Trip checklist: Ivory Coast

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

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Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to Ivory Coast.

Permitted stay

The visa is valid for 3 months with multiple entries. SNEDAI does not state a separate maximum stay, so you can stay within the 3-month validity.

Before you go

• Passport validity

  Ordinary passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of application (SNEDAI). UK advice says 6 months after arrival. US advice adds one blank page.

• How to apply

  1. Register on snedai.com/e-visa and enter your details. 2. Upload three mandatory documents: passport identity page, return flight reservation, and an invitation letter or accommodation certificate (JPG, PNG, GIF or PDF, max 1 MB each). 3. Pay EUR 73 (bank fees included) by Visa or Mastercard. 4. Wait up to 48 business hours (Monday to Friday) for an email reply. 5. The approved pre-enrolment is valid for 3 months. On arrival at Abidjan airport, go to the visa enrolment desk (open 24 hours, 7 days) for fingerprints and photo; the visa is printed on the spot. UK advice says apply at least 10 working days before travel.

• Where South Africans apply

  Online only, at snedai.com. The visa is collected at Abidjan airport. Whether the Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire in Pretoria still issues sticker visas was not checked.

• Return or onward ticket

  A return flight reservation is a mandatory upload for the e-visa.

• Accommodation or invitation

  An invitation letter or accommodation certificate is a mandatory upload for the e-visa.

• Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

  IVORY COAST: A yellow fever certificate is required to enter, whatever country you arrive from (UK and US advice). SOUTH AFRICA: Ivory Coast is on South Africa's yellow fever risk list. Everyone over 1 year old, South Africans included, returning to South Africa from Ivory Coast, or after an airport transit of more than 12 hours there, must show a valid yellow fever certificate on arrival in South Africa. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before travel; the certificate is valid for life.

• Arrival forms

  Biometric enrolment (fingerprints and photo) at the airport visa desk. Currency on departure: US advice says you may leave with up to 5,000,000 CFA francs to ECOWAS countries or 3,000,000 CFA francs to other countries.

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• SNEDAI, the e-visa operator approved by the State of Côte d'Ivoire https://snedai.com/e-visa/
• UK FCDO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cote-d-ivoire/entry-requirements

Research sources

1. 1. SNEDAI, the e-visa operator approved by the State of Côte d'Ivoire (Official, snedai.com) https://snedai.com/e-visa/
2. 2. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cote-d-ivoire/entry-requirements
3. 3. US Department of State (Other government, travel.state.gov) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CotedIvoire.html
4. 4. DIRCO, South African High Commission Canberra (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
5. 5. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Ivory_Coast

From doineedavisa.co.za/ivory-coast. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.