Gabon
Gabon visa guide: e-visa and residence card
- 2 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Gabon work
Entry and stay of foreigners in Gabon are governed by Law No. 5/86 of 18 June 1986 on the admission and stay of foreigners. Visas and residence documents are handled by the Direction Générale de la Documentation et de l'Immigration (DGDI), part of the national police under the Ministry of the Interior.
Short visits are covered by an electronic visa that the DGDI calls an electronic travel authorisation. You apply online, the DGDI decides within 72 hours of receiving the file, and the visa sticker is placed in your passport and paid for on arrival. At present the e-visa is valid only for travellers who arrive by air at Léon Mba International Airport in Libreville.
Some nationalities are exempt under bilateral agreements. The exemption list on the e-visa portal covers ordinary passports of Morocco, Mauritius and South Africa, and diplomatic or service passports of a further group of countries. Holders of any other ordinary passport need a visa, which for arrivals by air in Libreville means the e-visa.
Foreigners who settle in Gabon to work, run a business, live with family or retire apply to the DGDI for a carte de séjour (residence card). The standard card fee is 150,000 FCFA for a card valid two years, plus a deposit (caution) whose amount depends on nationality.
Which visa do I need?
Tourism, family or friends visit, business meeting, trade fair, mission or medical trip of up to six months, arriving by air in Libreville: apply for the e-visa (one to three months single entry, or six months multiple entry).
Ordinary passport of Morocco, Mauritius or South Africa: check the exemption list on the e-visa portal before applying.
Employment, self-employment, family reunion with a resident, marriage to a Gabonese citizen or living on a pension: apply to the DGDI for a carte de séjour once in Gabon.
Visa types for Gabon
Residence
- Residence permit Carte de séjour (residence card, DGDI)
Foreigners who live in Gabon need a carte de séjour issued by the DGDI.
Validity: Two years for the standard card; renewals use the same form.
Online travel permits
- e-Visa Gabon e-Visa (electronic travel authorisation, DGDI)
Gabon's e-visa is requested online from the DGDI, decided within 72 hours and stuck into your passport on arrival at Léon Mba International Airport in Libreville, where the fee is paid.
Maximum stay: One, two or three months with a single entry, or six months with multiple entries, as chosen in the application.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs a visa for Gabon?
Everyone whose passport is not on the DGDI exemption list. For ordinary passports that list names only Morocco, Mauritius and South Africa; other exemptions cover diplomatic or service passports of certain countries. Everyone else applies for the e-visa before flying to Libreville.
How much does the Gabon e-visa cost?
For one to three months with a single entry the DGDI lists EUR 70 or 45,000 FCFA; for six months with multiple entries EUR 185 or 120,000 FCFA. A file processing fee of EUR 15 is added in both cases. The fee is paid on arrival when the visa sticker is issued.
Can I use the e-visa at a land border or another airport?
No. The DGDI states that e-visas are currently valid only for travellers arriving by air at Léon Mba International Airport in Libreville.
How long does the e-visa take?
The DGDI processes the request within 72 hours of receiving it and states that it cannot be handled faster. Do not travel before the arrival date in your application or before you have received the travel authorisation receipt.
Can a Gabon visa be extended?
A one-month visa can be extended by two months and a two-month visa by one month at the visa department of the DGDI in Libreville. Three-month and six-month visas cannot be extended.
What does a Gabon residence card cost?
The DGDI application form lists 150,000 FCFA in card fees for a carte de séjour valid two years, plus a deposit that depends on your nationality according to the DGDI's list.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.