Entry requirements · Niger

Traveling to Niger

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.

Visa issuance suspended and entry refused to US citizens since December 2025 (reciprocity).

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

Travel advised against, visa depends on your nationality
  • The French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie) strongly advises against all travel to Niger. French travelers have been refused entry on arrival in the country.
  • Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or with an embassy of Niger.
  • If you need a visa, get it before you leave. No visas are issued at the airport. In France, contact the Embassy of Niger in Paris.
  • The application includes your signed original passport, two forms, two photos, a copy of the first three pages of your passport, an invitation or a hotel or tour booking, and your plane ticket with its e-ticket number.
  • Fees given by France Diplomatie: €90 for a single entry, €150 for multiple entries. The validity period is set according to your travel plans.
  • Official sources give no processing time. Our advice: apply at least two weeks before departure, and earlier if possible. A missing document or a late appointment can hold everything up.
  • Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months after your date of return from Niger.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Niger, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Niger, Latest updates (February 3, 2024, updated April 7, 2026)

Health

Yellow fever mandatory, meningitis in the dry season
  • The yellow fever vaccine is mandatory to enter Niger, from the age of 9 months and wherever you arrive from. 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.
  • The meningitis A, C, Y and W135 vaccine is strongly recommended: outbreaks return in the dry season, from February to July. The WHO has issued a polio alert: make sure your vaccination is up to date.
  • Bring your routine vaccinations up to date. Hepatitis A is recommended. Hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid are worth discussing depending on your stay.
  • Malaria circulates all year throughout the country. 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.
  • In Niamey, the local authorities consider tap water safe. Elsewhere, drink only bottled water with an intact seal, filtered water or boiled water.
  • Medical care is limited in Niamey and evacuations from outside the capital are very difficult. Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation is essential, and repatriation to your home country is very strongly advised for any operation.

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

Money

CFA franc, fixed rate with the euro
  • The currency is the CFA franc (XOF), issued by the BCEAO and shared by the eight WAEMU (UEMOA) countries.
  • Its exchange rate with the euro is fixed: 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
  • France Diplomatie gives no information on bank cards or ATMs in Niger. Check with your bank before you leave.
  • For French travelers: since the French embassy is closed, it cannot provide any help on the ground if money is lost or stolen.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: BCEAO, history of the CFA franc, France Diplomatie, Overview of Niger (updated May 13, 2026), France Diplomatie, Niger, Latest updates

Safety

All travel to the country strongly advised against
  • The French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie) strongly advises against all travel to Niger, for any reason. The whole country is red on the map.
  • Since August 29, 2026, fighting has been taking place in Niamey, notably around the airport, Air Base 101, the presidential palace and the state radio and television building. The situation is confused.
  • For French travelers: the French embassy in Niamey is closed until further notice and cannot provide consular assistance.
  • Foreign travelers still in the country should limit their movements, avoid gatherings and register with their country's service for citizens traveling abroad (Ariane for French nationals, for example).
  • The risk of terrorist attacks and kidnappings targeting Westerners is high, particularly near the borders with Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Chad, and in the Diffa region.
  • Road accidents are a major cause of death. Approach police roadblocks slowly, especially at night, with your interior light on, and follow instructions.
  • Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Niger, Security (updated September 15, 2026, map of March 11, 2026), France Diplomatie, Niger, Latest updates (August 29, 2026)

On the ground

French is official, type C/E plugs, UTC+1
  • French is the official language. The population is 98% Muslim: dress in covering clothes and respect local customs.
  • Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
  • Niger is on UTC+1 all year: same time as Paris in winter, 1 hour behind in summer.
  • The dialing code is +227.
  • Drug use can mean up to 10 years in prison, a fine and a ban from the country for 5 to 10 years.
  • Collecting or exporting fossils, minerals, cut stones and archaeological objects is prohibited. Checks are strict.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Overview of Niger (updated May 13, 2026), France Diplomatie, Niger, Useful information (updated June 9, 2026), France Diplomatie, Niger, Health, WorldStandards, Niger: plugs and voltage, timeanddate, Niamey time zone

When to go

Dry, cooler season from December to February
  • Reminder: France Diplomatie strongly advises against all travel to Niger, whatever the season.
  • The rainy season runs roughly from June to October, with violent storms, floods and landslides. In Niamey, July and August are the wettest months.
  • April and May are the hottest months in Niamey, with about 41 °C during the day in April.
  • From December to February, Niamey sees about 32 °C during the day and 18 °C at night, with mostly clear skies and almost no rain.
  • Meningitis circulates mainly in the dry season, from February to July. The national holiday is December 18 (proclamation of the Republic).

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Niger, Security (updated September 15, 2026), WeatherSpark, Niamey climate, France Diplomatie, Niger, Health, France Diplomatie, Overview of Niger

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

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