Ayant grandement bénéficié des avis du forum voyages, et en particulier de ceux de Papy et Mamy, je souhaite au retour apporter ma contribution.
J'ai voyagé du 13 au 21 décembre 2008 de paris à Saint Louis du Sénégal: route paris-perpignan-barcelone, puis bateau de barcelone à tanger, puis route: tanger-Rabat-Marrakech-Agadir-Laayoune-Nouadibhou-Nouakchott-Rosso-Diama-Saint Louis.
Question état de routes, pas de problème, si ce n'est le noman's land à la frontière Maroc-Mauritanie; la piste de la digue de rosso à Diama est sans problème en saison sèche.
Carburant:pas de problème, jamais plus de 200 km sans station service avec du gazole; à noter qu'au sahara occidental le carburant est détaxé.
Formalités: c'est là que ça se corse!
Entrée au Maroc
pas de visa pour les français.
Assurance voiture: penser à partir avec une extension Maroc; pour nous il fallait demander 15 jours à l'avance; nous y avons pensé trop tard et avons dû prendre une assurance au port de Tanger.
Pour l'importation temporaire de la voiture, il y a un formulaire à remplir en ligne et imprimer; ça simplifie les formalités (merci Papy!): http://www.douane.gov.ma/EDouane/DMCV/AT/Menu_AT.htm
Attention, si le conducteur n'est pas le propriétaire, il faut une procuration légalisée par l'administration marocaine (mairie au maroc ou consulat à l'étranger).
Dans les provinces sahariennes (ex-sahara occidental), de nombreux contrôles; deux solutions pour ne pas perdre chaque fois du temps: une fiche de police déjà remplie ou bien photocopie du passeport avec en plus:
numéro d'admission 'il est mis par la police marocaine sur le passeport à la première entrée au maroc
date et lieu d'entrée
destination
motif du voyage
profession.
Il nous en a fallu 5 par personne de Tanger à la frontière mauritanienne.
Sortie du Maroc vers la Mauritanie; attention la frontière ferme à 18:00 des deux côtés; en plus la piste du noman's land minée est mal indiquée; il vaut mieux suvire un autre véhicule. Pour notre part, nous nous sommes ensablés presque tout de suite et dix hommes ont surgi de nulle part pour nous aider en moins de temps qu'il ne faut pour le dire; prix demandé: 50 euros non négociables; la nuit tombait, nous voulions arriver à la frontière mauritanienne avant sa fermeture et nous avons donc accepté.
La douane marocaine nous a demandé 10 euros; nous avons demandé un reçu; il nous ont donné un reçu pour travaux exceptionnels!?!
entrée en mauritanie:
la police cherche l'alcool; tarif pour ne rien voir: 10 euros
le visa se prend sans problème à cette frontière (attention, pas à Diama!) pour 20 euros par personne
Pour la voiture, on peut utiliser le carnet de passage en douane; avantage, il permet d'inscrire plusieurs conducteurs. Sinon il faut remplir un engagement à ressoertir la voiture de Mauritanie et payer 10 euros.
Assurance: elle se prend à la frontière ou à Nouadibhou si on passe la frontière trop tard. La carte brune n'inclue pas la Mauritanie depuis que celle-ci a quitté la CDEAO.
En mauritanie, les contrôles sont très fréquents: exemple 16 contrôles entre Nouakchott et Diama. La photocopie du passeport suffit; en prévoir une bonne dizaine pour traverser la mauritanie.
Sortie de Mauritanie: Nous avons choisi de sortir par le barrage de Diama: piste facile de 90 km en saison sèche et très belle nature: pélicans, flamants roses, phacochères, varans.
Douane et police sans problème; une originalité: il faut payer 500 UM à la commune de Birete où est situé le poste frontière.
Entrée au Sénégal: Police sans problème, pas de visa pour les français.
Douane: gros problème pour la voiture car le carnet de passage en douane n'est pas accepté; il faut utiliser un passavant, qui est nominatif; l'entrée du véhicule est inscrite sur le passeport et le titulaire du passeport doit sortir avec la voiture. Dans notre cas nous avions prévu de laisser la voiture à notre fille, qui terminait un contrat au Sénégal et de rentrer en avion. Il a donc fallu aller à l'inspection régionale des douanes de Dakar (Colonel jean-Baptiste Diouf) et faire une demande écrite de changement du passavant, qui a été acceptée par le colonel Diouf comme cas de force majeure. Autre solution suggérée à Diama: faire un tour en Gambie et rerentrer au Sénégal avec un nouveau passavant.
Dans le sens Saint Louis-Paris, quelques points à signaler:
assurance:
pas d'agence à la frontière mauritanienne à Diama (ou personne absente). Possibilité proposée par la police de prendre une assurance à Rosso. Un policier attend 10 kms après la frontière (10 euros après une longue négociation)
pas d'agence à la frontière marocaine. Possibilité d'aller à Dakhla (environ 350 km) pour prendre une assurance.
Passage de la frontière marocaine
3h30 d'attente. Une fois passé le premier poste de contrôle policier, garer la voiture dans la file et aller tout de suite donner les passeports à la police, puis attendre d'être appelé.
Contrôle poussé des bagages avec chien.
"Attention, si le conducteur n'est pas le propriétaire, il faut une procuration légalisée par l'administration marocaine (mairie au Maroc ou consulat à l'étranger)."
salut,
Je suis étonné par cette précision... je passe régulièrement par Ceuta et JAMAIS on ne m'a demandé de procuration légalisée par une administration marocaine. Légalisée par la gendarmerie, la police ou même la mairie de son domicile en France Oui, pas par une administration marocaine.
Moi qui suis passé plusieurs fois avec des voitures de société, (résident en France avec voiture francaise, et résident marocain avec voiture marocaine), je n'ai jamais dépassé le stade de la procuration sur papier à entete de la société, rédigée d'ailleurs par mes soins, sans aucune "légalisation", et toujours sans aucun souci.
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
Hi there,
Just a question that’s probably been asked before (though usually the other way around for my situation :))
My wife and I are heading to the US.
On her ticket, it only has her maiden name (e.g., Martine DUPOND).
On her passport, it’s written as Martine DUPOND épouse AVRY.
No issues for travel, I hope I did the right thing with the ticket?
Then for the ESTA, is just Martine DUPOND enough, or do I need to include the "épouse AVRY" part like on the passport?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I’m spending a few days in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) and would like to cross the Argentine border to make a loop toward Salta and then return to Chile to drop off the rental car.
I’ve heard that crossing the border can be tricky!
Is it possible with a rental company’s authorization? Which company, and at what cost?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Best regards,
Arnale
I saw on the French Embassy in Peru’s website and the Peruvian Consulate in Paris’s site that the rule is to have a passport valid for 6 months *after the arrival date* (not the return date).
I arrive in Peru on August 13, 2019 (for about twelve days), and my passport is valid until February 16, 2020.
That’s 6 months and 3 days after my arrival date in Peru. In my opinion, I’m good to go.
But could I still be denied entry if they say I don’t cover the return date or that I’m too close to the 6-month mark?
I read on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that it’s possible to apply for a temporary driving permit in China, valid for 1 month.
I’m planning to rent a car (without a driver) to explore part of the country next August, so I was wondering:
Has anyone here already gone through this process upon arrival?
How long do the formalities take on the spot?
Is it possible to handle these steps in advance, before arriving in China?
Hi there,
My departure is slowly approaching, and now that I’ve got my Russian visa sorted, I’m fine-tuning the rest of my trip to Tajikistan. Since the Tajik visa is no longer required for stays under 30 days (for French nationals), I’ll need to visit the Ministry of Interior (OVIR) to register within 10 days of entering the country. No big deal, though, since I had to go there anyway to apply for my GBAO permit. 😉 However, I’ve *seen* several reports from travelers (mostly motorized) mentioning that you need an entry permit for Kyrgyzstan, which has to be arranged in advance at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) in Dushanbe. Otherwise, you’re *stuck* at the Kyzyl-Art border (with no Wi-Fi, of course, to try and sort it out). The most recent report was from a year ago, so I’d love to know if this is still the case and if it’s indeed at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) where you need to go for this pre-authorization.
Does anyone have any recent info on this?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone.
I’m leaving for almost 3 months in the Philippines (11 weeks total) starting in early May.
I already have my round-trip ticket.
The problem is, I don’t have time to get a 2-month visa because the process takes nearly a month.
From what I’ve read here and there, I need a return ticket valid for less than a month when I arrive in the Philippines to prove my good faith.
After that, I can apply for a 30-day extension at the immigration office.
I’m planning to either buy a fully refundable ticket to the nearest country or a fake ticket.
For 3 months, I’ll need to extend my visa two more times before my return date to France.
My question is this:
Will immigration ask me each time I extend my visa by one month to show proof of an exit ticket matching the new visa extension date?
Is it possible to extend directly by 2 months before the initial 30 days expire?
Thanks in advance for your experiences and tips! 😊
I’ve been to Thailand several times, but it was about 20 years ago…
There’s a new system in place now, it seems.
TDAC – Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
Before arriving, I apply for a TDAC, okay.
If during my stay I cross the border to spend a few days in Malaysia and then re-enter Thailand,
do I need to submit a new TDAC application?
Do I use the same TDAC as when I first entered the country?
Or do I initially have to pay for a Thai multi-entry visa?
Thanks in advance for your insights—I can’t find the answer online.
My partner (Mexican) entered France on January 21st as a tourist. She was therefore entitled to stay for 90 days in the Schengen Area. She’ll be leaving for Mexico on April 16th, so she’ll have “used up” 86 days.
She plans to return to France on July 18th. According to the European Commission’s Schengen calculator, this new stay “may be authorized for a maximum of 90 days.” That’s not very clear ("may be," "for a maximum of").
The text of Article 6 of the European regulation (2016/399) states that for a stay planned in the territory of the Member States, not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period, one must examine "the 180-day period preceding each day of the stay." That’s not very clear either.
My partner wants to return to France for a 90-day period starting on July 18th. Is this possible?
There are two ways to look at it:
1) The first day she spent in the Schengen Area was January 21st. That day will drop out of the calculation 180 days later, on July 20th.
From July 20th, she’ll get back 1 day of possible stay; on July 22nd, 2 days; and so on. All the days from her previous stay (January 21st–April 16th) need to be outside the 180-day rolling window.
The last day of her stay was April 16th. Looking 180 days ahead, that brings us to October 13th. From that date, she’ll be able to return for a full 90 days.
2) The number of allowed days is calculated for each day of the new stay. In other words: the 180-day window is recalculated every day, not fixed at the entry date.
If she re-enters France on July 18th, she’ll only have a “credit” of 4 days. But with each day of her new stay, one day from the previous stay (January–April) will drop out of the calculation. The rolling window allows her to “replace” days from the previous stay with those of the new stay, without ever exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
In this case, my partner could stay in France for 90 days starting on July 18th.
The Prefecture doesn’t provide any information, nor does Air France, and in the forums I’ve checked, opinions are divided. Thanks for any insights you can share!
Hello,
We’re planning to travel to Indonesia (Sulawesi with family) next July and August for a stay longer than a month (about 6 weeks).
I’ve seen that it’s possible to get a 60-day visa before departure, but I’ve also read about people having a lot of trouble getting it (some even didn’t manage and had to leave without it).
We absolutely need to have these 4 visas BEFORE leaving because once we’re in Sulawesi, I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to an embassy to request a visa extension after 30 days.
In short, how can we **100% guarantee** that we’ll get our 4 60-day visas before our trip this summer?
Hello, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026!
We’re heading back in October for a trip through Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
I have a question: for our route, we’ll need to cross the Zambia and Zimbabwe borders twice each. From experience, I know we won’t have any issues with Botswana.
But for the other two countries, I can’t find a clear answer.
All your tips are welcome!
I’m currently a student on a gap year, and I don’t plan to go back to school right away. That said, traveling really interests me. But I’ve been wondering: does being a student come with any perks when you decide to go abroad? The real question is whether I should re-enroll in a program just to keep that status without actually attending.
