Byevisa » Mali Tourist Visa

A visa is required. We cannot assist in processing this document, but we provide instructions on how to apply.

Are you dying to see the cultural centres of Timbuktu, with its breathtaking architecture, and Djenné, with its spectacular Grand Mosque?

When it comes to visiting this country as a tourist, the entry policies are quite straightforward. All nationalities worldwide are divided into just 2 categories: those who need a visa from an embassy and those who don’t. The only exemptions are Kenya and Rwanda that are eligible for a Visa on Arrival (VoA).

There are currently 25 nationalities that can travel to Mali without a visa, and these are mostly from neighbouring African countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, and Cote d’Ivoire, as well as Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

On the other hand, citizens of almost all other countries and territories around the world, including the US, the UK, Europe and India, must first get a standard visa from an embassy or consulate in order to visit Mali.

On this page, we will explain how you can get the entry document, how much it will cost, and what information you need to provide to obtain it, among other things. Read on to make your trip to Mali a reality!

What Is the Difference Between a Mali Visa Waiver vs a Visa for Mali?

When a country does not need a travel permit to gain access to Mali, it means it falls under the visa-waiver agreement. In this case, the citizens of the countries in question can enter Mali with just a passport or another form of valid identification.

The waiver agreement is in place for those visiting for tourism or to see friends and family. However, different rules may apply if you are thinking of working or studying in the country, and you may need to get a visa.

On the other hand, most nationalities are required to get a travel authorisation prior to your trip. The standard Mali visa is a Single Entry permit that grants tourists 30 days in the country. However, there is also the option of getting a Multiple Entry visa if required. This document must be obtained from a diplomatic mission of Mali by applying either in person or by post.

Mali Visa Requirements and Eligibility

In this section, we explore what entry policies apply to each nationality. Look for your passport nationality in the lists below to find out if you will need to get a visa to visit Mali.

List of visa-free countries:

Algeria
Andorra
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Chad
Côte d’Ivoire
Gambia

Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Indonesia
Liberia
Macau
Mauritania
Monaco
Morocco

Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Togo
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates

In addition to these, those with diplomatic or service passports are also exempt for 30 days.

Meanwhile, service and diplomatic passport-holders of the following 5 countries are exempt for 90 days:

Brazil
China
Cuba
Russia
Rwanda

These are the countries eligible for a Visa on Arrival for stays of up to 90 days:

Kenya
Rwanda

Here’s the list of countries that require an embassy visa:

Afghanistan
Albania
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bhutan
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burundi
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chile
China
Colombia
Congo
Congo (Dem. Rep.)
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French West Indies
Gabon

Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norfolk Island
North Korea
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan

Palestinian Territories
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Saint Kitts and Nevis
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Maarten
St. Pierre and Miquelon
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Exemptions

Unfortunately, Syrian citizens are currently banned from entering Mali.

Mali Visa Application Process

If you are ready to travel to this exotic African country, read this section carefully to find out what steps you must take to obtain all the documents you need.

Firstly, if you are one of the lucky visa-exempt countries, you can travel with just your passport to Mali without needing to get any kind of pre-authorisation.

Secondly, if you have a Kenyan or Rwandan passport, you can get your travel permit directly at the border on arrival
.
On the other hand, the majority of nationalities are required to get a visa. The first thing you must do is find out if there is a Mali embassy or consulate in your country of residence. To help you with this, you can use this list of diplomatic missions:

Africa

Algeria – Algiers, Tamanghasset
Angola – Luanda
Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou
Cameroon – Douala
Egypt – Cairo
Equatorial Guinea – Malabo
Ethiopia – Addis Ababa
Gabon – Libreville
Ghana – Accra
Guinea – Conakry
Ivory Coast – Abidjan, Bouaké
Libya Coast – Abidjan
Mauritania – Nouakchott
Morocco – Rabat
Niger – Niamey
Niger – Niamey
Senegal – Dakar
South Africa – Pretoria
Sudan – Khartoum
Tunisia – Tunis

Americas

Brazil – Brasilia
Canada – Ottawa
Cuba – Havana
United States – Washington, D.C.

Asia

China – Beijing, Guangzhou
India – New Delhi
Iran – Tehran
Japan – Tokyo
Qatar – Doha
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh, Jeddah
Turkey – Ankara

Europe

Belgium – Brussels
Germany – Berlin
Italy – Rome
Russia – Moscow

Once you have located the diplomatic mission, you can follow these steps:

  1. Make an appointment or see if drop-in visits are welcome.
  2. Collect all the required documents.
  3. Fill out the application form.
  4. Go to the embassy, submit your application and pay the fee.
  5. Sit back, relax, and wait for the embassy to notify you when the travel permit has been issued.
  6. Collect your passport with the permit inside.

In the event there is no diplomatic mission in your country, you can send your application by post to the nearest one. In this case, you must include a prepaid return envelope and pay the fee via bank transfer.

Mali Visa Application Form and Documents

To obtain your travel permit, you must provide a series of documents and information, without which your request will most likely be denied. To help you gather everything you need, you can use the following checklist:

  • 2 application forms, duly completed and signed (only use capital letters).
  • A passport with a minimum of 6 months validity on it from the end of your planned trip.
  • Confirmation of return flight tickets.
  • Proof of accommodation bookings (it is essential that the booking dates match the travel dates stated in the application form).
  • A passport-size photo of yourself with a light plain background, taken within the last 6 months.
  • A colour copy of the data pages of your passport.
  • A stamped return envelope (if applying by post).

The application form

The application form is a simple document that takes just a few minutes to fill out. You will need to provide your personal details, passport details and basic information regarding your trip. More specifically, these are the details you will need to insert:

  • Your full name.
  • Your date of birth.
  • Your nationality.
  • Your place of birth.
  • Your marital status.
  • Your occupation.
  • Your home address.
  • Your telephone number.
  • Your passport number.
  • The passport issue date.
  • The passport place of issue.

Trip details:

  • Arrival date.
  • Length of stay.
  • Where you are coming from.
  • Address of where you will be staying in the country.
  • Basic details regarding any previous trips to the country.
  • Reason for your trip (e.g., tourism, study, visiting family etc.).
  • Type of visa you require.

Once you have filled out all sections of the form, you must sign it and bring it to the embassy along with the documents listed above.

Mali Visa Status Check

After you have submitted and paid for your application, you will need to wait for it to be processed. It could take several weeks before you are notified that your document is ready for collection. During this time, if you wish to check on the status of your application, the best thing to do is reach out to the embassy directly.

You will be able to find the contact details of the diplomatic mission on their website, or you can ask for them when you first visit the embassy or consulate at the start of the process. They should be able to inform you on whether your request is pending, has been approved or rejected.

How Much Does a Mali Visa Cost?

The cost of a travel permit varies depending on the country you are applying from, the length of your trip, and the kind of document you require: Single or Multiple Entry. You should check the fees on the website of the Mali diplomatic mission nearest to you (this could be in another country). Here are some price guidelines for several regions:

US

US citizens are automatically issued a 5-year Multiple Entry document, which costs 130 USD.

UK

  • Single Entry for 1 month: 260 USD
  • Multiple Entry for 3 months: 300 USD
  • Multiple Entry for 6 Months: 355 USD

EU

  • Single Entry for 1 month: 80 USD
  • Multiple Entry for 3 months: 100 USD
  • Multiple Entry for 6 Months: 140 USD

The embassy in Japan covers Australia, New Zealand, The Philippines, and South Korea. The embassy charges around 11,500 YEN (approx 100 USD) for postal applications from these countries.

Finally, you will be required to pay this fee the moment you submit your application at the embassy, or via bank transfer if you are applying by post from another country. In addition, please keep in mind that additional costs may be involved if you use an agency to help you process your document.

More Mali Visa Questions and Information

There you have it, everything you need to know before embarking on your trip to the heart of West Africa. To resolve any last remaining doubts, we have compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions.

The standard visa issued to visitors is a Single Entry document valid for up to 30 days. If you require more time in the country, you can also apply for a Multiple-Entry document valid for up to 6 months at an additional cost.
It can take several weeks for your travel permit to be issued. With this in mind, we recommend applying around 1 month before your trip in order to have everything you need in time and stress-free.
The official Mali government website contains a wide range of information, including details about the entry policies for the country. To make life easier for you, we have sifted through all the information on the website and collected all the relevant parts for travellers right here on this page.
No, you won’t need to print your document since it will be stamped into your passport. Simply bring your passport and show it to border officials upon arrival.
As you will need to submit your application in person at a diplomatic mission of the country and then wait for it to be processed, it can take several weeks before you receive your travel pass.
If this happens, it is generally down to missing or incorrect information submitted in your application. Although you may be able to reapply if your application is rejected, you will need to pay for the fees again. As such, it’s best to fill out the application carefully the first time.
To be granted access to this country, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date. If your passport has expired or is due to expire shortly, it is essential you renew it before travelling or submitting a visa application.
The first step is to verify whether one of your passports is visa-exempt. To do this, you can check the section on requirements and eligibility above. If neither are exempt, then all you need to do is choose one and use that for both your application and for travelling to Mali.
If you wish to visit Mali on a British passport, you must first get a visa from the embassy or consulate. To find out exactly how to do this and what documents you will need to bring to the diplomatic mission, you will find all the information you need on this page.
Yes, there is. Just like the vast majority of nationalities worldwide, US citizens must obtain a visa to visit Mali. Read this article carefully to find out how to get your document, how much it costs and how long it will take.
Once your travel document has been approved by the embassy, it will be stamped onto a page in your passport. We have included an example for your reference: Mali Visa Sample
To help you further plan your African adventure, we have created a list of useful resources that you can find by following the links below.
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