All travellers
COVID-19 testing is not required for all passengers, regardless of vaccination status. Proof of vaccination may be requested on arrival.
Proof of vaccination status
Sierra Leone will accept the UK’s proof of COVID-19 recovery and vaccination record and proof of COVID-19 vaccination issued in the Crown Dependencies. Your final vaccine dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to travel. Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centres is not designed to be used as proof of vaccination and should not be used to demonstrate your vaccine status.
To be considered fully-vaccinated you must:
- have had both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine and the second dose must have been received at least two weeks prior to arriving in Sierra Leone, or
- have had one-dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks prior to arriving in Sierra Leone.
If you’ve had COVID-19 in the past year
Entry requirements for Sierra Leone are the same for all travellers, regardless of whether you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past year.
Children and young people
There are no specific requirements for children and young people.
If you’re transiting through Sierra Leone
There are no specific requirements for transiting through Sierra Leone.
Exemptions
There are no exemptions to Sierra Leone’s entry requirements.
Check your passport and travel documents before you travel
Passport validity
If you are visiting Sierra Leone, your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the time of your visa application.
Contact your travel provider or embassy of the country you are visiting if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
Visas
You will need a visa to enter Sierra Leone.
Visitors from the UK can get a visa on arrival in Sierra Leone for US$80, which must be paid in cash in US dollars or apply in advance for an electronic visa. If you’re travelling to Sierra Leone for a purpose other than a visit or business, you will need to get a visa before you travel. Contact the Sierra Leonean High Commission in London for details.
The Sierra Leone High Commission in London sometimes issues Emergency Travel Certificates to Sierra Leoneans resident in the UK and those with dual British/Sierra Leone nationality. These documents are not valid for return travel to the UK. Sierra Leone nationals require a visa for the UK, which can only be issued in a full passport.
Payment of airport security fee
With effect from 31 August 2022, all inbound and outbound passengers from international airports in Sierra Leone are required to pay a $25 airport security fee prior to travel. Payment can be made online at www.securipass.sl, via Orange Money or Afrimoney, or at any branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA) or Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB).
Yellow fever certificate requirements
Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate by visiting the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s TravelHealthPro website.