GoBurkina Faso Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

Affected by the epidemic, the government of Burkina Faso has issued relevant quarantine regulations for tourists coming to Burkina Faso. Please follow our WeChat official account "Chinese Embassy in Burkina Faso" for the latest information.

Imported goods must pay customs duties, and carrying cash with one cannot exceed 3 million CFA francs. Long term residency after entry requires procedures to be completed at the immigration office.

Burkina Faso currently has 22 red (high-risk) areas, while the rest of the areas are orange (high-risk). Specifically, as follows:

1、 Red regions: Bam Province, Bawa Province, Komoe Province, Nyania Province, Gulma Province, Konedogu Province, Komangari Province, Kopienga Province, Corsi Province, Kurbelogo Province, Lorum Province, Namtenga Province, Nayara Province, Udaland Province, Sametenga Province, Seno Province, Sumu Province, Sulu Province, Tapoa Province, Tui Province, Yaga Province, Yatengga Province. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds Chinese citizens not to travel to the above-mentioned areas in Burkina Faso in the near future. Personnel and institutions in the area should evacuate or transfer to safe areas as soon as possible. In case of emergency, please report to the police in a timely manner and contact the Chinese embassy or consulate in the local area.

2、 Orange region: Other regions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds Chinese citizens to be cautious when traveling to other areas of Burkina Faso in the near future. Local personnel and institutions are closely monitoring the situation, maintaining high vigilance, strengthening security precautions and emergency preparedness, and ensuring personal and property safety. In case of emergency, please report to the police in a timely manner and contact the Chinese embassy or consulate in the local area.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas embassies and consulates will continue to closely monitor changes in the overseas security situation, dynamically adjust relevant risk assessments, and release and update corresponding security reminders in real time on platforms such as the China Consular Service Network. Please continue to pay attention.

public security

The security risks in Burkina Faso mainly stem from terrorist attacks by extremist organizations entrenched in the northern border areas with Mali and Niger. There were three serious terrorist attacks in the capital city of Mogadishu in 2016, 2017, and 2018. In 2014, large-scale protests and demonstrations led to political turmoil, and in 2015, an attempted military coup occurred. In recent years, terrorist organizations and illegal armed groups have been rampant in the eastern and northern border areas of Burundi. The President of Burundi announced that from January 1, 2019, in the provinces of Kossi, Sourou, Koulp é logo, Gnagna, Gourma, Komondjari, Kompienga, Tapoa, K é n é dougou, Lorum, Oudalan, S é no,... Fourteen provinces, including Soum and Yagha, have implemented a state of emergency, which was later extended until January 12, 2020. On January 10, 2020, the National Assembly of Burkina Faso passed a bill to extend it for another 18 months. In June 2021, the government of Burkina Faso held a cabinet meeting and passed a bill to extend the state of emergency in six regions for 18 months, which is pending review by the National Assembly. In January 2019, ethnic conflicts occurred in Irgu, a region in central northern China, resulting in over 40 deaths. In 2020, terrorist attacks continued to occur frequently. On June 5, 2021, a terrorist attack occurred in a village in the Yaga Province of the Sahel region in northern Burundi, resulting in at least 132 deaths. The number of refugees in Burundi exceeds one million. Chinese citizens are advised not to travel to the above-mentioned areas in the near future. The security situation in the capital is controllable, but it still faces pressure from terrorist attacks, and the public security situation is also affected. Robbery and theft incidents occur from time to time. I, as a citizen, need to prevent theft and robbery when traveling at night and in crowded areas in the city center. Long term residents' residences should be equipped with security measures and obtain contact information from the local police.

natural disaster

Burkina Faso experiences significant instantaneous rainfall during the rainy season (May September), while the dry season (October April) lasts for several months without rainfall and is accompanied by sandstorms. Corresponding preparations need to be made.

FDA

The hygiene conditions in the country are relatively poor, and food sold on the roadside lacks hygiene quarantine. However, food from regular restaurants, hotels, and bakeries can be safely consumed.

Urgent Help

External telephone numbers of relevant departments in the city of Mogadishu:

Police station: 17

Fire Brigade: 18

Military Police: 00226-80001145/00226-25306271

International Medical Center: 00226-25306607/00226-70200000

     Embassy Consular Protection Hotline:+ 226-71319116

Global Link Protection Call Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 12308

air traffic

Burkina Faso has international flights such as Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Türkiye Airlines, Moroccan Airlines and Algerian Airlines. In addition, local African airlines such as Burkina Faso Airlines and Ivory Coast Airlines have flights connecting Burkina Faso with neighboring countries. The main means of transportation to and from the airport are by car, with few taxis and poor condition. There is no direct flight with China, but transfers can be made in Paris, Addis Ababa and other places. At present, the airport is closed due to the epidemic situation. Please pay attention to our WeChat official account in time.

land transport

Land transportation is mainly by car and motorcycle, with railways from the capital to Cote d'Ivoire, mainly for freight transportation.

Urban transportation

The transportation in the city mainly relies on motorcycles, taxis, private cars and other means of transportation, and public transportation routes are very limited, far from meeting daily travel needs.

major city

Ouagadougou: Ouagadougou is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso. Located in the central part of the border on the Mohi Plateau, the terrain is flat with an altitude of over 300 meters. Tropical grassland climate, with an average annual temperature of 28.5 ℃ and an annual precipitation of 890 millimeters. The year is divided into dry season (October April) and rainy season (May September).

Commodity prices

Basic daily necessities are relatively complete, but due to mainly relying on imports, the prices of goods are relatively high. The official circulating currency, the West African Franc, has a fixed exchange rate with the Euro, with 1 Euro equaling 656 West African Francs. Local consumption is mainly paid in cash, and some legitimate stores may use bank cards with VISA or MASTER logos.

Insurance Medical

There are 3-4 hospitals in the city of Mogadishu, but they lack advanced medical equipment and have poor infrastructure. After the doctor prescribes the medicine, go to the pharmacy to buy it. Major local diseases: malaria, AIDS, hepatitis, encephalitis, etc. It is recommended that staff working in the area should rest immediately if they feel unwell; If you have a fever, please seek medical attention promptly and check for malaria. There is no public medical insurance.

Customs taboos

Main holidays: Independence Day: August 5th; National Day: December 11th.

Customs and Etiquette: Burkina Faso people are very polite when they see foreign guests, appearing warm, generous, and courteous, calling them "Sir", "Your Excellency", "Madam", "Madam", "Miss", etc. Always shake hands to greet male guests, and greet female guests with a smile, nod, and bow. In social situations, foreign guests who meet Burkina Faso people, regardless of whether they know the other person's name or not, can call men "sir" and women "madam", "madam", "miss", and can actively shake hands with men. You can bow slightly to greet women. Some ethnic groups in Burkina Faso strictly prohibit people from calling their kings or chiefs by their names.

Special reminder: Burkina Faso people do not like to be photographed at will. Before taking a photo of them, they should first obtain their consent.

Communications Power

The country code for Burkina Faso is 00226, and the way to make a phone call to Burkina Faso is 00226 (country code)+local phone number (eight digits). The mobile network standard is GSM, which is the same as the mobile network standard in China.

The standard power supply voltage is 220V, 50HZ, and the French power socket standard is a two-phase round head. You can purchase a conversion socket at a domestic electrical appliance store before departure.