Sierra Leone entry requirements, by passport
Sierra Leone visa requirements at a glance: 136 of the 198 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Sierra Leone without arranging a visa beforehand: visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorisation. The other 62 must obtain a visa before they travel.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Sierra Leone for your nationality.
What we've verified for Sierra Leone
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 2 October 2026). The specifics depend on your nationality: open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Visa-on-arrival fee: 80 USD
- Required documents (4)
- Required vaccinations
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Stay and transit rules
Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Sierra Leone, updated 19 June 2026: compulsory visa and routes, 30 days and extension, health form since 18 June 2026, passport, currency, diamonds, risk areas); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sierra-leone (UK Government, updated 19 June 2026: 80-dollar visa on arrival, visa validity, yellow fever, Ebola screening, precious stones); data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 2 October 2026.
This table summarises the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track. The difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorisation, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorisation: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 12 October 2026. Published: 2 October 2026.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Algeria | Visa on arrival | — |
| Angola | Visa on arrival | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa on arrival | — |
| Australia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Austria | Visa on arrival | — |
| Bahamas | Visa on arrival | — |
| Bahrain | Visa on arrival | — |
| Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | — |
| Barbados | Visa on arrival | — |
| Belgium | Visa on arrival | — |
| Belize | Visa on arrival | — |
| Benin | Visa-free | — |
| Bolivia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Botswana | Visa on arrival | — |
| Brazil | Visa on arrival | — |
| Brunei | Visa on arrival | — |
| Bulgaria | Visa on arrival | — |
| Burkina Faso | Visa-free | — |
| Burundi | Visa on arrival | — |
| Cambodia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Cameroon | Visa on arrival | — |
| Canada | Visa on arrival | — |
| Cape Verde | Visa-free | — |
| Central African Republic | Visa on arrival | — |
| Chad | Visa on arrival | — |
| China | Visa on arrival | — |
| Comoros | Visa on arrival | — |
| Croatia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Cyprus | Visa on arrival | — |
| Czech Republic | Visa on arrival | — |
| Denmark | Visa on arrival | — |
| Dominica | Visa on arrival | — |
| DR Congo | Visa on arrival | — |
| Egypt | Visa on arrival | — |
| Eritrea | Visa on arrival | — |
| Estonia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Eswatini | Visa on arrival | — |
| Fiji | Visa on arrival | — |
| Finland | Visa on arrival | — |
| France | Visa on arrival | — |
| Gabon | Visa on arrival | — |
| Gambia | Visa-free | — |
| Germany | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ghana | Visa-free | — |
| Greece | Visa on arrival | — |
| Grenada | Visa on arrival | — |
| Guinea | Visa-free | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | Visa-free | — |
| Guyana | Visa on arrival | — |
| Hungary | Visa on arrival | — |
| India | Visa on arrival | — |
| Indonesia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Iran | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ireland | Visa on arrival | — |
| Israel | Visa on arrival | — |
| Italy | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ivory Coast | Visa-free | — |
| Jamaica | Visa on arrival | — |
| Japan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Kenya | Visa on arrival | — |
| Kiribati | Visa on arrival | — |
| Kuwait | Visa on arrival | — |
| Latvia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Lebanon | Visa on arrival | — |
| Lesotho | Visa on arrival | — |
| Liberia | Visa-free | — |
| Libya | Visa on arrival | — |
| Liechtenstein | Visa on arrival | — |
| Lithuania | Visa on arrival | — |
| Luxembourg | Visa on arrival | — |
| Macao | Visa on arrival | — |
| Madagascar | Visa on arrival | — |
| Malawi | Visa on arrival | — |
| Malaysia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Mali | Visa-free | — |
| Malta | Visa on arrival | — |
| Mauritania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mauritius | Visa on arrival | — |
| Moldova | Visa on arrival | — |
| Morocco | Visa on arrival | — |
| Mozambique | Visa on arrival | — |
| Namibia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Nauru | Visa on arrival | — |
| Netherlands | Visa on arrival | — |
| New Zealand | Visa on arrival | — |
| Niger | Visa-free | — |
| Nigeria | Visa-free | — |
| Norway | Visa on arrival | — |
| Oman | Visa on arrival | — |
| Pakistan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Papua New Guinea | Visa on arrival | — |
| Poland | Visa on arrival | — |
| Portugal | Visa on arrival | — |
| Qatar | Visa on arrival | — |
| Republic of the Congo | Visa on arrival | — |
| Romania | Visa on arrival | — |
| Russia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Rwanda | Visa on arrival | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa on arrival | — |
| Saint Lucia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa on arrival | — |
| Samoa | Visa on arrival | — |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Visa on arrival | — |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Senegal | Visa-free | — |
| Seychelles | Visa on arrival | — |
| Singapore | Visa on arrival | — |
| Slovakia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Slovenia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Solomon Islands | Visa on arrival | — |
| Somalia | Visa on arrival | — |
| South Africa | Visa on arrival | — |
| South Korea | Visa on arrival | — |
| South Sudan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Spain | Visa on arrival | — |
| Sri Lanka | Visa on arrival | — |
| Sudan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Sweden | Visa on arrival | — |
| Switzerland | Visa on arrival | — |
| Tanzania | Visa on arrival | — |
| Thailand | Visa on arrival | — |
| Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival | — |
| Togo | Visa-free | — |
| Tonga | Visa on arrival | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa on arrival | — |
| Tunisia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Turkey | Visa on arrival | — |
| Tuvalu | Visa on arrival | — |
| Uganda | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ukraine | Visa on arrival | — |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa on arrival | — |
| United Kingdom | Visa on arrival | — |
| United States | Visa on arrival | — |
| Vanuatu | Visa on arrival | — |
| Vietnam | Visa on arrival | — |
| Zambia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Visa required | ||
| Afghanistan | e-Visa | — |
| Albania | e-Visa | — |
| Andorra | e-Visa | — |
| Argentina | e-Visa | — |
| Armenia | e-Visa | — |
| Azerbaijan | e-Visa | — |
| Belarus | e-Visa | — |
| Bhutan | e-Visa | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | e-Visa | — |
| Chile | e-Visa | — |
| Colombia | e-Visa | — |
| Costa Rica | e-Visa | — |
| Cuba | e-Visa | — |
| Djibouti | e-Visa | — |
| Dominican Republic | e-Visa | — |
| Ecuador | e-Visa | — |
| El Salvador | e-Visa | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | e-Visa | — |
| Ethiopia | e-Visa | — |
| Georgia | e-Visa | — |
| Guatemala | e-Visa | — |
| Haiti | e-Visa | — |
| Honduras | e-Visa | — |
| Hong Kong | e-Visa | — |
| Iceland | e-Visa | — |
| Iraq | e-Visa | — |
| Jordan | e-Visa | — |
| Kazakhstan | e-Visa | — |
| Kosovo | e-Visa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | e-Visa | — |
| Laos | e-Visa | — |
| Maldives | e-Visa | — |
| Marshall Islands | e-Visa | — |
| Mexico | e-Visa | — |
| Micronesia | e-Visa | — |
| Monaco | e-Visa | — |
| Mongolia | e-Visa | — |
| Montenegro | e-Visa | — |
| Myanmar | e-Visa | — |
| Nepal | e-Visa | — |
| Nicaragua | e-Visa | — |
| North Korea | e-Visa | — |
| North Macedonia | e-Visa | — |
| Palau | e-Visa | — |
| Palestine | e-Visa | — |
| Panama | e-Visa | — |
| Paraguay | e-Visa | — |
| Peru | e-Visa | — |
| Philippines | e-Visa | — |
| San Marino | e-Visa | — |
| Serbia | e-Visa | — |
| Suriname | e-Visa | — |
| Syria | e-Visa | — |
| Taiwan | e-Visa | — |
| Tajikistan | e-Visa | — |
| Turkmenistan | e-Visa | — |
| Uruguay | e-Visa | — |
| Uzbekistan | e-Visa | — |
| Vatican | e-Visa | — |
| Venezuela | e-Visa | — |
| Yemen | e-Visa | — |
| Zimbabwe | e-Visa | — |
Sierra Leone rules for every passport
Vaccinations, customs limits and penalties are the same for every traveller.
Vaccinations
- Yellow fever: required for entry.
- Because of the international Ebola emergency declared by the WHO, there is enhanced health screening on arrival.
Customs limits
- Cash
- Currency may only be brought in or taken out up to 10,000 US dollars, according to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The leone can only be exchanged inside the country.
Overstay penalties
The penalty for staying longer than authorised could not be confirmed against an official Sierra Leonean source.
Grounds for refusal
- Not carrying the yellow fever vaccination certificate.
- Not having completed the health travel form, or giving false details on it.
- A passport with less than six months' validity.
Travel insurance
Each destination decides whether to require insurance, and some check it at the border. If yours does, make sure the policy covers the whole trip.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
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Do you need a different visa for Freetown, Bo, or Kenema?
No. Sierra Leone sets the requirements, so entering through Freetown asks for the same as entering through Bo or Kenema. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travellers to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has had one property on the World Heritage List since 2025: the Gola-Tiwai complex, which joins Gola Rainforest National Park and the Tiwai Island wildlife sanctuary, within the Upper Guinean forest, with more than a thousand plant species. The capital, Freetown, sits on a peninsula with beaches. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises travelling with extreme caution: it asks travellers to avoid the borders with Liberia, the border area with Guinea at Yenga, the diamond-mining areas of the south, and eastern and central Freetown, where protests gather, and not to walk alone on beaches at night, especially Lumley.
Sources for this section: data.unesco.org (World Heritage List: Gola-Tiwai Complex, 2025); Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advice for Sierra Leone. Accessed 2 October 2026.
Things to see and do in Sierra Leone
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:
Browse activities on GetYourGuide →This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where can Sierra Leone passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.