The Gambia Travel Visa
A visa is required. We cannot assist in processing this document, but we provide instructions on how to apply.
All About the Visa for The Gambia
The Gambia is an increasingly popular destination among travellers from all over the world, and that is why many people have doubts when it comes to knowing how to get their visa comfortably and easily. Fortunately, in this article, you will find all the information about the process of applying for your visa to this nation.
The African country mainly offers 5 ways to get a visa:
- A visa on arrival (VoA), which can be obtained by travellers from 4 countries, including those from the United States.
- An embassy visa, which is requested by citizens of 19 countries, including China and those of most Latin American nations.
- A visa from the embassy, with separate prior authorisation to enter from the Gambian immigration authorities. travellers from 42 countries are eligible for this, including India and Russia.
- A visa waiver, for which citizens of more than 100 countries are eligible, including those of most of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, many African nations and also the Baltic ones.
- A visa waiver, also with separate prior authorisation from Gambian immigration authorities, for which travellers from 16 countries, such as South Korea, are eligible.
On this page, we are going to show you what type of application you must submit, the requirements necessary to visit the country, and all the details so that you can obtain your visa to The Gambia in the fastest and most correct way. Read on to learn more!
Contents
- 1 What Are the Differences between a Visa on Arrival (VoA), an Embassy Visa, and a Gambia Visa Waiver?
- 2 Visa for The Gambia Requirement and Eligibility
- 3 The Gambia Visa Application Process
- 4 The Gambia Visa Application Form
- 5 The Gambia Visa Status Check
- 6 Cost of the Visa to The Gambia
- 7 More Questions and Information about Travelling to The Gambia
What Are the Differences between a Visa on Arrival (VoA), an Embassy Visa, and a Gambia Visa Waiver?
You must apply for a VoA at Banjul International Airport, and it’s valid for visits of up to 28 days and allows a Single Entry to the country only for tourist purposes.
You can request an embassy visa at the nearest Gambian diplomatic mission. It’s available as a Single Entry pass valid for 30 days or a Multiple Entry document valid for 6 months. Both permits allow you to visit for up to 30 days.
The visa waiver allows visits of up to 90 days.
In addition, if you come from a country that also requires separate prior authorisation to enter The Gambia from the immigration department, you must obtain it as part of the application process.
Visa for The Gambia Requirement and Eligibility
As we have already mentioned, the authorities of the African country divide the eligibility of their visas into 5 groups:
- VoA
- Embassy Visa
- Embassy Visa with separate prior authorisation
- Visa exemption
- Visa exemption with separate prior authorisation
Here you can find the lists of eligible nationalities for each type of travel permit, as well as their respective requirements to enter The Gambia.
1. VoA
When it comes to the first group, citizens of the following countries need a VoA, valid for 28 days:
- Spain
- United States
- France
- Portugal
This type of document is obtained at the border checkpoint when you enter the country, at Banjul airport.
To get it, you will have to show your passport with a minimum of 6 months of validity, at least a blank page to stamp, and other documents.
2. Embassy Visa
The second group is made up of travellers who must apply for the travel document at the Gambian consular office in their countries.
This tourist permit allows nationals of these countries to visit for a maximum period of 30 days each time. It can be a Multiple Entry (valid for 6 months) or Single Entry (valid for 1 month).
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Thailand
- Uruguay
- Vietnam
To apply for this authorisation, you will need:
- A duly completed application form
- A recent photograph
- A valid passport
- Airline tickets
- Hotel reservations
- Travel itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Bank statements
- Photographs
3. Embassy Visa with Separate Prior Authorisation
Citizens of the following countries are also eligible for a Single or Multiple Entry document from the embassy, but must also obtain prior authorisation from the Gambian Ministry of Immigration to enter.
Angola
Saudi Arabia
Algeria
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Burundi
Cameroon
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Djibouti
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Gabon
Georgia
India
Iraq
Iran
Israel
Jordan
Qatar
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Libya
Madagascar
Moldavia
Mozambique
Oman
Turkey
Central African Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
Rwanda
Russia
Syria
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Tajikistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Yemen
4. Visa Waiver
Below, we show the list of countries of the fourth group, which do not need a travel document and can stay in the country for a maximum period of 90 days.
These travellers must only have a passport valid for at least 6 months to enter.
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Austria
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belorussian
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Botswana
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Canada
Cape Verde
Ivory Coast
North Korea
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Eswatini
Fiji
Finland
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Granada
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kiribati
Kosovo
Laos
Lithuania
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Mauritania
Micronesia
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Niger
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Netherlands
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Romania
Russia
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Samoa
San Marino
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leon
Singapore
Slovenia
San Vicente and the Grenadines
Solomon Islands
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Zambia
5. Visa Waiver with Separate Prior Authorisation
Finally, travellers from the following countries are also exempt from requiring an entry document to enter The Gambia, and only need a valid passport. However, they require prior authorisation from the country’s Ministry of Immigration before arriving.
- Bahamas
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Mauritius
- Namibia
- Philippines
- Seychelles
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- East Timor
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
If you want to visit the country for another reason other than tourism or for a longer time, you will have to apply for the business version of the authorisation at the nearest embassy.
The Gambia Visa Application Process
As we have already explained, citizens of visa-exempt countries do not have to apply for an entry permit, while travellers from Spain, the United States, France and Portugal get theirs on arrival.
On the other hand, if you need an embassy document to visit The Gambia, you will have to contact the diplomatic mission of the African country in your country, and follow the steps indicated.
They will inform you of the documents you need to provide as part of your application, such as:
- A valid passport
- A recent passport-size photo
- Airline tickets
- Hotel reservations
- Travel itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Bank statements
- Photographs
Once you have all the necessary documentation in order, you will have to contact the consular offices again to request an appointment, and formalise your application in person.
In the event you cannot travel to the embassy or consulate to formalise your application, you will have to inquire whether it is possible to apply by email.
The Gambia Visa Application Form
Once the information requested from the embassy has been collected, it’s time to fill out the application.
The form that they will give you at the embassy, or that they will send to you by email or post, is a simple document of only 2 pages. It’s usually in English and requests basic information such as:
- Name and surname
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Country of birth
- Nationality
- Work address
- Marital status
- The purpose of your visit (official, business, and tourism)
- Your address in the country
- If you have visited The Gambia on previous occasions
References in the country (if you know someone there, you should put their information here)
Finally, you will have to sign it, and put your full name in print, just below where it says:
“I attest that all the information on this application is accurate to the best of my ability. I understand that I could be denied a Visa to enter The Gambia if the information is found to be incorrect.”
With this, your application will be duly completed, and you would only have to make an appointment at the corresponding consular offices to deliver it.
In addition to completing the Gambia application form, you will have to pay the consular fees in cash at the consulate.
You may also be asked to conduct an interview with the consular authorities. This can be in person or by phone.
The Gambia Visa Status Check
If you are exempt from requiring a travel document, there is no need to verify your status, while the VoA is delivered on the spot.
On the other hand, the embassy document to The Gambia is processed in many diplomatic missions in just 24 to 48 hours, so you will know in a very short time if it has been granted.
The fastest way to verify this is either by phone, or writing an email to the consular office where you have submitted your application.
Cost of the Visa to The Gambia
Citizens of visa-exempt countries pay nothing to enter the country, while, according to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, the document on arrival is also free for Spaniards.
Meanwhile, the consular fees for The Gambia may vary depending on your nationality. In addition, if you want to receive your travel permit in less than 24 hours, you may also need to pay an additional fee for an express service.
More Questions and Information about Travelling to The Gambia
If you want to know more about how to process your travel document to this African country, read on because we have compiled some of the most common questions and answers.
