Visa requirements for traveling to Togo
Protocol for getting a new visa
This information is provided with the understanding that the government can and will change things quickly and many times doesn’t inform anyone and they expect you to comply. So, this is our disclaimer. If you run into something different, please let us know and this information will be changed to reflect all the new information.
To enter Ghana or Togo, you will need current Yellow Fever shots. Be sure these are up to date. If there is a question, you can contact our Chief-of-Staff at our Southern Hospital for more information.
You can make application through the Togo Embassy in Washington D.C. Here is their address if needed:
If you are pressed for time, you can contact Travel Documents Systems (TDS) at one the following addresses:
If you would like to view more information on Togo, click here. You'll see on the tool bar an icon to translate that page if you wish.
In the US.
You can make application through the Togo Embassy in Washington D.C. Here is their address if needed:
Togo Embassy
2208 Massachusetts Ave, N.W.
Washington D.C 20008
Telephone: (202) 234-4212 Fax: (202) 232-3190
2208 Massachusetts Ave, N.W.
Washington D.C 20008
Telephone: (202) 234-4212 Fax: (202) 232-3190
If you are pressed for time, you can contact Travel Documents Systems (TDS) at one the following addresses:
Washington DC Office
925 Fifteenth Street
N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005
Voice: 1-800-874-5100 Local: 202-638-3800 Fax: 202-638-4674
support@traveldocs.com
Washington, D.C. 20005
Voice: 1-800-874-5100 Local: 202-638-3800 Fax: 202-638-4674
support@traveldocs.com
New York Office
641
Lexington Avenue
Suite 1435
New York, NY 10022
Voice: 1- 877-874-5104 Local: 212-223-1735 Fax: 212-634-6361
ny@traveldocs.com
New York, NY 10022
Voice: 1- 877-874-5104 Local: 212-223-1735 Fax: 212-634-6361
ny@traveldocs.com
San Francisco Office
3 Embarcadero Center
Lobby Level, Suite 2
San Francisco, CA 94111
Voice: 1-888-874-5100 Local: 415-399-1515 Fax: 415399-1001
sfo@traveldocs.com
San Francisco, CA 94111
Voice: 1-888-874-5100 Local: 415-399-1515 Fax: 415399-1001
sfo@traveldocs.com
If you would like to view more information on Togo, click here. You'll see on the tool bar an icon to translate that page if you wish.
If
you use TDS, you need to be aware that they will obviously charge you for their
services and you can plan on paying approximately $50/visa request + consular fee of $140. The TDS office in Washington will hand carry
your application from embassy to embassy.
If you have adequate time to apply directly to the embassy, your cost
for the visa will be approximately $140/visa request for a multiple entry visa. It will be good to contact one of agencies to find out what their current charges are. If you are paying by a credit card, you'll need authorization from you credit card company If you are paying via a check or money order you need to make them payable to "Travel Document Systems, Inc." for TDS handling fee per visa, plus Embassy Consular Fee per visa, and return Shipping Fee.
If you have time to care for this yourself, you can do it the following way and save yourself the cost of using TDS. Go to the TDS website and download the visa application and print off 3 copies. Fill out each copy individually as they don’t like you to fill out one and make photocopies of it (in the US or Togo). By the way, you can’t print off copies of the forms for the Togo embassy and use them in Togo with Togo immigration (even though they will look similar). You must purchase their specific forms when in Togo. The cost is less than a dollar for a packet of three forms. It wouldn’t hurt to have a cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip. If needed, ABWE or the team leader/assistant team leader can provide you with this letter. You will need to provide them with passport type pictures attached to the applications. Don’t forget to send your passport so they will be able to affix the visa sticker or stamp.
When filling out the application, you may be asked for a couple addresses in Togo as references, contact the individual you’ll be staying with for these.
When you have your things (passport, vaccination booklet that must show you have a yellow fever vaccination, cover letter, photocopy of your round trip tickets and pictures) ready to send in, take all this to a FedEx office and purchase a return envelope with your name on the address portion. They (FedEx) will help you with all of this and then send all of this to the address listed above (in Washington, D.C.). Once they receive the application, it normally will be processed the same day and sent right back out. Recently the embassy has seen this as a way of making money, so don't be surprised if they ask for more then indicated above. They have a FedEx drop box almost in front of the embassy and this allows them to quickly care for your visa application. You should receive it in a short amount of time from the time you sent it in and you will have saved yourself some money and heartburn by doing it this way.
For those who may wish to travel to Togo without a visa, it can be done but a word of caution is in line. A “transit visa” can be purchased at the airport or at just about any border crossing for a small fee. At this point it is much lower than the Washington fee! However, you must be aware that a transit visa is just that, it allows you to be in the country for 7 days without a “formal” visa. This technically is to allow you to pass through Togo from one point of entry to another.
However, if you choose this route (perhaps coming through Ghana), you will need to renew your visa within the 7 days or face penalty charges when you exit Togo. You need to be aware that the visa they will issue in Washington is only good for 3 months from the time it is issued. So make sure you plan on getting it within the 3 month time frame prior to your departure. Once you have entered Togo, the visa will now normally be valid for 3 months to 1 year based on what is indicated on your visa. They cannot issue visas in Washington for anything greater than 1 year and if it is done, it is done at the risk of the Togo Embassy employee’s job, so please don’t ask for anything more than 1 year max.
If you are in Togo and need to renew your visa, you need to be aware that there are 2 different ways to acquire this.
1. You can go to the Immigration office located near the CNSS building and pick up new application forms (4). Be aware that these forms are different from the website and they WILL NOT accept the website forms and you MUST purchase their forms (see above). You will be required to pay for these so make sure you take along some change (coins or small bills). You can fill in the applications right there if you already have your pictures. There are a few places throughout Lomé and across the street from the immigration office where you can get visa pictures taken. Yes, you can even use pictures from one of those booths we played around in as kids. The picture quality may not be the greatest, but Immigration will accept them and it is a lot cheaper than going to a professional photographer (unless you would prefer this). While filling out this application, you must indicate that you are requesting a 1 year visa. When you have signed everything and it is completed, take it back to the office (window) where you purchased the forms (applications) and deposit them (with your passport) and 15,000 francs CFA. This is the cost for a yearly renewable visa. The times for deposit and pickup have change so please check with them or the business manager for current information. In the past you could only deposit the application in the mornings and then return the next day to pick up your passport. But all of that has changed! Many people prefer this way of renewing their visa because it is much quicker and less of a hassle.
2. This particular way is a long drawn out process and if you have the time and patience, you can do this without any cost (at this point). To begin with you or someone else must go to the Immigration office and pick up the same applications mentioned above. You can take the forms home and fill them out at your leisure. You will need a cover letter from either the team leader or the assistant team leader indicating you are a valid ABWE missionary in Togo and what it is you do and that you are requesting a 3 year visa. If you are a medical type person or related to one, you will need to receive a letter from the hospital administration stating you are a doctor, nurse, PA or whatever at this institution and why you are there. It must indicate in the cover letter the number of years you are requesting. You can request up to 3 years on this visa. Please be sure and read over the letter before leaving the office or home of the individual providing this letter to make sure there are no mistakes with name spelling, length of visa request, etc. Otherwise you will be really frustrated and upset when you get to Lomé and find a mistake! You will also need a photocopy of the page from the “Official Journal (official journal)” for Togo that has the numbers and authorization for ABWE to be in Togo. Without this form, your request will either be delayed or denied.
Now this is where it becomes different so please follow these instructions.
Non-medical people making a visa request need to take their application forms, letter, photocopy of the Official Journal, passport pictures, passport, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs office. This is the office near the parliamentary building. If you are unaware of where this is, don't hesitate to ask one of the senior missionaries. You will need to leave all the above mentioned items with a secretary and they will give you a processing number to track your stuff. Once you have deposited your application here, you are done. If you want to check on its progress (or lack of it), you must provide them with the number they gave you in order to track down where it is at. When the application is approved you will need to pick up the paperwork and now take it to the Minister of Security. This is on the road “Rue de l’OCAM", this is the road that passes near the restaurant “La Pirogue” on your way to Ablogamé. Again, you will need to request the tracking number. When this portion of the application process is complete you can pick it up and take it to the Immigration office where the visa application process will be finalized (anywhere from 4 – 8 weeks). Hopefully you will be able to pick up the passport on the day they will indicate. You need to be aware that this process can take several weeks to several months to accomplish for various reasons.
Medical people MUST go through an additional process for the longer visa application. The procedure is similar to the above process but you must begin the process by taking your application to the Minister of Health minus your passport, pictures and vaccination booklet. He will type of a letter giving you his authorization to be “working” in Togo as a health care worker (even though you won't be remunerated for your work). NEVER use the term that you will be working at or near the hospital. All of this normally takes about a week. You can stop back to this office and pick up his letter and now combine that with the other items (see above) and take all these to the Minister of Foreign Affairs office. You will deposit everything here again and be sure and get your number for tracking purposes. The balance of things will be the same from here on out.
As you can see the second process can be long and drawn out if you desire to have the visa without paying but there are trade offs, namely the length of time it takes to get it processed.
Over the last few years this has changed a lot, so it is even possible that this has changed since this was written. You WILL need a visa to enter Ghana (if you are traveling to Ghana) and a visa to enter Ghana for your departure. So it will be to your advantage to have a multiple entry visa.
If you choose to go the following route for those in Togo, you will need to go by the Ghana Embassy (first time people will need to get directions as it is kind of difficult to describe and find) to pick up your application form. You can fill them out at the embassy. When you deposit the application(s) with your passport(s), you will be given an interview that will accompany your application(s). You will NOT BE able to represent your spouse or child(ren). All must be present for the “interview”. Be sure and have 2 references in Ghana with you as you will be asked for these (unless you are in transit). The Embassy is now requiring a Togo resident visa and not the 1 year type. So a word to the wise. Normally, you can pick up your passport the following day as it only takes about 24 hours to process your application. You will need to ask someone what the cost is for the various types of visas as they vary greatly. We have had some problems with the Ghanaian embassy and the lengths of the visas. The US embassy states you can have up to a 5 year multiple entry visa.
If you have time to care for this yourself, you can do it the following way and save yourself the cost of using TDS. Go to the TDS website and download the visa application and print off 3 copies. Fill out each copy individually as they don’t like you to fill out one and make photocopies of it (in the US or Togo). By the way, you can’t print off copies of the forms for the Togo embassy and use them in Togo with Togo immigration (even though they will look similar). You must purchase their specific forms when in Togo. The cost is less than a dollar for a packet of three forms. It wouldn’t hurt to have a cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip. If needed, ABWE or the team leader/assistant team leader can provide you with this letter. You will need to provide them with passport type pictures attached to the applications. Don’t forget to send your passport so they will be able to affix the visa sticker or stamp.
When filling out the application, you may be asked for a couple addresses in Togo as references, contact the individual you’ll be staying with for these.
When you have your things (passport, vaccination booklet that must show you have a yellow fever vaccination, cover letter, photocopy of your round trip tickets and pictures) ready to send in, take all this to a FedEx office and purchase a return envelope with your name on the address portion. They (FedEx) will help you with all of this and then send all of this to the address listed above (in Washington, D.C.). Once they receive the application, it normally will be processed the same day and sent right back out. Recently the embassy has seen this as a way of making money, so don't be surprised if they ask for more then indicated above. They have a FedEx drop box almost in front of the embassy and this allows them to quickly care for your visa application. You should receive it in a short amount of time from the time you sent it in and you will have saved yourself some money and heartburn by doing it this way.
For those who may wish to travel to Togo without a visa, it can be done but a word of caution is in line. A “transit visa” can be purchased at the airport or at just about any border crossing for a small fee. At this point it is much lower than the Washington fee! However, you must be aware that a transit visa is just that, it allows you to be in the country for 7 days without a “formal” visa. This technically is to allow you to pass through Togo from one point of entry to another.
However, if you choose this route (perhaps coming through Ghana), you will need to renew your visa within the 7 days or face penalty charges when you exit Togo. You need to be aware that the visa they will issue in Washington is only good for 3 months from the time it is issued. So make sure you plan on getting it within the 3 month time frame prior to your departure. Once you have entered Togo, the visa will now normally be valid for 3 months to 1 year based on what is indicated on your visa. They cannot issue visas in Washington for anything greater than 1 year and if it is done, it is done at the risk of the Togo Embassy employee’s job, so please don’t ask for anything more than 1 year max.
In Togo
If you are in Togo and need to renew your visa, you need to be aware that there are 2 different ways to acquire this.
1. You can go to the Immigration office located near the CNSS building and pick up new application forms (4). Be aware that these forms are different from the website and they WILL NOT accept the website forms and you MUST purchase their forms (see above). You will be required to pay for these so make sure you take along some change (coins or small bills). You can fill in the applications right there if you already have your pictures. There are a few places throughout Lomé and across the street from the immigration office where you can get visa pictures taken. Yes, you can even use pictures from one of those booths we played around in as kids. The picture quality may not be the greatest, but Immigration will accept them and it is a lot cheaper than going to a professional photographer (unless you would prefer this). While filling out this application, you must indicate that you are requesting a 1 year visa. When you have signed everything and it is completed, take it back to the office (window) where you purchased the forms (applications) and deposit them (with your passport) and 15,000 francs CFA. This is the cost for a yearly renewable visa. The times for deposit and pickup have change so please check with them or the business manager for current information. In the past you could only deposit the application in the mornings and then return the next day to pick up your passport. But all of that has changed! Many people prefer this way of renewing their visa because it is much quicker and less of a hassle.
2. This particular way is a long drawn out process and if you have the time and patience, you can do this without any cost (at this point). To begin with you or someone else must go to the Immigration office and pick up the same applications mentioned above. You can take the forms home and fill them out at your leisure. You will need a cover letter from either the team leader or the assistant team leader indicating you are a valid ABWE missionary in Togo and what it is you do and that you are requesting a 3 year visa. If you are a medical type person or related to one, you will need to receive a letter from the hospital administration stating you are a doctor, nurse, PA or whatever at this institution and why you are there. It must indicate in the cover letter the number of years you are requesting. You can request up to 3 years on this visa. Please be sure and read over the letter before leaving the office or home of the individual providing this letter to make sure there are no mistakes with name spelling, length of visa request, etc. Otherwise you will be really frustrated and upset when you get to Lomé and find a mistake! You will also need a photocopy of the page from the “Official Journal (official journal)” for Togo that has the numbers and authorization for ABWE to be in Togo. Without this form, your request will either be delayed or denied.
Now this is where it becomes different so please follow these instructions.
Non-medical people making a visa request need to take their application forms, letter, photocopy of the Official Journal, passport pictures, passport, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs office. This is the office near the parliamentary building. If you are unaware of where this is, don't hesitate to ask one of the senior missionaries. You will need to leave all the above mentioned items with a secretary and they will give you a processing number to track your stuff. Once you have deposited your application here, you are done. If you want to check on its progress (or lack of it), you must provide them with the number they gave you in order to track down where it is at. When the application is approved you will need to pick up the paperwork and now take it to the Minister of Security. This is on the road “Rue de l’OCAM", this is the road that passes near the restaurant “La Pirogue” on your way to Ablogamé. Again, you will need to request the tracking number. When this portion of the application process is complete you can pick it up and take it to the Immigration office where the visa application process will be finalized (anywhere from 4 – 8 weeks). Hopefully you will be able to pick up the passport on the day they will indicate. You need to be aware that this process can take several weeks to several months to accomplish for various reasons.
Medical people MUST go through an additional process for the longer visa application. The procedure is similar to the above process but you must begin the process by taking your application to the Minister of Health minus your passport, pictures and vaccination booklet. He will type of a letter giving you his authorization to be “working” in Togo as a health care worker (even though you won't be remunerated for your work). NEVER use the term that you will be working at or near the hospital. All of this normally takes about a week. You can stop back to this office and pick up his letter and now combine that with the other items (see above) and take all these to the Minister of Foreign Affairs office. You will deposit everything here again and be sure and get your number for tracking purposes. The balance of things will be the same from here on out.
As you can see the second process can be long and drawn out if you desire to have the visa without paying but there are trade offs, namely the length of time it takes to get it processed.
Protocol for a Ghanaian Visa
(in Togo)
Over the last few years this has changed a lot, so it is even possible that this has changed since this was written. You WILL need a visa to enter Ghana (if you are traveling to Ghana) and a visa to enter Ghana for your departure. So it will be to your advantage to have a multiple entry visa.
In Togo
The business manager strongly recommends that you at least secure a Ghanaian visa prior to coming to Togo. We have experienced to many problems for those visiting who haven't bothered to get a Ghana visa.
If you choose to go the following route for those in Togo, you will need to go by the Ghana Embassy (first time people will need to get directions as it is kind of difficult to describe and find) to pick up your application form. You can fill them out at the embassy. When you deposit the application(s) with your passport(s), you will be given an interview that will accompany your application(s). You will NOT BE able to represent your spouse or child(ren). All must be present for the “interview”. Be sure and have 2 references in Ghana with you as you will be asked for these (unless you are in transit). The Embassy is now requiring a Togo resident visa and not the 1 year type. So a word to the wise. Normally, you can pick up your passport the following day as it only takes about 24 hours to process your application. You will need to ask someone what the cost is for the various types of visas as they vary greatly. We have had some problems with the Ghanaian embassy and the lengths of the visas. The US embassy states you can have up to a 5 year multiple entry visa.
Recently we have experienced a problem with the Ghanaian embassy. They will only accept request for visas if you hold s valid "carte de séjour". Again please contact us for more up to date information.
If you have further questions please feel free to contact us .
Jim Gerhart
Team Leader
If you have further questions please feel free to contact us .
Jim Gerhart
Team Leader
prepared by Steve Mills (Team Leader and Business Manager) Jan. 8, 2011