Traveling to Côte d'Ivoire

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.

Apply online for the SNEDAI e-visa; the visa is issued at Abidjan airport.

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, e-visa via SNEDAI

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or on the official SNEDAI website.
If you need a visa, apply online on the official SNEDAI website. The biometric visa is then printed at Abidjan airport when you arrive.
The e-visa costs €73 (bank fees included), payable by Visa or Mastercard. It is valid for 3 months, with multiple entries. Fees are non-refundable.
To apply, you need the identity page of your passport, a round-trip flight booking, and an invitation letter or proof of accommodation.
The answer usually arrives by email within 48 business hours, sometimes longer. The approval is valid for 3 months from its date.
Our advice: apply one to two weeks before you leave, even though the answer often comes within 48 hours. A rejected document or a blocked payment can delay everything.
At the airport, show the printed payment receipt and approval, a passport valid for more than 6 months, and your international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.
If you live in France, you can still apply at the Consulate General of Côte d'Ivoire in Paris (19 rue de la Pépinière, 75008).

Yellow fever required, malaria everywhere

The yellow fever vaccine is required from 9 months of age, wherever you are coming from. Your card is checked on arrival. Get the shot 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.
Make sure your routine vaccines are up to date. Hepatitis A is recommended. Typhoid, meningitis ACWY, rabies, hepatitis B or dengue are worth discussing depending on your trip.
Malaria is present year-round throughout the country. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and take preventive treatment prescribed by a doctor.
Any fever during your trip or within 3 months of returning means you should see a doctor quickly.
Drink only sealed bottled water or water that has been made safe to drink.
Get insurance that covers medical costs and repatriation. Hospitals may ask for payment up front.

CFA franc, cards in the city, cash elsewhere

The currency is the CFA franc (XOF), issued by the BCEAO. The rate is fixed: €1 = 655.957 CFA francs.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted by the major banks and in many hotels, restaurants and shops in Abidjan and the larger cities.
Mobile payment (Orange, MTN, Moov, Wave) is the most common way to pay.
Outside the big cities, carry cash.
Above about 1 million CFA francs (about €1,500), non-residents must declare in writing the currency they are carrying.

Avoid the north, heightened vigilance elsewhere

According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France Diplomatie), travel is strongly advised against along the entire border with Mali and Burkina Faso (risk of terrorism and kidnapping), as well as in the north of the Zanzan district, the east of the Savanes district and Comoé National Park.
The border region with Liberia, including Tabou, Taï and Grabo, is advised against except for essential travel. The rest of the country is under heightened vigilance.
In Abidjan, avoid going out alone at night in Adjamé, Yopougon, Abobo and Gonzagueville. Stay alert when leaving a maquis (open-air eatery), a bank or an ATM.
Avoid driving at night, and keep doors locked and windows closed. The sea and lagoons are dangerous, and drownings are frequent.
Useful numbers in Abidjan: SAMU (emergency medical service) 185, road harassment hotline 110 (toll-free).
Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
For French travelers: French Embassy in Abidjan, +225 27 20 20 74 00.

French, type C/E plugs, GMT

French is the official language.
Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz. Power cuts are frequent.
The country runs on GMT all year: 1 hour behind Paris in winter, 2 hours behind in summer.
The country calling code is +225.
Traffic drives on the right. For French travelers, a French driving license is enough for a stay of less than 6 months.

Heavy rains from May to July in the south

The south has a humid equatorial climate, around 30 °C. The north is drier tropical savanna, between 28 and 37 °C.
In the south, the long rainy season runs from May to July and the short one from October to November. In the north, rain falls from April to mid-July, then from September to November.
From December to February the harmattan blows, a hot, dusty wind from the Sahara.
Heavy rain can flood Abidjan and make getting around difficult.
The national holiday (Independence Day) is on August 7.

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