Travelling to Madagascar is not possible unless you get a visa. You can apply for a visa on arrival at the point of entry. Under the Madagascar visa policy, any foreign citizen arriving in the country without a visa will not have access to the country.
You can apply for a Madagascar visa through various methods. The faster and easier option is to make an application for a visa online before going to Madagascar.
If you apply for a 30 days visa, you will receive a Single Entry, allowing you to stay in Madagascar for a maximum of 30 days. The document for 60 days is a single entry visa and allows a maximum stay of 60 days in Madagascar.
Who Needs A Visa For Madagascar?
Foreign nationals (except applicants from Palestine and Burundi) who intend to visit Madagascar will need a visa. Madagascar does not recognize passports issued by the Palestinian government. Therefore Palestine passport holders will not be able to obtain a Madagascan visa.
Madagascar Visa Free Countries
Some countries around the world allow foreigners to enter the nation without a visa. These countries are known as visa-free counties.
However, there are no Madagascar visa free countries, so all foreigners will not be allowed into the country without a visa.
How Do I Get A Visa For Madagascar?
If you are asking yourself, do I need a visa for Madagascar? Then yes, you do. Whether you are travelling to Madagascar as a tourist or for business, you will need to get a Visa. Without one, the Madagascar immigration officers will deny you entry into the country.
Madagascar Visa Application
You can apply for a Madagascan visa through several processes. Here are the options you have when applying.
Embassy Application
If you cannot use the e-visa platform and still wonder how to get a visa for Madagascar? Then here is another option you can use to apply for the visa.
You can visit the resident Madagascan embassy for your application. If you decide to use this method, then you will have to go to the embassy in person. Kindly note that you will not be able to do the application using a third party.
At the embassy, an immigration officer will review your Madagascar visa application form. If the form is complete, you will then have an interview with the immigration officer. After the interview, depending on whether or not you have met the Madagascar visa requirements, your application will be approved or declined.
You should always keep in mind that the immigration officer holds discretion on approval even if you meet all requirements.
If you meet all the requirements for a Madagascar visa, the officer may approve your application. You will then have the option of choosing to wait for the visa or have it sent to you by mail from the embassy. We advise that you wait for the document and avoid the risk of losing it in transit.
Online Application
You can fill the Madagascan visa application form online before you visit the country. Log into the e-visa (electronic visa) platform and complete your application. This online platform is convenient as it can be accessed from any part of the world and saves you time.
You will get a landing authorization through your e-mail once you complete your application and pay the required fees. You will only receive this mail if your visa application is successful.
You are allowed to keep the document on any electronic device. When boarding your flight and at the Madagascan immigration office, you will need to present this document.
It takes a maximum of 72 hours from the date of application for your landing authorization to be approved.
Apply On Arrival
With no Madagascar visa free countries, all foreigners will have to apply for a visa before going to the country. Fortunately, one of the options available is to make an application for the visa on arrival.
Once you land at the international ports, make your way to the Immigration office to make your application. If you head to customs before making this application, you will be denied entry and might get deported.
Ensure you have all the documents required as per the Madagascar visa policy before you choose this method. You will not be allowed into the country if you fail to produce even a single document needed. The best way to make sure you have all the necessary documents is to confirm with the Madagascan embassy.
The Madagascar visa cost will be anything between 30usd and 100usd depending on the visas type. Payments will be made using cash 'USD' or by using visa and debit cards. All foreign nationals except those from Burundi and Palestine can apply for a visa on arrival.
Madagascar Visa Requirements
There are a few requirements that you will have to meet to get a visa. Below is a list of documents you will need when you fill the Madagascar visa application form.
- 2 passport photos. Make sure that the photos are as recent as possible
- A passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Madagascar
- Your passport must have at least one blank page, although you should have two blank pages available
- A payment method for your visa application. This can be visa, using a debit or credit card and PayPal for e-visa applications. If you make the embassy application, you can also use a bank draft or money order to the embassy. The embassy does not accept personal cheques
- Proof of accommodation in Madagascar. This can be a hotel confirmation or a letter of invitation showing the address where you will live while in-country
Along with these Madagascar visa requirements, you will have to provide the following documents on arrival to the country.
- You will have to provide proof of adequate financial support for the length of your stay in Madagascar. This can be your bank statement
- Proof of return or onward flight bookings. You must have a return ticket confirming your departure from Madagascar
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate. Visitors originating from yellow fever endemic regions within the previous 6 months must have this certificate
Madagascar Visa Cost
As much as you would be concerned with the question, how do I get a visa for Madagascar? It would be best if you also looked into the cost of the visa.
The amount you will pay for your visa will depend on the type of visa you will apply for. There are different Madagascar visa application forms you will need to fill, so be careful when selecting the visa type you need.
Below is the cost of a visa for Madagascar:
- 30 days single entry visa. The application will take 72 hours to process, and you will pay USD 37.00
- 60 days single entry visa. The application will take 72 hours to process, and you will pay USD 45.00
Madagascan Visa Types
Depending on the reason for your visit to Madagascar, there are a few visa types available to you. The visa comes with a few additional requirements in addition to the one above.
Tourism or Non-immigrant visa
The documents you will need
- You will need an application form filled to completion
- Copy of the return airline ticket, departure and return dates to and from Madagascar must be visible
- Copy of the original valid passport whose expiry date is more than 6 months after the date of return. It must contain at least two free pages when arriving in Madagascar
Business Visa
Documents required:
- Letter of invitation provided by an organization in Madagascar. The letter will have to be signed by a manager and have the company's official stamp and seal
- Two recent ID photos, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, scanned
- Copy of the return airline ticket, departure and return dates to and from Madagascar must be visible
Visa for mission less than three months
Documents required:
- Letter of mission issued by the employer (signed and stamped)
- A certificate of hospitality issued by a company in Madagascar (signed and stamped)
- Two recent ID photos, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, scanned
Visa for internship less than three months
Documents required:
- Internship agreement signed between the two parties, one of which must reside in Madagascar.
Madagascar does not offer visas for stays longer than 60 days. If you stay in the country for more than the allowed 60 days, you will have to apply for an extra 30-day visa from the embassy. When 90 days are up, you will not get a further extension and will have to leave the country. You can apply for another visa once you have left the country and its territories.
Even with no Madagascar visa-free counties government has made applying for a visa an easy process. They have removed many restrictions that would have prevented tourists and investors from coming to the country. With Madagascar being one of the top tourist destinations, all these changes have helped the country's economy grow.