Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Visa Policy

You can realize your planned trip to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) by obtaining Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) visa. Foreign nationals can apply to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) short-term visas (tourist visa, e-visa) for temporary reasons (tourism, business, cultural, health, study, and other short-term purposes). If you want to stay in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) for a longer period for some reason (such as study, employment, etc.), you can also apply for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) long-term visas. Click here for more information about Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) visa.

Citizens of all countries can obtain an online visa (e-Visa) or an embassy visa depending on their choices.

Required Documents for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) E-visa to Present at Abidjan Airport

1. The Original Receipt of Payment of the Visa Fees 73 Euros Including Bank Charges;

2. DST Approval (Pre-visa or Let-Off);

3. Passport Valid for a Minimum of Six Months;

4. The International Certificate of Vaccination Against Yellow Fever

NB: You should print the payment receipt and the DST approval.

Processing Time for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) E-visa

The average processing time for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) e-visa is 48 hours (2 working days).

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) E-visa Fee

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) E-visa fee is 73 EUR. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or depending on the category of E-visa.

Where to Apply for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) E-visa Application?

You will apply to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) e-Visa online. You can apply for an E-visa through this website.

You can also apply for short-term (from 1 to 3 months) visas for realizing your temporary travel to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Reasons to apply for this type of visa can be tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, short-term education, exchange programs, short-term work, and many other non-permanent nuances. You can check all the required documents for each type of visa application, visa fees, processing time, and where to apply for a visa below.

Required Documents for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa

1. Application Form 

• Fully completed in English and signed and dated by the applicant himself (signed by both parents in case of minors, below the age of 18)

2. Passport

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
• Signed by bearer
• Passport not older than 10 years (issued in the last 10 years)
• At least one or two free “visa pages”
• Undamaged pictures securely affixed with/to passport

3. Photo

• NEW! Should not be older than 6 months.
• A frontal view of the face-covering 70-80% (32-26mm) of the photo.
• A uniform and white background.
• Clear facial features and eyes – not covered by hair or glasses frame.
• 4.5x3.5 size

4. ID Card Copy

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy (if your country of residence and citizenship are different)

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

6. Photocopies

• Copy of the main page of your passport
• Copies of previous visas
• Copy of visa for the final destination (if any)

7. Travel Itinerary 

• Flight reservation (return ticket)
• Valid (existing) hotel/accommodation booking/reservation with the full address (name, street, city, zip code, contact information, booking ref.)

8. Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor (Proof of Occupation)

• The letter must include:
  • Name, postal address, and telephone number of sponsor/company
  • Details regarding the applicant’s working position, starting date of the employment, and salary
  • The timeframe of work leave (expected date to resume duties) and purpose of travel
• Valid trade license copy and company ownership documents (if a person is an owner of the company).
• Letter from University (if student)
• Copy of sponsor’s valid passport and residence visa (if any) to be attached to letter from sponsor (if an applicant is a dependent)

9. Proof of Financial Means

• Generally, there are several recognized ways to prove your financial sufficiency:
  • A personal bank statement indicating your financial
  • Credit card
  • Cash
  • Traveler's cheques
  • Payslips
  • Proof of employment
  • Supporting document to attest sponsor’s readiness to cover your expenses during your stay
  • Proof of prepaid accommodation
  • Document about accommodation in private
  • Proof of prepaid transport
  • Other

10. Medical Insurance

• It should cover all the duration you intend to stay in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

11. The Appointment Confirmation Certificate

12. The Original of the Payment Receipt Made Online

13.The International Certificate of Vaccination Against Yellow Fever

14. Supporting Documents that Show Your Reason for a Trip

     For tourism:

• Confirmation of the accommodation (hotel confirmation, apartment rental contract, etc.)
• Proof of financial means for the stay.

     For business/congress/sports travel:

• Original invitation letter by the company/organization
• Confirmation of the accommodation (hotel confirmation, apartment rental contract, etc.)

     For private visit:

• Confirmation of hotel reservation or
• Original invitation letter by inviting person
• The original document that confirms the ownership of estate (home) of your inviting person, if you are going to stay there
• Copies of passport, ID card/residence permit of your inviting person

     For studying or research (short-term):

• Original invitation letter by the educational establishment in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Acceptance letter to education establishment in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Confirmation of the accommodation (apartment rental contract, dormitory contract, etc.)
• The last school certificate or school card as well as the last diplomas obtained
• Proof of subsistence at the time of attendance or a certificate of scholarship stipulating the amount and timing of the stipend
• Health insurance plan

      For mission:

• Original invitation letter by a company in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Confirmation of the accommodation (apartment rental contract, hotel confirmation, etc.)
• Mission order

15. For Minors:

• Copy and English translation of either birth certificate/proof of adoption/custody decree if parents are divorced/death certificate of parent
• Permit letter by parents/guardians if minor is traveling alone or permit letter by one of the guardians/parents in case of minor is traveling with one of them.
• The identity document of the parent (father, mother, or legal guardian) who authorized the trip (passport, national ID card, or residence permit).

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa

The average processing time for a Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa is up to 48 hours (2 working days). It depends on your visa application country.

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa Fee

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa fee is 50 EUR for single-entry and a multiple-entry visa (it can vary depending on your country and nationality). Additionally, you may also need to pay other fees, courier service fee, etc., depending on the country and location of your documents' submission.

Where to Apply for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term Visa?

You will apply for a Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Short-term visa in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Even if your country is exempt from visa requirements, if you intend to stay longer in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), you will need to apply for a long-stay visa from your home country before coming to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). 

In some countries, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)'s official embassies, and consulates don’t process long-term visas, visa applicants apply for short-term tourist visas for traveling to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and they only apply for residence permit when they have already arrived in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). This procedure can vary depending on your country of residence, nationality, and the policy of the embassy you apply for a visa.

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa is given to foreigners who wish to live in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) for a longer period of time or to have temporary or permanent residence established.

The long-term visa grants entry to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) on the basis that you will be applying for a residence permit. It enables you to enter Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) as a potential resident and stay while you apply for residency.

In most cases, the embassy will issue a short-term visa for you in order to make possible your entrance to Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) then you will apply for a residence permit at Migration Department in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), but your visa purpose must be the same as your reason to travel. It means your short-term visa’s purpose also must be "study" (for example) if you travel for study purposes, but you cannot apply for a residence permit for study with a short-term tourist visa in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

Prior approval by the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST) via the receipt of let land (pre-visa) is required in order to apply for a long-stay visa (up to 6 months and 1 year).

The long-stay visa requires a short-stay visa as a prerequisite.

Required Documents for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa

1. Application Form 

• Fully completed in English and signed and dated by the applicant himself (signed by both parents in case of minors, below the age of 18)

2. Passport

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
• Signed by bearer
• Passport not older than 10 years (issued in the last 10 years)
• At least one or two free “visa pages.”
• Undamaged pictures securely affixed with/to passport

3. Photo

• NEW! Should not be older than 6 months.
• A frontal view of the face-covering 70-80% (32-26mm) of the photo.
• A uniform and white background.
• Clear facial features and eyes – not covered by hair or glasses frame.
• 4.5x3.5 size

4. ID Card Copy

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy (if your country of residence and citizenship are different)

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

6. Photocopies

• Copy of the main page of your passport
• Copies of previous visas
• Copy of visa for the final destination (if any)

7. Travel Itinerary 

• Flight reservation 
• Valid (existing) hotel/accommodation booking/reservation with the full address (name, street, city, zip code, contact information, booking ref.)

8. Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor (Proof of Occupation)

• The letter must include:
  • Name, postal address, and telephone number of sponsor/company
  • Details regarding the applicant’s working position, starting date of the employment, and salary
  • The timeframe of work leave (expected date to resume duties) and purpose of travel
• Valid trade license copy and company ownership documents (if a person is an owner of the company).
• Letter from University (if student)
• Copy of sponsor’s valid passport and residence visa (if any) to be attached to letter from sponsor (if an applicant is a dependent)

9. Proof of Financial Means

• Generally, there are several recognized ways to prove your financial sufficiency:
  • A personal bank statement indicating your financial movements
  • Credit card
  • Cash
  • Traveler’s cheques
  • Payslips
  • Proof of employment
  • Supporting document to attest sponsor’s readiness to cover your expenses during your stay
  • Proof of prepaid accommodation
  • Document about accommodation in private
  • Proof of prepaid transport
  • Other

10. Medical Insurance

• It should cover all the duration you intend to stay in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

11. The Appointment Confirmation Certificate

12. The Original of the Payment Receipt Made Online

13. The International Certificate of Vaccination Against Yellow Fever

14. Approval of D.S.T. (Pre-visa or Leave to Land)

15. Supporting Documents that Show Your Reason for a Trip

        For employment (long-term):

• Original invitation letter by a company in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Confirmation of the accommodation (hotel confirmation, apartment rental contract, etc.)
• Employment contract form
• Professional references (diploma, certificate of employment, or work certificate)
• Criminal record
• Resume
• Medical examination certificate

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa

The average processing time for a Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa is up to 48 hours (2 working days). It depends on your visa application country.

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa Fee

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa fee is 77 USD – 143 USD (it can vary depending on your country and nationality). Additionally, you may also need to pay other fees, courier service fee, etc., depending on the country and location of your documents' submission.

Where to Apply for Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term Visa?

You will apply for a Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Long-term visa in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.