Entry requirements · Cameroon

Traveling to Cameroon

What to do before you leave, checked against official sources.

Visa
E-visa before departure
Yellow fever vaccine
Required
Safety
Areas to avoid

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, apply for an e-visa online before you leave.

E-visa required on evisacam.cm. No visa on arrival; at land borders, an embassy visa is required.

Our advice: apply one to two weeks before you leave, even if the answer often comes sooner.

Apply on the official site

Entry and visa

Visa depends on your nationality, apply online
  • Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or on the official evisacam.cm platform.
  • If you need a visa, get it before you leave. Applications are made online only, at evisacam.cm, with online payment.
  • Once your application is accepted, you receive either an appointment at the consulate to have the visa affixed in your passport, or an authorization with a QR code to print. In that case, your fingerprints are taken at the point of entry, where the visa is affixed.
  • The official pages we consulted give neither the fee nor the processing time. For any question, contact the Cameroonian embassy or consulate that covers you. In France: the Consulate General in Paris (01 46 51 89 00) or the consulate in Marseille.
  • Our advice: apply at least two weeks before you leave, since no official processing time is published. A rejected document or a blocked payment can delay everything.
  • Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your planned return date. Bring a return ticket and proof of accommodation.
  • For a stay of more than 30 days or a business trip, you need a temporary visa (up to 6 months) or a long-stay visa.
  • Yellow fever vaccination is required to enter Cameroon.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), e-Visa Cameroon, official portal, Embassy of Cameroon in the Netherlands, e-visa announcement (April 2023), Consulate General of Cameroon in Paris

Health

Yellow fever required, cholera and malaria
  • The yellow fever vaccine is required to enter Cameroon, and the certificate is checked on entry wherever you are coming from. Get it at an approved center, at least 10 days before you leave.
  • Reminder: since 2016, a single dose is valid for life for most adults, and so is the certificate (WHO). A second dose is recommended before a new trip if you were vaccinated before age 2, during pregnancy, or if you live with HIV or a weakened immune system. Keep your yellow card (international certificate of vaccination) with your passport, and ask the vaccination center for advice if you are unsure.
  • Malaria circulates year-round throughout the country. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and see your doctor about preventive treatment. Any fever during your stay or within 3 months of returning means you should see a doctor without delay.
  • Make sure your routine vaccines are up to date (diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, measles). Hepatitis A is recommended. Typhoid, hepatitis B, meningitis and rabies are worth discussing depending on your trip.
  • A cholera epidemic has affected the country since 2021, including Yaoundé and Douala. Measles circulates in every region, and meningitis mainly from November to June in the East, Adamawa, North and Far North regions.
  • The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France Diplomatie) advises against the border areas of the South region next to Equatorial Guinea, because of Marburg virus disease.
  • Drink only sealed bottled, filtered or boiled water. Insurance covering all medical costs and repatriation is essential: your embassy does not pay for them.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Health (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), Institut Pasteur, Cameroon page

Money

CFA franc, cash above all
  • The currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF), issued by the BEAC, at a fixed rate with the euro: 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
  • Cash is the norm. Cards are accepted in hotels and large stores, but France Diplomatie advises paying by card only in international chain hotels.
  • Avoid the post office for banking, and be very careful if you check your bank accounts online from Cameroon.
  • Above one million CFA francs (about 1,524 euros) in cash or valuables, you must declare it to customs, both on entry and on exit.
  • Foreign travelers are often targeted by scams (romance, inheritance, art sales, requests for help). Never send money to someone you met online.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: BEAC, frequently asked questions (CFA franc parity), Belgian Foreign Affairs, Cameroon, Practical information (updated May 4, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026)

Safety

Avoid the North, Far North and English-speaking regions
  • According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France Diplomatie), travel is strongly advised against in the whole Far North region (Mandara Mountains included), the Mayo-Louti department (North), a 30 km strip along the borders with Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic, the whole North-West region, and in the South-West, the Bakassi peninsula, part of Korup park and the area west of the towns of Kumba and Mamfe.
  • Travel is advised against except for essential reasons in the rest of the North region, the Vina and Mbéré departments (Adamawa), the rest of the South-West, and in the West region, the areas bordering the North-West and South-West, the surroundings of Lake Bamendjing and the D66 road.
  • Heightened vigilance applies in the Littoral, the South and western Adamawa. Access to Mount Cameroon, an active volcano, is currently advised against, and recreational boating is strongly advised against in the Gulf of Guinea.
  • In cities, bag snatching is frequent. Do not display valuables, avoid taxis after dark, and do not go into poor neighborhoods or busy local markets without a guide.
  • The roads are dangerous, especially the Yaoundé to Douala highway. Do not drive at night. Public transportation is advised against because of frequent fatal accidents.
  • Useful numbers: police 17 (117 from a mobile) in Yaoundé, Douala and Garoua, gendarmerie 13 (113 from a mobile).
  • Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
  • For French travelers: French Embassy in Yaoundé, +237 2 22 22 79 00.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Security (updated September 15, 2026, map of March 5, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Useful contacts

On the ground

French and English, type C/E plugs, code +237
  • French and English are the two official languages.
  • Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
  • Cameroon is on UTC+1 all year: same time as Paris in winter, 1 hour behind in summer.
  • The country calling code is +237.
  • Third-party liability insurance is mandatory. For French travelers, a French license is valid for 3 months after arrival, but the international driving permit issued in France is not recognized in Cameroon.
  • It is forbidden to photograph military sites, public buildings, airports and ports. Same-sex relations are punishable by 6 months to 5 years in prison. Always carry ID: checks are frequent.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Overview of Cameroon (updated May 11, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), WorldStandards, plugs and voltage by country, timeanddate, Cameroon time zone

When to go

Dry season from mid-November to mid-March
  • In Yaoundé and Douala, the dry season runs from mid-November to mid-March. January is the driest month.
  • The rainy season runs from mid-March to mid-November. October is the wettest month in Yaoundé, and September has the most rainy days in Douala.
  • February is the hottest month: about 30 °C in the afternoon in Yaoundé and 33 °C in Douala. In July and August, it is about 25 °C in Yaoundé and 27 °C in Douala.
  • In the North and Far North, flooding is frequent in the rainy season. Meningitis circulates mainly from November to June.
  • France Diplomatie calls for extra vigilance during the end-of-year holidays and the back-to-school period in September. The national holiday is on May 20.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: WeatherSpark, climate in Yaoundé, WeatherSpark, climate in Douala, France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Security (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Cameroon, Health (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Overview of Cameroon

Rules can change without notice: before you leave, always check with the embassy of Cameroon and your own government's travel advice.

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