Traveling to Senegal

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

Country

Passport

No visa needed

With a US passport, you can stay in Senegal for up to 90 days without a visa.

In 2025 Senegal announced a reciprocity e-visa that is not yet in force: check before you leave.

Entry and visa

Visa depends on your nationality, passport valid 6 months

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or with a Senegalese embassy or consulate.
For French travelers: no visa for a stay of less than 3 months.
Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months.
Beyond 3 months, a residence card is mandatory. You apply for it locally, in Senegal.
All health restrictions on entry have been lifted.
Before traveling near the borders with Mali, Guinea or Mauritania, check your embassy or consulate's instructions.

Get the yellow fever vaccine, malaria all year

Yellow fever: get vaccinated before you go and carry your international certificate of vaccination. Official sources disagree: France Diplomatie says proof has no longer been required since March 9, 2026, while the Institut Pasteur still lists it as required for travelers coming from a country at risk. To be safe, get vaccinated: the vaccine is strongly recommended in any case.
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 is present all year throughout the country, slightly less from January to late June in the west-central region. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and talk to your doctor about preventive treatment.
A fever during your stay or within 3 months of your return means seeing a doctor right away.
Recommended vaccines: hepatitis A and typhoid for everyone. Depending on your trip: hepatitis B, meningitis, rabies, dengue, chikungunya. A diphtheria outbreak has been reported since September 2026: check your boosters.
Insurance covering all medical costs and repatriation is a must. Your embassy does not pay these costs.

CFA franc, fixed rate with the euro

The currency is the CFA franc (XOF), shared by the eight WAEMU (UEMOA) countries.
Its exchange rate with the euro is fixed: 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
Non-residents must declare in writing any foreign currency they carry above the equivalent of one million CFA francs.
Keep your cash and papers somewhere safe. Never send bank details or money to a person or an association you have not checked out.

Stay alert in Dakar and parts of Casamance

The French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie) rates the following areas orange, meaning advised against unless essential: the border with Mali, part of the Mauritanian border (Matam department), Casamance's borders with The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau away from the main roads, and the strip south of Ziguinchor (Bayot forest).
Increased vigilance (yellow) applies in Casamance, where you should stay on the main roads, and in Dakar, especially on the Corniche after dark.
Theft and assaults are rising, including in Saly, La Somone, Joal and at Lac Rose, and increase before Tabaski and Korité. Online scams and romance scams are common.
Road accidents are very frequent: avoid traveling between towns at night. On the Grande Côte, the sea is dangerous and often unsupervised.
Emergencies: police and gendarmerie 17 or 18, fire department 18.
Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
For French travelers: French embassy, +221 33 839 51 00.

French is official, type C/E plugs, dialing code +221

French is the official language. Wolof is very widely spoken, along with Diola, Malinke, Pular, Serer and Soninke.
Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
Senegal is on GMT (UTC+0), with no daylight saving time: one hour behind Paris in winter, two hours in summer.
Dialing code: +221.
Seat belts are mandatory in the front. For French travelers, a French license lets you drive for your whole stay.
Photographing official buildings (airports, barracks, ministries) is prohibited. Homosexuality is a criminal offense, and a law passed in March 2026 increased the penalties.

Dry season from November to May

The dry season runs from November to May. From December to April, Dakar sees about 26 °C during the day and the air is less muggy.
The rainy season (hivernage) runs from July to October. Violent storms can flood the roads, including in Dakar. Avoid driving during storms and on dirt tracks.
September and October are the hottest and most humid months in Dakar, at about 31 °C.
Meningitis circulates mainly from February to June in the center and east of the country.
Tabaski and Korité, the major Muslim holidays, change dates every year. The national holiday is April 4.

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