist visa for a trip to Côte d'Ivoire, you must also add:
- Hotel reservation confirmation;
- Confirmation of financial resources for staying in the country.
Necessary documents for traveling to Côte d'Ivoire with pets:
1. Microchip for pets
Côte d'Ivoire does not require your pet to be identified with a microchip. But make sure your pets have a microchip and your registered contact information as a means of identification in case your pet gets lost.
If the animal does not have a registered microchip, make sure it has identification tags and the owner's contact information.
2. Vaccinations
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies no earlier than 3 months before traveling to Côte d'Ivoire and no more than 12 months in advance.
3. Rabies titer test
A rabies titer test is not mandatory for entry into Côte d'Ivoire from any country.
4. Health certificate
It is necessary to have a Veterinary Certificate for Côte d'Ivoire, completed no more than 10 days before the trip.
5. Import permit
An import permit is required for cats, dogs, and other animals that are not accompanied by an owner. Animals originating from the following countries are exempt from this requirement: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, France, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.