Before you travel to a foreign country, the most important thing you need is a travel authorization, and the same goes for Madagascar. Regardless of the length or purpose of your intended stay, you'll need a valid visa to enter Madagascar - unless you are from a country that enjoys a Madagascar visa exemption.
Madagascar offers both regular and electronic visas. Compared to a traditional paper or stamp visa, most travelers give more value to the e-visa as it's fast and more convenient.
Types of Madagascar e-Visas
The Madagascar government launched the e-visa system in 2017 to streamline the visa application process. Unlike a traditional visa, foreign nationals don’t need to visit the Madagascar embassy to get an e-visa. You can apply for this travel document from the comfort of your home, greatly speeding up the application process.
Currently, an e-visa is valid for transit, business, as well as tourism purposes. This means the Madagascar embassy can issue e-visas as tourist visas, transit visas, or business visas. You can use this travel document to:
Visit relatives
Explore the country
Attend meetings and conferences
Meet with business associates
Spend vacations
The type of your e-visa depends upon the length of your intended stay. Currently, the Madagascar single-entry visa can be used to stay in the country for either 30, 60, or 90 days. If a traveler wants to stay in the country for a longer period of time, he/she is required to visit Madagascar embassy for further information!
Madagascar e-Visa Requirements
Before you apply for either a traditional visa or an electronic visa online, you must fulfill some visa requirements. All applicants are required to submit some necessary documents, depending on their nationality as well as the purpose of the visit. For an e-visa, you only need a handful of documents, including:
Valid Passport - A copy of your original passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity and 2 blank pages for stamps.
E-mail Address - To submit your visa application, you'll need a valid and active email address. Your email address will be linked electronically to your passport. Upon approval, applicants will receive their e-visa via email!
Photograph - A digital passport-style photograph taken within the last 6 months. Make sure your photo has a white background!
Means of Payment - Applicants are required to pay the embassy fee as well as the visa fee. As this entire process is online, you'll need online payment methods, such as a debit card, credit card, or PayPal account.
These are the most basic documents required to apply online for a Madagascar visa. Besides these, you may need some additional supporting documents depending on your nationality and the purpose of your stay. These documents include:
Itinerary
Bank statement
Yellow fever vaccination certificate
Invitation letter
Business support letter
Proof of status
How to Apply for Madagascar e-Visa?
For short-term visits, applying for an electronic visa for Madagascar is undoubtedly a rational option. This is because the visa application process for an e-visa is simple and fast. No need to visit the Madagascar embassy or consulate office. No need to follow complicated steps. No need to schedule appointments for visa interviews.
To obtain electronic visas, all you need is a laptop or mobile device and a stable internet connection. You can visit VisaHQ to apply for an electronic visa from the comfort of your home. To do so, you'll need to follow the following steps:
Select your citizenship
Fill out the visa application form
Pay the visa fees
Submit your application with supporting documents
Once you submit your application, the Madagascar embassy will review it. Afterward, you'll receive your e-visa via email!
Visa Application Form
To fill out the Madagascar visa application form, you are required to provide personal, contact, travel, and passport information, including:
Full name
Date of birth
Nationality
Email address
Phone number
Travel dates
Passport number
Passport issue and expiry date
Before you submit your application, make sure to double-check the online form. If there are errors or mistakes in your form, your e-visa will be delayed or denied.
Processing Time
The processing time of a Madagascar tourist visa differs from applicant to applicant. The estimated processing time is 4 business days. However, due to high demand and secondary checks, you might need to wait a little longer. Therefore, it's recommended to apply for an e-visa at least 2 weeks prior to the intended departure date.
Travel to Madagascar - Entry Requirements
It's noteworthy to mention that an e-visa does not guarantee your entry to the country. The immigration officials have the final say. So, make sure to fulfill all the Madagascar entry requirements.
In addition, Madagascar is currently listed as level 4 due to COVID-19. So, make sure to get your COVID-19 vaccination certificate beforehand to avoid self-isolation!