Timbouctou

Passport validity requirements

To enter Mali, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.

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 Mali. The application and payment process is now fully online via the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

An entry permit will be issued electronically once approved. There is no need to send documents to the Malian Embassy in Brussels, which covers the UK.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Mali, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Mali guide.

Customs rules

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

You must get an export permit from the Ministry of Arts and Culture to take any cultural or archaeological objects out of Mali. You can get this from the director of the National Museum.

Customs rules

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

You must get an export permit from the Ministry of Arts and Culture to take any cultural or archaeological objects out of Mali. You can get this from the director of the National Museum.

Emergency services in Mali

Emergency response capacity is very limited. If no help is available, take local advice and arrange your own transport locally.

Police: 17

Ambulance: 15

Fire: 18

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, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in Mali
• dealing with a death in Mali
• being arrested or imprisoned in Mali
• 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

FCDO advises against all travel to Mali

FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of the Mali due to the unpredictable security conditions.

If you’re in Mali, you should leave immediately by commercial flight if you judge it safe to do so. 

Do not try to leave Mali by overland routes to neighbouring countries as this is too dangerous. This is due to terrorist attacks along national highways. 

Terrorist group Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) has implemented blockades on key routes throughout Southern and Western Mali, including the capital city of Bamako. These blockades are targeting fuel trucks and are enforcing checkpoints for individuals attempting to pass through them. Attacks can occur at any time.

There is a high threat of kidnapping and criminal activity across Mali, including in the capital, Bamako.

If you choose to remain in Mali, you do so at your own risk. You should have a personal emergency plan that does not rely on the UK government.

For more detail see Fuel shortages and Terrorism in Mali in the Safety and security page.

If you are a British national already in Mali, either resident or visitor, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

UK government support

Support for British nationals is severely limited in Mali, especially outside Bamako.

Do not rely on FCDO being able to help you to evacuate in an emergency.

If you are in Mali and need emergency help from the UK government, contact the British Embassy in Bamako.  

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

Mali is a secular country, but the people are predominantly Muslim. The country’s laws and customs are very different to those in the UK. Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions. Make sure your actions do not offend religious beliefs, especially during Ramadan or in religious areas.

French is the official language in Mali and not many officials or healthcare workers speak English. You may have difficulty communicating if you cannot speak any French. Make sure you can use translation apps in case of an emergency.

Personal ID

As a foreign national, you must carry ID such as a passport. You could face difficulties with security checks if you do not have the original document on you.     

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 patient and show tolerance

Using cameras

Do not take pictures of military or government installations. Always ask permission before taking photographs that include local people.  

Commercial disputes 

If you’re involved in or connected to a business or civil dispute in Mali, the Malian authorities may detain you, prosecute you or prevent you from leaving Mali until the matter is resolved.

LGBT+ travellers

Homosexuality is illegal in Mali. In December 2024, Mali’s National Transitional Council promulgated a new Penal Code which criminalises the promotion or participation in consensual same-sex relationships. The legislation introduced penalties of up to seven years imprisonment and fines of up to 500,000 francs.  

There is an increased risk of violence and threats, such as blackmail and intimidation, against anyone being thought to be part of the LGBT+ community or perceived to be supporting their rights. There have been arrests for ‘immoral behaviour’, and LGBT+ individuals have experienced physical, psychological, and sexual violence. 

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.