Getting a visa for Mauritania is quite simple for all nationalities and requires no preparation ahead of time.
Visa on Arrival in Nouakchott
Passport holders from all countries can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport in Nouakchott. The visa is valid for 30 days, single entry, and costs 55 EUR or 60 USD (you’ll need to have the exact amount in clean, crisp notes). Note that the visa will take up a full page in your passport.
The process at the airport can be quite slow (approximately 5-10 minutes per person), so you’ll want to make your way to the visa-on-arrival queue as quickly as possible and be prepared for a wait.
Visas at Land Border Crossings
Visa on arrival is also available at land border crossings for the same duration and price listed above. The main crossings are with Western Sahara in the north, and with Senegal in the South. The two crossings with Senegal are at Diama and Rosso. There are two main crossings with Mali from Timbuktu or Nara, but it is not advisable to use them at this time. There is also an extremely remote border crossing with Algeria between Zouerate and Tindouf, but it requires special permission to access and there is 700km of desert between the two towns.
Visa Exempt Countries
If you have a passport for the following countries, you do not need a visa: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Syria, and Tunisia.
Syrian passport holders, however, must apply for pre-approval.
