Traveling to Comoros

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

Country

Passport

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, the visa is issued on arrival in the Comoros, for a stay of 45 days. Check the steps to complete online before you leave.

Visa issued on arrival (about €30, amounts vary by source). Return ticket required.

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

Entry and visa

Visa depends on your nationality, return ticket required

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or with a Comoros embassy.
For French travelers: the visa is issued on arrival at Moroni airport, for about €30.
For a tourist stay, you must show a return ticket, the address where you are staying and €30 per day of your stay.
The official sources do not state the permitted length of stay. Check with the Comoros embassy before you leave if you plan a long stay.
Yachters must obtain entry clearance on each island (Moroni, Mutsamudu, Fomboni) and exit clearance from the harbor master's office.
Before arriving in the Comoros, register with your country's service that keeps track of travelers abroad (Ariane for French citizens, for example).

Malaria everywhere, very limited healthcare

Neither France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice) nor the Institut Pasteur mentions a yellow fever vaccination requirement for the Comoros.
Malaria is present year round throughout the country. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and talk to your doctor about preventive treatment. Any fever during your stay or in the 3 months after you return means seeing a doctor without delay.
Dengue outbreaks sometimes occur, especially in the rainy season. Avoid anti-inflammatory drugs if you have a fever.
Update your routine vaccines, including measles, as cases are rising. Hepatitis A is recommended for everyone. Typhoid, hepatitis B, rabies, dengue and chikungunya are worth discussing depending on your trip.
Drink only sealed bottled, filtered or boiled water.
Healthcare is poor on all three islands: most hospital cases are handled by repatriation to Réunion, sometimes to Mayotte or France. Check your repatriation insurance before you leave.

Comorian franc pegged to the euro, everything in cash

The currency is the Comorian franc (KMF), issued by the Central Bank of the Comoros and pegged to the euro: €1 = 491.96775 Comorian francs.
Most payments are made in cash. Euros are easy to exchange.
There are a few ATMs on Grande Comore, but they work poorly. Only a few hotels on that island accept certain cards, and checks in euros are refused everywhere.
Bring enough cash, and remember that you may be asked to show €30 per day of your stay on arrival.

Whole archipelago at heightened vigilance

The French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie) places the whole archipelago at heightened vigilance (yellow). No area is advised against.
Bag snatching, burglaries and thefts from cars do happen but remain fairly rare. Be careful at markets and on beaches, and keep away from protests.
Arrive by plane if you can. Never board a kwassa-kwassa: it is dangerous and can land you in prison. Between the islands, choose authorized ferry services such as SGTM.
Karthala (2,361 m) is an active volcano. Go with an experienced guide, check your embassy's alerts and don't camp in the caldera.
Roads are in very poor condition and unlit: avoid driving at night. After accidents outside the capital, drivers have been assaulted: go to the nearest police station.
Useful numbers: police +269 773 46 63, El Maarouf hospital (Grande Comore) +269 773 26 04.
Also check the travel advice from your own government, which may be stricter.
For French travelers: French Embassy, +33 1 88 24 56 77.

Comorian and French, type C/E plugs, calling code +269

The official languages are Comorian, French and Arabic.
Plugs are type C and E, at 230 V and 50 Hz.
The Comoros are on UTC+3 all year: 1 hour ahead of Paris in summer, 2 hours in winter. The country calling code is +269. Phone and internet service is poor.
Sunni Islam is the state religion. Wear clothes that cover you from shoulders to knees, especially during Ramadan, when you should avoid eating or drinking in public during the day.
Drinking alcohol in public is forbidden. Homosexuality is illegal. Don't photograph public buildings, especially military ones, or people without their consent.
Near nightclubs and bars, a vice squad checks IDs from 11 p.m.: keep an identity document on you.

Dry season from May to October

The rainy season generally runs from November to April or May. Tropical storms and cyclones can strike during this period: follow the authorities' instructions.
Temperatures generally range between 21 °C and 31 °C all year. January is the wettest month, September the driest.
The most pleasant period runs from late June to late September, and from late May to late October for the beach.
Dengue outbreaks occur mainly in the rainy season.
The national holiday (independence in 1975) is July 6.

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