Traveling to Guinea

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

Country

Passport

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, apply for an e-visa online before you leave: it allows a stay of 90 days.

E-visa on paf.gov.gn/visa before departure; the visa is issued on arrival after biometric enrollment ($100).

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, apply online

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or on the official platform of the air and border police (paf.gov.gn/visa).
If you need a visa, you must apply online, from your place of departure, at paf.gov.gn/visa.
You must provide a photo, a copy of your passport, your yellow fever vaccination certificate, a Covid vaccination certificate (still listed by France Diplomatie: check on paf.gov.gn whether it is still required), and a hotel booking or a certificate of accommodation with your host's ID. For a business trip, add a letter of invitation or a mission order.
The Embassy of Guinea then issues an entry authorization (visa volant), sometimes after an interview. At Conakry airport, you go through biometric enrollment at the air and border police counters, and the visa is then issued.
France Diplomatie gives neither a processing time nor a fee. Our advice: apply at least two weeks before departure. A rejected document, an interview or a blocked payment can hold everything up.
Always carry your ID: police checks are frequent.

Yellow fever mandatory, Ebola and Lassa risk

The yellow fever vaccine is an entry requirement for Guinea, and the certificate is already requested when you apply for your visa. Get it at least 10 days before departure at an approved center.
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 the age of 2, during pregnancy, or if you are living with HIV or a weakened immune system. Keep your yellow card (international certificate of vaccination) with your passport, and ask the vaccination center if you are unsure.
Bring your routine vaccinations up to date, particularly diphtheria: an outbreak has been ongoing since July 2023. Hepatitis A and typhoid are worth considering, and hepatitis B, meningitis, rabies, dengue and chikungunya depending on your stay.
Guinea regularly experiences Ebola outbreaks, and Lassa fever is endemic there, with no vaccine. Avoid bushmeat and any contact with sick or deceased people, and wash your hands often.
For malaria, see a doctor about preventive treatment and protect yourself from mosquitoes. Any fever during your trip or within 3 months of your return means seeing a doctor right away.
Drink only bottled water with an intact seal, filtered water or boiled water, and eat well-cooked food.
Hospitals are few. In Conakry, the Ambroise Paré and Pasteur clinics have an operating room and ambulances. Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation is essential.

Guinean franc, exchange it locally

The currency is the Guinean franc (GNF), which floats freely. It can only be exchanged inside the country.
Bank cards are accepted only in large hotels and a few shops in Conakry. You can withdraw cash in Guinean francs in the capital and the main towns.
Leaving the country with more than 100,000 GNF is prohibited.
Amounts above 10,000 dollars or 10,000 euros must be declared. Travelers are regularly checked at the airport for this reason.
Scams involving gold, diamonds and other precious materials are common. Contact your embassy or consulate before any transaction.

Avoid the borders, stay alert in Conakry

According to the French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie), travel is advised against unless essential in the border areas with Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, including the towns of Siguiri and Mandiana.
The rest of the country is under increased vigilance. Political tensions have been chronic since May 2022 and demonstrations can turn violent: avoid gatherings and the Route Le Prince from Hamdallaye onward.
In Conakry, armed robberies, car thefts and burglaries are rising, often at night. Watch out for pickpockets at the Niger, Madina and Taouyah markets. Do not open your door to police officers or soldiers who turn up unannounced.
Roads are in poor condition and badly lit. Avoid driving at night, motorcycle taxis and public transport. Travel by day, with doors locked and windows closed, and in a 4x4 during the rainy season.
Useful numbers: gendarmerie (emergencies, attacks) 122, fire department 18.
Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
For French travelers: French Embassy in Conakry, +33 1 70 98 93 39 (a French number, as listed by France Diplomatie). Other travelers should contact their own country's embassy or consulate.

French and Fula, type C/F plugs, GMT

French is the official language. Fula (Pular), Malinke and Susu are widely spoken.
Type C and F plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
Guinea is on GMT (UTC+0) all year: one hour behind Paris in winter, two hours in summer.
The dialing code is +224.
To drive for up to 3 months, you need your national license and an international driving permit, which you should apply for well before departure (in France, on the ANTS website).
Photography is prohibited near military sites, police stations and gendarmerie posts, and in Conakry around the presidential palaces and residences.
Homosexuality is illegal and drug use is prohibited.

Dry season from December to February

In Conakry, the rainy season runs from June to October, peaking from July to September. August is the wettest month, with rain almost every day.
From December to February, it hardly rains and skies are mostly clear, but the air stays humid.
It is hot all year in Conakry: about 31 °C during the day from April to May and from November to December, and about 27 °C in August.
Meningitis circulates mainly from March to June, in Upper Guinea and Forest Guinea. Measles returns every year from February or March until the rainy season.
The national holiday is on October 2.

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