The UK government says that from 5 January 2025 it is no longer possible to obtain a visa on arrival in Mauritania: visitors apply online for an e-visa through the national population-register agency (ANRPTS) before they travel, and the UK says the fee is paid in exact cash on arrival. The Foreign Ministry gives the 30-day rate as EUR 55, or EUR 40 for nationals of the Arab world and Africa, and lists reciprocal visa-abolition agreements with Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Chad and Burkina Faso.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
Rest of the world rate (USD 60); nationals of the Arab world and Africa pay EUR 40 (USD 45). The UK government says e-visa fees are paid on arrival in Mauritania in exact cash in euros or US dollars, and that change and receipts are not given.
Rest of the world rate (USD 100); nationals of the Arab world and Africa pay EUR 70 (USD 75).
The UK government says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Mauritania.
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No official source we could read makes insurance a condition of entry. The UK government advises insurance for local treatment and medical evacuation: medical facilities are extremely limited, particularly outside Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, and clinics charge for care, sometimes in euros or US dollars.
No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement for Mauritania.
No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Mauritania.
Mauritania's immigration decree (consolidated text from the Interior Ministry) says tourists may not extend their stay beyond three months. The French government says that if the permitted stay is not respected, a regularisation is needed before the traveller is allowed to leave, and that it costs the same as an entry visa (55 euros at present).
The UK government says it is illegal to take ouguiyas out of Mauritania and that the authorities may confiscate money from people trying to do so. No Mauritanian source we could read publishes a declaration threshold.
The UK government says a yellow fever certificate is required if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.
International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)
No official source we could read names a best season. Canada's travel advice says the rainy season runs from July to October, when seasonal flooding can hamper overland travel.
The UK government advises against all travel to areas within 25 km of the Malian border in the south, including Khabou, and to the east of a line through Kankossa, Akhreijit, Ghallaouia, Zouérat and Fdérik; Canada advises against all travel to northern and eastern Mauritania.
The UK government says the e-visa fee is paid on arrival in exact cash in euros or US dollars, that change and receipts are not given, and that you should print a copy of your e-visa to show on arrival.
The UK government advises always carrying copies of your photo ID, especially outside Nouakchott, where there are police checkpoints.
The UK government says it is illegal for Muslims and non-Muslims to import or consume alcohol in Mauritania, and Australia's Smartraveller says transporting any form of alcohol is also illegal unless authorised.
Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
Mauritania's immigration decree, in the consolidated text the Interior Ministry publishes, requires tourists and transit passengers who are not nationals of a state with an establishment and movement convention with Mauritania to hold a passport bearing a Mauritanian consular visa, and the Foreign Ministry says a validated application is issued as an electronic visa (e-visa). The UK government says that since 5 January 2025 you must apply for an e-visa online, through the ANRPTS agency, before you travel, and that the fee is paid in exact cash on arrival; the Foreign Ministry gives the 30-day rate as EUR 55, or EUR 40 for nationals of the Arab world and Africa. The Foreign Ministry lists reciprocal visa-abolition agreements with Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Chad and Burkina Faso; it does not state how long their citizens may stay.
The UK government says that from 5 January 2025 it is no longer possible to obtain a visa on arrival in Mauritania and that you must apply for an e-visa online before you travel; the Foreign Ministry says to carry your e-visa to board for Mauritania and that your biometric data is captured on arrival. The UK says the fee is paid on arrival in exact cash in euros or US dollars.
The UK government says you must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
The UK government advises against all travel to areas within 25 km of the Malian border and to the east of the country, and Canada advises against all travel to northern and eastern Mauritania; Canada says there is a high risk of kidnapping and that Westerners are a preferred target.
The UK government says Mauritania is mainly a cash-based society, with only a few hotels in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou accepting credit cards and some ATMs taking foreign cards, and that US dollars and euros can be exchanged at banks, some hotels or official bureaux de change. Australia's Smartraveller also calls it a mainly cash economy and says not many places accept credit cards.
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
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Mauritania visa and entry requirements
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