Entry requirements · Chad

Traveling to Chad

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

Visa
Embassy visa
Yellow fever vaccine
Required
Safety
Areas to avoid

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, apply for your visa at the embassy or consulate before you leave.

Chad has not issued visas to US citizens since June 2025 (reciprocity). Contact the embassy.

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, e-visa via evisa.td
  • Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or on the official evisa.td platform.
  • If you need a visa: since May 11, 2026, every new application goes through evisa.td, and the visa is issued electronically. No visas are issued at the border.
  • France Diplomatie still states that the visa is obtained from a Chadian embassy or consulate. The sources differ: if in doubt, contact a Chadian embassy before you leave.
  • The portal asks you to apply at least 7 days and no more than 90 days before entry, and gives no refunds. Fees are not shown on the pages we consulted. According to VisasNews, processing takes 24 to 72 hours for express and 10 to 15 days for standard.
  • Our advice: apply two to three weeks before you leave, even though the answer sometimes comes faster. A rejected document or a blocked payment can delay everything.
  • On arrival, show proof of yellow fever vaccination. France Diplomatie strongly recommends entering Chad by air, at N'Djamena.
  • Register with the immigration services within 48 hours of arrival (France Diplomatie; Belgian Foreign Affairs says 72 hours). Keep your passport on you for any journey between two towns.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Chad, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Business travel (updated September 15, 2026), e-Visa Chad, official portal and FAQ, e-Visa Chad, new fees (May 11, 2026), VisasNews, the electronic visa becomes mandatory (May 9, 2026), VisasNews, the e-Visa platform keeps scaling up (October 1, 2026), Belgian Foreign Affairs, Chad, Practical information (updated September 1, 2026)

Health

Yellow fever required, meningitis in spring
  • The yellow fever vaccine is required, and the certificate is checked on entry from 9 months of age, wherever you are coming from. Get it at an approved center, at least 10 days before you leave. Cases were reported in 2021.
  • 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.
  • Meningitis causes deadly epidemics every year from late February to late May: vaccination is strongly advised. Cholera is endemic, and dengue rises with every rainy season.
  • Make sure your routine vaccines are up to date. Hepatitis A is recommended. Typhoid, hepatitis B and rabies are worth discussing depending on your trip. Do not swim in rivers and lakes (bilharzia), and drink only sealed bottled, filtered or boiled water.
  • Hospitals do not meet European standards. The Hôpital de la Renaissance in N'Djamena is the best equipped. Insurance covering all medical costs and repatriation is essential.

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

Money

CFA franc, pay in cash
  • 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. Hotels may accept cards, but most shops take cash only.
  • In practice, you get CFA francs once you are there. Check with your bank before you leave.
  • The official pages we consulted say nothing about ATMs. Do not carry valuables or large sums on you.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: BEAC, frequently asked questions (CFA franc parity), Belgian Foreign Affairs, Chad, Practical information (updated September 1, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Security (updated September 15, 2026)

Safety

The whole country in orange or red zones
  • The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France Diplomatie) classifies the entire country as orange or red: no area is under simple vigilance. The threat of kidnapping of Westerners is high throughout the country.
  • Travel is strongly advised against in the Tibesti and Ennedi provinces and eastern Borkou (except Bardaï), the Lake Chad region (except the town of Bol), and all border areas, with Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic and Cameroon.
  • Travel is advised against except for essential reasons in the towns of Bardaï, Fada, Amdjarass and Bol, which should be reached by plane because of land mines, as well as Abéché and Bongor, western Borkou and Wadi Fira. N'Djamena does not appear in either list, but since the entire country is orange or red, the capital is at least advised against except for essential travel. Check its exact color on France Diplomatie's map.
  • In N'Djamena, crime is rising. Do not walk in the outlying neighborhoods, or outside the center at night. Avoid Moursal and Sabangali Chagoua at night, and never stop along the presidential palace (avenue du Général Kerim Nassour). No motorcycle taxis.
  • Avoid markets, places of worship and demonstrations. On the road, drive only in daylight, in a convoy of at least two vehicles escorted by the security forces: highway bandits (coupeurs de route) are active.
  • France Diplomatie's Useful contacts page gives no police or emergency number.
  • Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
  • For French travelers: French Embassy in N'Djamena, +33 1 75 79 41 81.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Chad, Security (updated September 15, 2026, map of March 13, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Useful contacts

On the ground

French and Arabic, type C/E/F plugs, code +235
  • French and Arabic are the official languages. Chadian Arabic is widely spoken.
  • Type C, E and F plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
  • Chad is on UTC+1 all year: same time as Paris in winter, 1 hour behind in summer.
  • The country calling code is +235.
  • For French travelers: a French license is recognized for the first three months.
  • A Chadian driver is strongly recommended. Fuel is often scarce outside towns: carry reserves.
  • Avoid taking photos in town: photographing an official building, or even women in traditional dress, can lead to arrest. Homosexuality is criminalized.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Overview of Chad (updated May 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Health (+235 numbers), WorldStandards, plugs and voltage by country, timeanddate, Chad time zone

When to go

Dry, cooler season from December to February
  • In N'Djamena, the rainy season runs from late June to late September. August is the wettest month, with about 22 days of rain. In the south, dirt roads are often impassable from May to October.
  • The rest of the year is dry, and it almost never rains from December to February.
  • From mid-March to late May, it is very hot: about 41 °C in the afternoon in April. January is the coolest month, with about 16 °C at night and 32 °C during the day.
  • In the north, the heat is extreme and sandstorms are frequent from December to February. Meningitis circulates from late February to late May.
  • The national holiday (proclamation of independence) is on August 11.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: WeatherSpark, climate in N'Djamena, France Diplomatie, Chad, Security (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Chad, Health (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Overview of Chad

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

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