Entry Visa: Entry visa to Sudan is issued at all Sudanese embassies
and consulates abroad. Non-Sudanese nationals, except holders of
the United Nations Laissez-passer, or seamen on duty, should present
a valid passport and three passport-size photos. An entry visa application
form, stating the essential details of the passport, should be filled
out and application dues paid. On certain occasions, the entry visa
can be issued at the airport and border stations, provided that
the visitor or his/ her agent has sent an application to the Ministry
of Interior, Department of Passports and Immigration.
Transit Visa: This visa is valid for seven days for air travellers
and twenty-one days for land travellers. It is not required for
transit passengers, who must leave the country within 24 hours,
during which they should stay at the airport.
(Temporary residence in Sudan): This residence permit allows the
holder to enter Sudan and remain for a stated period. Visitors intending
to work or study must apply for a temporary residence permit for
the required duration, subject to extension, if necessary.
The documents that are required for the issuance of a temporary
residence permit for work are:
Work permit
A letter of recommendation from the employer or work place
Two passport-size photos
Fees
The documents that are required for the issuance of a temporary
residence permit for study are:
Acceptance from a university or an institute
Two passport-size photos
Fees
Exit Visa: An exit visa must be obtained by all Sudanese nationals,
as well as by foreigners who have resided in Sudan for longer than
three months.
(Alien Regulations:) Upon arrival Sudan, all foreign visitors must
register their names at the Alien Department of the Ministry of
Interior, or at the pertinent departments in other states of Sudan,
within a period not exceeding three days after their arrival. They
are also required to notify the authorities also in case they move
from one locality to another.
Registration Requirements:
Completion of registration form
One passport-size photo
Letter of sponsorship from a Sudanese citizen, company or hotel
Fees
Upon completion of these formalities, a visitor is granted a one-month
residency in Sudan, unless the visa authority states otherwise.
On expiry, a visitor's stay may be extended upon the completion
of an application form, provision of a passportsize photo and payment
of due fees.
Domestic Travel: Foreign visitors are allowed to travel freely
between the different districts and of Sudan, after receiving the
domestic travel permits from the Alien Department. The validity
of this permit is one month, subject to renewal. Documents needed
to issue a travel permit are:
Valid visa
Four passport-size photos
Fees
Health Regulations: A foreign visitor to Sudan must provide on arrival
an official health certificate for AIDS and Ebola and a valid international
certificate of vaccination. This should include vaccination against
yellow fever and cholera if arriving from endemic areas, as well
as vaccination against other infectious diseases, depending on the
outbreak of such diseases locally or abroad. This certificate is
not required for children under one year of age. Infants below the
age of six months of age must provide an AIDS health certificate.
Foreign Currency Regulations: Foreign visitors are permitted to
bring with them any amount of foreign currency, traveller's cheques
or Letters of Credit, provided that they declare these sums at the
Customs Foreign Exchange at the arrival terminals, this declaration
is compulsory. The Customs Declaration Certificate is valid for
a period of three months, subject to renewal. Any transaction involving
foreign currency outside the amounts declared is considered an illegal
act. Other transactions like the selling or buying of foreign currency
within the declared sums are done through dealing wit~ the accredited
bank exchange bureaus found in most hotels, bank branches and the
airports. On departure, a foreign visitor may leave with the unspent
amounts, provided that the spent amounts have been dully registered
and deducted from the total sum indicated in the Customs Declaration
Certificate.
Customs: No duty is required for tourists' personal effects, such
as clothing, toiletries, etc., plus 200 cigarettes or 1/4 lb. of
tobacco. Custom duties will be levied on such items as cameras,
typewriters, computers, firearms, electrical appliances, etc., subject
to refund if exported within six months. A letter of guarantee signed
by a bank, business firm or a Sudanese citizen may be accepted in
place of a deposit on the above mentioned items.
Photography Permit Requirements: A prospective photographer is
required to obtain a photographic permit from the Sudanese Tourism
Corporation by submitting the following:
Letter from the sponsoring company or Sudanese citizen
Photocopy of the passport
2 passport-size photographs
The nature of the visit determines the validity period of the permit.
Photographing archaeological sites requires a permit from the Antiquities
Authority and the Ministry of Tourism (fees are charged). Scenic
photography requires a permit from the General Secretariat for External
Information. Filming on videotape requires a permit from the Ministry
of Tourism. Photographing for media reporting and informational
purposes requires a permit from the General Secretariat for External
Information.
Driving Regulations for Foreigners: Foreigners resident in Sudan
are subject to the same driving regulations as Sudanese citizens.
They can obtain a Sudanese driving licence upon passing a driving
test or by exchanging a driving licence obtained in another country.
Foreigners are not allowed to drive public transport vehicles such
as buses or taxis. A tourist entering the country with his personal
vehicle is permitted to drive it for a maximum period of 90 days
without licensing it with the Traffic Department, provided that
it has a comprehensive insurance coverage or is insured immediately
on arrival in Sudan. A tourist can drive in Sudan with the license
issued in his country of origin for a maximum period of 3 months,
after which he/she must exchange it for a Sudanese or an International
Driving License. The validity of the international driving license
is not limited to a specific period.
Please note that driving in Sudan is on the right hand side.
Motoring: Permission to motor through Sudan should be requested
from the Ministry of interior Relations, Department of Passports
and Immigration. Motorists must pay a deposit, or submit a letter
of guarantee signed by a bank, a business firm or a Sudanese citizen.
Permission to motor in or throughout Sudan is not granted to less
than two vehicles. Most roads in Sudan are fit for motoring in the
dry season only (November-May). Motorists are therefore advised
to enquire about the state of the roads before attempting to travel.
Money: The Sudanese Dinar equals 10 Pounds. Bank notes of 10, 25,
50, 100 and 1000 Dinars are in common use.
Language: The official language in Sudan is Arabic. The majority
of the educat population and intelligentsia also speak and write
in English, which is widely used in the business and government
sectors, particularly in the southern states.
Time: Greenwich Mean Time+2.
Official Working Hours: Government sector work from 7:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m., Saturday through Thursday. Banks are open from 8 a.m.
to 12 a.m. Friday is the official holiday. Sunday is a weekly holiday
in southern states.
Public Post and Telecommunication Offices. Work at these offices
starts from 8 a.m. and continues until 12 a.m.