Situation in ivory coast at the moment ?

[chris.perjalanan]

Hi folks !

Has anybody recently been travelling overland in ivory coast and could tell how the general situation is ?

I would like to go from bamako to accra, what is the best/safest route to take riding a 1975 vespa scooter ?

Is it true that you have to get the laissez passer ( have no carnet ! ) at the ambassy ?? How much is it ?

Anybody an idea about how much a visa for a germany citizen could be ? Still a stamped invitation letter needed or hotel reservation ?? What is the smartest and cheapest way to get this reservation and cancel afterward ? Entente Visa accepted by police ? Which ambassy in bamako delivers them ?

Would be more than happy if somebody had some updates ...

greetings from ouagadougou ( will leave tomorrow morning, not possible to do any visa stuff here, have some important meeting in bamako on tuesday evening )

Chris

[eljulian]

Hi Chris, happy to hear from you.

Well, one could argue that the best/safest and shortest route from Bamako to Accra, if that is what you want, is back through Burkina again.

My experience with Ivorian embassies in Bamako and Conakry in 2010:

- Visa costs around 100 Euro
- LOI not needed
- Bamako wanted hotel reservation (fax from hotel!), Conakry did not
- Unclear, whether a Laissez Passer is really needed. I'm sure you can somehow get into the country without either LP or carnet. If I had a carnet, I would use that, if not, you could chance it at the border or get a LP in advance (maybe around 20 Euro? I don't really remember).

Check out this thread: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...d-carnet-57555

Originally Posted by eljulian

Ivorian embassy in Bamako not particularly friendly, they wanted a hotel reservation, and a fax at that, not the print out I had. Get one and cancel it afterward.
12.63503,-8.02963
N12°38.102', W8°01.778'
Julian

Ask Kobus about the north of Ivory Coast. He went through there in early 2010.

Safe travels, Julian

[chris.perjalanan]

Hi Julian !!

Thanks for the promt reply !

Problem is, I am in Burkina now and the situation is that I only have single entry visa and would have to buy new 47.000cfa ( cheapest burkina option ) visa to get in the country another time.

Have already contacted some people in abidjan for invitation letter, maybe i am lucky. Got my ghana visa in ouagadougou on friday with a faked invitation letter for 17.700cfa after one hour of discussion and also writing an introduction letter about me and my trip, big shit is that CI demands this bloody stamp...

Which hotel did you chose for reservation and how much did it cost after canceling it ?

I know about high visa prices, that was the reason why maybe the entente ( 5 country visa ) could be an option.

Any further reports welcome !

cheers

chris

[priffe]

I was in Burkina last year and we went into CI for a day after talking to guys at the BF border post. Never legally entered CI, just drove around without passing any checkpoints.
So I don't know more than that it was peaceful.
But the Visa d'entente - have you managed to get that? I went to the Benin consulate in Bamako in March just to inquire about the visa d'entente, but they said they stopped doing them a couple years ago. And I think that was the only place in Bamako where you could get them.
Isn't the Benin embassy in Ouaga the place to get it? With the present costs (47000 for BF?!) it would mean a substantial saving.
Then the question if it is recognized where you intend to go.
Please let us know how it works out.

[eljulian]

Yeah, all the people I have met who had a Visa d'Entente had gotten theirs in Ouaga. Bamako seems to be a dead end in that regard.

[damien1985]

im planning a trip from ireland to ivory soon .... my ivorian connections here who have just returned from a visit there are very positive about the situation there, you do need an invitation letter...i am getting my visa from the french embassy here in Ireland...maybe you could try thr french embassy in Bamako?worth a try!

[chris.perjalanan]

I am in bamako now, let my vespa in Bobo-Diolasso. Got ghana visa in ouaga for 17.700cfa ( as I said, it took a looong discussion and luck ) and unfortunately i had to leave ouaga on monday directly after picking up the visa.

The visa touristique entente is ONLY available in the countrys that participate, though not in Mali but in Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo and Ivory coast. It coast 25.000cfa. Takes 3 days to get it in Ouagadougou at the immigration, but unfortunately my visit to bamako was an unplanned one and so had no time to apply for it.

greetings from bamako,

Chris

[priffe]

Then I am wondering if there is a way to go to Ouaga without a visa and the get the VdE on arrival?
Paying 47000 per to go to Ouaga to get the VdE doesn't make much sense.
I wonder if they'll let you across the BF border with the promise to get the VdE in Ouaga ASAP.
Like moro got into Mali the other day.

[chris.perjalanan]

They will NOT let you in the country without a valid visa, if you have non on the border you will have to purchase one for 90.000cfa, impossible to do any discussions ! ( seen two cases where one european and one african tried everything, no chance )

Acctually it works very well to "extend" the burkina visas with a pencil. Had a "une" ( single ) entry visa and made a "multiple" out of it. Nearly shit my pants at the border , but everything worked out just have to do it properly and take some practise before doing it in the passport.

[priffe]

Thanks for the info....better play it safe then.
Now I am thinking of finding a courier to take our passports and get the Visa d'Entente in Ouaga.