Entry requirements · Mauritania

Traveling to Mauritania

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

Visa
E-visa before departure · 30 days
Yellow fever vaccine
Depends on where you come from
Safety
Areas to avoid

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, apply for an e-visa online before you leave: it allows a stay of 30 days.

Online authorization on anrpts.gov.mr before departure, then pay for the visa on arrival (€55 for 30 days).

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, online authorization
  • Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or on the official portal anrpts.gov.mr.
  • If you need a visa: since January 5, 2025, you must first obtain an electronic visa authorization online at anrpts.gov.mr (“Autorisation de visa spot” tab) before boarding.
  • On arrival (at an international airport, port or border post), you pay for the visa and provide your biometric data. It is a 30-day, single-entry visa costing €55. Keep the authorization: you will be asked for it on exit, along with your entry stamp.
  • Official sources give no processing time for the authorization.
  • Our advice: apply one to two weeks before departure, even though the answer often comes faster. A rejected document or a blocked payment can hold everything up.
  • Enter only through one of the 21 international crossing points, such as Nouakchott and Nouadhibou airports, Rosso or Diama. The Gogui crossing is in a red zone.
  • An overstay is settled by paying the price of a visa. Border posts may close around 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.: arrive early.
  • Importing alcohol and pork products is prohibited.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Entry and stay (updated September 28, 2026), French Embassy in Mauritania, changes to entry requirements (updated January 15, 2026)

Health

Get vaccinated against yellow fever before you go
  • Yellow fever: the vaccine is mandatory if you arrive from an area where the disease circulates, and strongly recommended for all other travelers. The Institut Pasteur recommends it from the age of 9 months for any stay south of the Sahara. To be safe, get vaccinated 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.
  • Malaria circulates all year, except in the north (Dakhlet Nouadhibou and Tiris Zemmour). It is seasonal in Adrar and Inchiri, from July to October, and common in the Senegal River valley. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and talk to your doctor about preventive treatment.
  • Any fever during your stay or within 3 months of your return means seeing a doctor right away.
  • Hepatitis A is recommended. Depending on your stay: typhoid, hepatitis B, meningitis, rabies, dengue and chikungunya. A diphtheria outbreak has been ongoing since July 2023, mainly in Hodh Ech Chargui: check your boosters.
  • Drink only bottled water with an intact seal, filtered water or boiled water. Cholera is present in some regions.
  • In Nouakchott, private clinics are better equipped, but ambulances are rare. Insurance covering medical costs and medical evacuation is essential.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Health (updated September 28, 2026), Institut Pasteur, Mauritania page

Money

Ouguiya, bring cash
  • The currency is the ouguiya (MRU), the only local currency in circulation since 2018.
  • Shops accept neither bank cards nor checks: bring cash.
  • Secure ATMs can be found inside some banks.
  • Foreign currency must be declared on entry and on exit. Keep your exchange slips and purchase receipts.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Useful information (updated September 28, 2026), France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Entry and stay (updated September 28, 2026), France Diplomatie, Overview of Mauritania (updated May 13, 2026)

Safety

Avoid the east and north, stay alert elsewhere
  • According to the French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie), travel is strongly advised against in: the border strip with Mali, the area north of Zouérate, east of the Ghallaouia-Akhrejit line, northeast of the Zouérate-Ghallaouia line, southeast of the Akhrejit-Kankossa line, and the military zone in the northeast, where entry without army authorization is prohibited.
  • Advised against unless essential: the border area between Nouadhibou and Zouérate (except the PK55 crossing), north of the Choum-Aghouedir line, east of the Aghouedir-Tichit line and southeast of the Tichit-Kaédi line, including Assaba, Gorgol and Guidimaka.
  • The rest of the country, Nouakchott included, is under increased vigilance. At PK55, on the border with Morocco, do not leave the track: it is lined with mines.
  • In Nouakchott, violent robberies by thieves on motorbikes are rising. Avoid beaches and isolated neighborhoods at night, and the area around the Olympic stadium on match nights.
  • Avoid driving at night outside towns. In the desert, go with an experienced guide and at least two vehicles. At checkpoints, declare your route and do not change it.
  • Emergencies: police 17, fire department 18, gendarmerie 119.
  • Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
  • For French travelers: French embassy, +222 45 29 96 99. Consular section: +33 2 52 88 01 86.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Security (updated September 28, 2026, map of March 11, 2026), France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Useful contacts (updated September 28, 2026)

On the ground

Arabic is official, type C/E plugs, GMT
  • Arabic is the official language. Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are also national languages.
  • Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
  • Mauritania is on GMT (UTC+0) all year: one hour behind Paris in winter, two hours in summer. The dialing code is +222.
  • Alcohol is treated like a narcotic: possessing or drinking it can lead to police custody and prosecution. Drug offenses are severely punished.
  • Do not photograph public, military or religious buildings, airports, ports or public officials. Always carry ID.
  • Rental cars usually come with a driver. Mauritanian insurance is mandatory to enter the country with a vehicle.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Overview of Mauritania (updated May 13, 2026), France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Useful information (updated September 28, 2026), WorldStandards, plugs and voltage by country, timeanddate, Mauritania time zone

When to go

December to March, before the intense heat
  • From April to October it is especially hot, often over 40 °C.
  • In Nouakchott, the coolest period runs from mid-December to early February. In January, expect about 28 °C during the day and 16 °C at night.
  • The rainy season runs from July to September, peaking in August. In Nouakchott, malaria cases occur mainly from August to November.
  • In the Sahara, sandstorms and sudden temperature swings call for careful preparation.
  • Independence Day is on November 28.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Useful information, WeatherSpark, Nouakchott climate, France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Health, France Diplomatie, Mauritania, Security, Le360 Afrique, Independence Day in Mauritania (November 28, 2016)

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

Discover Mauritania