Mauritania Visa and Entry Guide

1. Prepare the file. Have the passport, a clear compliant portrait, planned arrival point, travel dates, contact details and accommodation or host information ready. Use a stable email address and phone number. Avoid accented-character substitutions, missing middle names and reordered dates.

2. Apply only on the official ANRPTS domain. Check the address before uploading a passport. The genuine application is hosted on anrpts.gov.mr. A tour company may help explain a form, but it should not impersonate the authority or require payment to an unrelated personal account.

3. Match the passport exactly. Names, date and place of birth, passport number, issue date, expiry date and nationality must match the machine-readable travel document. A one-character error can become an airline or border problem.

4. Choose the required duration. The ANRPTS portal currently presents 30-, 90- and 360-day application options. Choose the stay actually needed; a longer visa does not repair an inaccurate itinerary or an expiring passport.

5. Save the request number. Screenshot and write it separately. Use the official tracking page rather than submitting duplicates. Keep copies of the completed details and every payment receipt.

6. Receive and verify the e-visa. Check the spelling, passport number, validity dates and permitted duration immediately. Save the PDF in the phone, a second device or cloud account, and print at least one copy.

7. Present it for boarding and arrival. The ministry's process says travellers receive the e-visa before travel, present it for boarding, then complete arrival control and biometric capture at an international entry point.

Published country advice is not perfectly uniform. The United Kingdom and United States publish a six-month validity standard, while some national guidance uses different wording. Airlines can also apply their own boarding checks. Mauritanian Eye therefore recommends the operationally safest position: travel with a passport valid for at least six months after arrival and at least one blank page. Renew before applying if the margin is short.

Travellers aged over one year arriving from a country with yellow-fever transmission risk must carry a valid yellow-fever vaccination certificate. Transit history can matter, not only the country printed on the ticket. France also strongly recommends vaccination more broadly for Mauritania. Review the itinerary with an authorised vaccination centre well before departure.

Carry regular medication in original packaging, with a prescription and generic name. Large quantities, controlled medicines and injectable treatments deserve written medical documentation.

By air: keep passport and printed e-visa in hand luggage. Carry the address and phone number of the first accommodation. Complete biometric capture and entry formalities before leaving the controlled area. After immigration, obtain cash and a local SIM through normal official or established channels; do not hand the passport to an unverified helper.

From the north: overlanders normally use the recognised northern crossing near PK55 rather than tracks around the border. Prepare vehicle registration, driving licence, insurance valid for Mauritania and any temporary-import or carnet documentation applicable to the vehicle and issuing country. Expect several administrative stages and retain every document issued.

From Senegal: Rosso and Diama serve different route styles. Rosso is associated with the river crossing and can be busy; Diama is often chosen by overlanders approaching through the Djoudj area. Border opening, ferry or bridge operations, road conditions and vehicle formalities are distinct from the visa itself. Keep enough daylight to finish every stage and reach accommodation without night driving.

Every traveller needs a travel document and entry basis valid for that person. For minors, carry birth documentation and parental authorisation where relevant to the family situation and departure country. Dual nationals should apply and travel on one consistent passport unless the authorities require otherwise. Refugee travel documents, emergency passports and unusual nationality cases need a direct written answer from the Mauritanian mission or authority before ticketing.

Mauritania is a Muslim country with restrictions on alcohol and other controlled goods. Weapons, ammunition, narcotics, archaeological material, professional filming equipment, satellite equipment and drones may trigger prohibitions, permits or inspection. Do not conceal items or depend on “another traveller brought one.” Obtain the rule for the exact item from customs or the relevant authority before packing.

Mauritanian Eye can help a traveller read the official instructions, identify the correct government portal, prepare a document checklist and understand the route to an international entry point. We cannot approve an application, alter a government record, guarantee processing time or replace immigration, an airline or a consular authority.

For a pending application, preserve the request number, screenshots, payment proof and exact submission date. For an error, use the official ANRPTS tracking or contact path rather than opening multiple conflicting files. Never send a full passport image or card details to an unverified social-media account claiming to accelerate approval.