Persons Who Qualify To Apply For A Visa To Republic of Sierra Leone
Visa Service
All visitors wishing to travel to the Republic of Sierra Leone must OBTAIN an APPROPRIATE VISA or entry permit to the country. However, tourists and other potential investors can now obtain Visas on Arrival in Sierra Leone.
Citizens of the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) are exempted from this requirement and do not need VISA OR ENTRY PERMIT to enter Sierra Leone.
The granting of a Sierra Leone visa is only a form of pre-entry clearance. It does not guarantee permission to enter the country. The Immigration Officer at the Port of Entry (POE) reserves the right to grant or deny admission. Visa holders are subject to normal immigration control at any Port of Entry. Visitors to Sierra Leone require a valid visa each time they enter the country.
Types of Visa
The Sierra Leone tourist or business single entry visa is usually valid for 3 months from the date issued, for a stay not to exceed 30 days. A tourist visa is a non-immigrant visa for persons desiring to enter Sierra Leone for vacation holiday, tourism purposes.
The Multiple Entry Visa is valid for either 6 months or one year from the date of issue for a maximum stay of 30 days on each entry/visit.
Processing Instructions
Applications are usually processed within 24 hours.
The Consular Fees are as follows:
- Single Entry KD30
- Multiple Entry (6 Months) KD50
- Multiple Entry (One Year) KD100
NOTE: PAYMENT WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE EMBASSY THROUGH THE ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT
For Official and Diplomatic holders, issuing of Visa is gratis.
How to Apply for a Visa
A Visa Application Form must be completed by all applicants, which can be obtained at the Embassy. Applications can be submitted by hand or post.
- A valid passport must have at least 6 months validity
- Visa Application Form completed and signed
- Application fee (Please note that application fees are non-refundable)
- 2 Passport Photograph required (35mm x 45mm)
- International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever
- Copy of travel itineraries such as invitation letters or evidence of hotel reservation
Minors:
For applicants who are minors, a letter of consent will be either required from both parents or parent with full custody.
Business Visa:
Business Visa is for applicants who manifest interest and demonstrate sufficient justification to conduct business in Sierra Leone. An introductory letter should accompany a visa application from a credible company in Kuwait or a GCC county, outlining the purpose of the trip, nature of business, contact in Sierra Leone, among others. This letter should be addressed to the Sierra Leone Embassy, Kuwait. The letter must explain all of the following:
- Nature of business to be performed
- Name and address of reference to be visited
- Guarantee of return fare and sufficient funds for the visit
- The letter should be signed by an officer of the company other than the applicant.
In a situation where an applicant or company have never invested and has no business contacts in Sierra Leone but has plans to do so, such an applicant or a company must provide evidence of credibility and financial standing, together with hotel confirmation/reservation. There is no limit to the amount of money carried into the country but the amount should be declared at the Point of Entry (POE).
Requirements:
- A valid passport must have at least 6 months validity
- Visa Application Form completed and signed
- Application fee (Please note that application fees are non-refundable)
- 2 Passport Photograph required
- International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever
- Copy of round-trip airline tickets
- Letter of invitation from a registered company or organization in Sierra Leone
Consular Section Opening Hours:
The Consular Section operates Sundays to Thursdays between 10:30am to 2pm. The Consular Section and the Embassy is not open on Public Holidays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Travel Hints:
We kindly advise all travellers to contact their local Embassy or Consulate upon arrival in a foreign country. Registering with your embassy may be useful and can help to provide some of the following services:
- Locating individuals in case of family or personal emergencies,
- Realying important travel and safety information about the region,
- Arranging evacuation transportation in case of natural disaster or civil unrest,
- A number of other administrative services relating to personal documentation.
Many of these services involve emergencies, and your local representative or Embassy can only provide assistance if you register on arrival at a country.