Umm Hājar

Passport validity requirements

To enter Chad, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.  

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual Citizenship.

Visa requirements

You must have a visa to visit Chad.

Applying for a visa

To apply for a visa contact the Chadian Embassy in Belgium.

Or contact the Chadian Embassy in France, which does not have a website:

65 Rue des Belles Feuilles, 75116, Paris
Email: ambatchad-paris@libertysurf.fr
Telephone: +33 (0)1 45 53 36 75
Fax: +33 (0)1 45 53 16 09

Registering with the police

If you stay in Chad more than 72 hours, you must register with the police. The immigration officer will tell you to go to the Commissariat Central (police headquarters) on Avenue General Kerim Nassour (formerly Boulevard de Strasbourg). You must bring a passport photograph.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Chad, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, including yellow fever, see TravelHealthPro’s Chad guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Chad. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Chad. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Emergency services in Chad

Ambulance and fire: 1212

Police: 2020

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding English-speaking lawyers in Chad
• being arrested or imprisoned in Chad
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO 

Help abroad  

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency. 

Help in the UK  

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.  

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)  

Find out about call charges

Get travel advice updates  

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

Areas where FCDO advises against travel

Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces

FCDO advises against all travel to the northern provinces of Chad:

• Borkou Province
• Ennedi Ouest Province
• Ennedi Est Province
• Tibesti Province

Kanem Province, including Nokou

FCDO advises against all travel to the western part of Kanem Province, including the town of Nokou.

Lake Chad region

FCDO advises against all travel to the Lake Chad region.

Within 30km of all Chad’s other borders  

FCDO advises against all travel to within 30km of all of Chad’s other borders.   

The rest of Chad

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the rest of Chad, including the capital, N’Djamena.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Limited UK government support 

Support for British nationals is severely limited in Chad with assistance provided remotely from British High Commission Yaoundé. In-person assistance is not available. 

If there is serious violence, unrest or a deterioration in the security situation, it could be difficult to leave safely. 

Do not rely on the UK government to evacuate you as they may not be able to do so. Have your own plans on how you would leave the country, make sure you keep all travel documentation up to date and monitor the local situation.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

Follow FCDO:   

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions. Make sure you do not offend local cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you plan to visit religious areas.

Personal ID

Always carry a certified copy of your passport. If you cannot show ID, the police could detain you. You could also face delays if you have to leave the country. If you live in Chad, always carry your residence permit.

Ramadan  

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, do not:

• eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car
• play loud music or dance
• swear in public

Get more advice when you arrive from your tour guide, hotel or business contacts.

You should also:

• check opening hours of shops and restaurants
• be aware that if hotels and restaurants are providing food or drink in fasting hours, they may separate you from Islamic guests, for example with screens
• follow local dress codes – clothing that does not meet local dress codes may cause more offence at this time
• be aware that fasting can cause tiredness, particularly during the later afternoon and early evening
• be aware that driving may be erratic, particularly when people are trying to get home at dusk
• be patient and show tolerance

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

Penalties for drug use and possession are severe and usually include a prison sentence. Conditions in local prisons are harsh.

Using cameras

It is illegal to photograph military sites, government buildings or airports without a permit.  

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Chad, with penalties of imprisonment ranging from 3 months to 2 years and a fine of between 50,000 and 500,000 CFA francs. Same-sex relationships are not widely accepted by Chadian society.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.