GoTogo Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

Togo currently implements electronic visas at all airports and land ports, and no longer applies for visa on arrival. Chinese citizens entering Togo should apply for the corresponding electronic visa at least one week in advance based on the reason. The electronic visa application platform is the Togo National Travel Network（ https://voyage.gouv.tg ）. Those who illegally stay or engage in business, labor and other activities in violation of visa requirements will face fines of different amounts.

Chinese citizens holding valid diplomatic, official or service ordinary passports can enter Togo without a visa and stay for no more than 30 days.

Customs epidemic prevention and control

1、 Introduction: The Finance and Taxation Management Agency (OTR), under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Togo, was established in 2014 to unify the management of customs and taxation departments. Compared to neighboring countries, Togo's customs fees are generally higher, but non-tariff barriers are almost non-existent. The import and export of specific products related to life and health, national security, animal and plant protection, and public morality must apply for a license from the relevant department. Such as weapons, explosive devices, military equipment, medicines, rare wood, etc. Other goods can freely enter and exit Togo under customs supervision.

2、 The taxes and fees related to customs include: 1. Scanning fee (DPS, robot de passage au scanner); 2. Information fee (or "clearance fee") (RI); 3. Goods Inspection Fee (RIV); 4. Tariffs (DD, drain de douane); 5. Statistics fee (RS); 6. The Western Community Tax (PC, Pr é l è ve Communautaire CEDEAO); 7. The Solidarity Tax of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (PCS); 8. National Solidarity Tax (PNS); 9. Business profit tax for companies or natural persons (BIC-IS/BIC-IRPP, b é n é fices Industriels et Commercialaux); 10. Value added tax (TVA); 11. Infrastructure Protection Tax (TPI); 12. Bulk cargo access tax (PEA, tax de p é age); 13. Customs stamp duty (TD, timbre douanier); 14. The foreign trade single window development company charges a fee (SEGUCE).

Togo encourages exports, and only charges customs stamp duty, statistical fees, information fees, transit fees, and other taxes and fees for exports or transit.

3、 Airport control: Inbound personnel are allowed to carry a reasonable amount of personal belongings, and those exceeding the scope of personal use must declare to customs. For example, no more than 50 grams of gold and silver jewelry, 10 packs of cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, a bottle of strong liquor, a bottle of wine, a bottle of cosmetics, a bottle of perfume, etc. Individuals under the age of 18 are not allowed to carry tobacco and alcohol products. Prohibited items include pornographic materials, narcotics, and publications that incite subversion of the government. Items that require corresponding procedures to be carried include: firearms and ammunition, radio transmitters and receivers, drones, drugs beyond personal use, meat products, tomato sauce, animal protection, etc. Outbound personnel are prohibited from carrying products such as ivory and crocodiles.

Individuals carrying foreign currency equivalent to 1 million Sirens are required to declare upon entry. When leaving the country, long-term residents of West African Economic and Monetary Union countries may bring foreign currency equivalent to no more than 2 million francs to leave the Union; Other individuals leaving the West African Economic and Monetary Union can only carry foreign currency equivalent to 500000 francs.

4、 Financial regulation: Togo implements foreign exchange controls and foreign exchange cannot be freely exchanged. But the following situations can be exchanged and remitted overseas after being reviewed by the bank:

（1） The legitimate profits obtained by foreigners after registering companies in Togo;

（2） Full salary for foreign employees working in registered companies in Togo (based on the company's payroll);

（3） The cost of importing materials and supplies required to establish a business in Togo (with invoices in the form of suppliers);

（4） Income from foreign trade sales in Togo (based on the invoice of the supplier of the origin of the goods);

（5） Foreigners or Togolese who need to travel or travel abroad can exchange a certain amount of foreign exchange at the bank with their passports and tickets.

5、 Epidemic prevention requirements: Chinese people enter from Lom é Airport, and the immunization certificate (yellow book) is a must check material. If it is missing, it must be supplemented after 10000 sirons of yellow fever injection on site.

The Togolese government stipulates that all inbound and outbound personnel must https://voyage.gouv.tg/ Fill in the immigration and health declaration form in advance on the website, and download the travel declaration form with a QR code attached. It can be printed on paper or saved with screenshots. Please keep this declaration form properly for future reference.

Residency and Naturalization

Applying for a residence permit in Togo can be done online on the website of the National Document Administration of multiple countries https://dgdn.gouv.tg After the online application review is confirmed to be correct, online payment will be made. The one-year residence permit is 200000 Xilang, the three-year residence permit is 500000 Xilang, and the five-year residence permit is 800000 Xilang. Download and print the online application form, and send it along with other relevant materials to the National Document Administration for offline processing. The required materials for different types of residence permits can be found on the National Document Administration website. After receiving the pick-up notice, go to the National Document Administration to collect the documents. Submit materials every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and pick them up on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings.

Address of the National Document Administration: GTA, 322 R.P.T., Lom é

Phone: (+228) 22507856

Togo's risk level is blue (low risk)

public security

The overall security situation in Togo is still acceptable, with occasional cases of fraud, theft, and robbery. Special attention should be paid to important holidays such as Christmas, New Year's Day, and Eid al Adha, as well as periods before school starts when a large amount of money is needed. Try to avoid going out after dark. Do not carry a large amount of cash when going out, and it is best not to carry a backpack. Traveling and shopping together. Companies or households can hire security guards, reinforce doors and windows, keep dogs, strengthen prevention measures, and avoid storing large amounts of cash at home. Pay attention to changing times and routes when making deposits or payments at the bank. If any unexpected situation occurs, it should be reported promptly and the Chinese Embassy in Togo should be contacted.

In 2022, there were multiple terrorist attacks in the northern border area of Togo, posing a security risk. Chinese citizens are advised to avoid traveling to this region as much as possible.

natural disaster

In recent years, Togo has not experienced any major natural disasters. But during the rainy season from May to October each year, due to a sudden increase in rainfall, the local drainage is not smooth, and urban and rural areas are prone to waterlogging.

Health and hygiene

Togo is located in a high-risk area for malaria, and four species of mosquitoes that can transmit malaria parasites worldwide have been found in Togo. Malaria has been eradicated in most areas of our country, and the Chinese people have no immunity to malaria parasites. Therefore, malaria is the most common disease among Chinese people in Togo, and "cerebral malaria", a dangerous disease, is occasionally seen. According to the data of the United Nations in 2015, the proportion of people living with HIV in Togo is about 2.4%. There are many carriers of hepatitis B virus, and meningitis, Lhasa fever and other infectious diseases occur from time to time.

Togo has poor hygiene conditions and food hygiene. It is recommended to minimize dining out, avoid eating raw and cold food, drink bottled water, boil it, and wash hands frequently. Otherwise, it is easy to contract diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever, and develop malaria, which can worsen the condition.

Urgent Help

Consular Protection and Assistance Hotline of the Embassy in Togo:+ 228-92328940

Togo emergency hotline:

117 (Police)

172 (Military Police)

118 (Fire Protection)

1014 (National Security Department Call Center)

air traffic

Togo has two international airports. Lom é Nasinbe Eyadema International Airport is a major airport capable of handling large passenger planes and has a runway length of 3000 meters. Air France, Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Moroccan Airlines, Ivory Coast Airlines, and others operate regular flights from Lome to cities such as Paris, Brussels, New York, Addis Ababa, Casablanca, and Abidjan. ASKY Airlines operates routes centered around Lome and radiates to surrounding countries. Departing from Beijing to Lome, you can take Air France via Paris or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa for transfer. Lom é Airport is about 5 kilometers away from the city center, and under normal circumstances, it takes about half an hour by car from the city center to the airport. Niamtugu International Airport is located in the Kara region of northern Togo. Starting from July 2023, Liz Aviation from Burkina Faso will operate direct flights from Lome to Niamtugu every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, with a flight time of about 1 hour.

land transport

Togo has four main highways connecting countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Benin. The government continues to increase investment in building and maintaining highways nationwide. Relying on the port of Lom é, Togo imports a large number of used cars from Europe and America, which are not only for personal use but also exported to inland countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. Most domestic transportation in Togo is undertaken by automobiles. Ordinary people often rely on motorcycles for transportation. The vehicle has a left steering wheel and drives on the right.

Railways play a relatively small role in transportation in Togo, with a total length of approximately 570 kilometers. Due to outdated facilities and poor management, railway passenger transportation has ceased operation. The three freight routes are mainly used for transporting cement, phosphate, etc., with the 276 kilometer Lom é to Brita line being the longest route.

water communication

The main port in Togo, Lom é Port, is a natural deep-water port in West Africa, with a container throughput of approximately 1.7 million TEUs in 2020. The Lom é Container Terminal (LCT), jointly funded by Mediterranean Shipping (MSC), China Merchants International, and the China Africa Development Fund, was put into operation in October 2014. The designed throughput capacity of the terminal is 2.2 million TEUs, and the water depth at the front of the berth is 16.6 meters, making it the most well-equipped port in West Africa currently. More than 90% of Togo's import and export goods are transported through the port of Lom é without inland shipping.

Urban transportation

SOTRAL has only 92 buses (2022 data) and operates 21 routes, including 11 student only lines, with ticket prices ranging from 150 to 350 Spanish francs. Citizens mainly rely on self driving motorcycles or taking taxis or motorcycles for transportation. Both taxi and motorcycle drivers need to negotiate the price with the driver in advance. Taxis are similar to minibuses, with a 5-seater car often carrying 6 passengers; Moto provides one-on-one and point-to-point services, with prices higher than taxis. Local people can take a taxi within the city for a price of 100-500 Spanish francs, while the price for a taxi is 100-3000 Spanish francs.

Motorcycles and cars are heavily mixed in the city of Lom é, and the innermost lane allows trucks and bicycles to travel. Local people love to drive fast and accidents occur frequently. It is recommended to hire local drivers.

Chinese driver's license can be exchanged for Togolese driver's license. The required documents include: obtaining a driver's license notarization domestically and translating it into English or French; Local medical examination certificate in Togo; Copy of passport, valid visa, and residence card; At least 4 white background photos; Fill out the form and sign it.

major city

Lome, the capital of Togo, is the political, economic, and cultural center of the country. With the continuous deepening of urbanization, the area of the Greater Lom é region has reached 425.6 square kilometers (including 30 square kilometers of lagoon area), with 13 municipalities under its jurisdiction and a population of 2.188 million (2022).

Lome is still the transportation hub of Togo, and Eyadema International Airport can accommodate large passenger planes for takeoff and landing; Lom é Autonomous Port is an important transit hub for goods in West Africa; There are international highways leading to Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. The main hotels in the city include the February 2nd Hotel and the Sarakava Hotel. The main attractions include Lake Togo, Independence Square, seaside beaches, and handicraft markets.

In addition, there is a castle in Palime, 120 kilometers north of Lom é, where former President Eyadema once lived, which is now abandoned. The Kutamaku Folk Area, located near the northern town of Kara, over 400 kilometers from Lome, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2004.

Commodity prices

The Togolese currency, the West African franc, is pegged to the euro at a fixed exchange rate of 655.957 Spanish francs per euro. Life in Lome is more convenient, with a complete range of daily consumer goods and a Chinese supermarket. You can purchase goods at stores, supermarkets, or free markets. Togo is rich in tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple, avocado, papaya, coconut, banana, etc., which are of good quality and affordable. The water price is about 3.3 yuan/ton, the electricity price is about 1.2 yuan/kWh, and the oil price is about 6 yuan/liter. Vegetables are relatively expensive, such as tomatoes priced at 5-6 yuan per kilogram, free market eggs priced at 20-22 yuan per kilogram for 30 pieces, supermarkets are even more expensive, and meat prices are not much different from domestic prices in China. The main payment method is cash, and a few star rated hotels can use credit cards such as VISA for consumption.

Insurance Medical

In Togo, the disease is caused by unclean diet, such as diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever; Caused by animal bites, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, rabies; Blood or sexual transmission, such as hepatitis B and AIDS; There are also other infectious diseases such as meningitis, tuberculosis, Lhasa fever, schistosomiasis, etc. Both Lome and Kara cities have Chinese medical teams. In Lom é, the main hospitals include Lom é Regional Central Hospital (built with Chinese aid), Daoguan Hospital, Lom é University Affiliated Hospital, and German Hospital (St. Joseph's International Hospital). Togo implements a system of separating medicine from medication, where doctors prescribe medication and patients use their prescriptions to buy medicine at pharmacies. There are many pharmacies in Lom é city, making it convenient to purchase medicines. Medicines mainly rely on imports and are relatively expensive.

Special Reminder: Firstly, it is important to receive vaccinations against yellow fever, cholera, typhoid fever, and other diseases in China. Pay attention to mosquito prevention during multiple periods and seek medical attention promptly in case of discomfort to prevent multiple complications such as diarrhea and malaria, dengue fever and malaria from worsening the condition. Secondly, pay attention to food hygiene, wash hands frequently, and for those who have the means, drink bottled water, preferably boiled. Thirdly, the "medicine" in the medical separation system also includes cotton swabs, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, splints, etc.

Customs taboos

Togo implements a 5-day workday system locally, with weekends off. Statutory holidays include New Year's Day, Independence Day (April 27th), Labor Day, and Martyrs' Day (June 21st). Religious holidays include Easter, Ascension, Advent, Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Halloween, and Christmas; Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha. If the above-mentioned holidays fall on weekends, will compensatory leave be arranged? The government will issue a notice through the media a few days in advance.

The main staple foods of Togolese people are corn and cassava, while beans, peanuts, fish, eggs, and poultry are the main sources of protein. Due to the hot and humid weather, I enjoy eating chili peppers. Togo has 20% -30% Muslims. Photography is prohibited in certain religious and sensitive places, such as border crossings, airports, and government offices. If someone indicates that they cannot take photos, they should immediately put away their phone, camera, etc. to avoid misunderstandings.

Communications Power

The method to make a domestic landline call from Togo is: 0086 (China International Area Code)+domestic long-distance area code (such as 10 for Beijing, 20 for Guangzhou, 21 for Shanghai, etc.)+phone number; Dial domestic mobile phone: 0086+domestic mobile phone number.

Togo implements a real name system for mobile phones. There are currently two mobile communication companies - Togo Telecom and Moov, both using GSM. After bringing GSM mobile phones to Togo, you can switch to SIM cards provided by local operators. In terms of tariffs, domestic calls to Togo are divided into packages and time slots, priced at 0.5-1 RMB/minute, while calls to China cost approximately 1.1 RMB/minute. Some Chinese mobile phone users who have opened international roaming services can use them locally in Togo. Please consult domestic operators for actual availability and specific tariff standards. The Internet penetration rate is low, the network speed is slow, and the price is high. The Togolese government encourages people to access the internet through mobile phones, and cities such as Lome have built 4G networks.

The voltage is 220 volts, the same as in China, using legal sockets, and using domestic appliances requires a built-in conversion plug.

contact information

Consular protection hotline of the Embassy in Togo: 00228-92328940

CHU Sylvanus Olympio Hospital: 00228-22212501

University Hospital of Lom é (CHU Campus): 00228-22257768, 22254739, 22257808

Polyclinic International Saint Joseph Hospital in Germany: 00228-22267232, 22269442, 22269443

Alarm: 117, 1014 (National Security Department Call Center)

Fire Brigade: 118

Military police (assistance or seeking help): 172

Lom é Central Police Station: 00228-22212871