Madagascar Visa and Entry Requirements
Almost every visitor needs a visa for Madagascar, available either as an eVisa applied for online before departure or issued on arrival at the international airports. Tourist visas cover stays up to 90 days in tiers of 15, 30, 60 and 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond entry with blank pages available, and you will be asked for a return ticket.
Madagascar changed its visa fees in February 2026, tripling the charge on the shortest tier, and sources still disagree on whether very short stays remain free. Fee structures here move without much warning and consulates do not always update at the same time as the airport counters. Treat any figure you read online, including in this article, as indicative and confirm on the official government eVisa portal before you travel.
Do You Need a Visa for Madagascar?
Yes, in nearly all cases. Madagascar does not operate a broad visa-free regime for tourism, and visitors from Europe, North America, Australia and most of Asia all require one.
The good news is that obtaining one is straightforward compared with many countries. There is no interview, no consulate appointment for standard tourism and no lengthy processing. You either apply online a few days before travelling or queue at the airport on arrival.
Tourist visas do not permit work or study. Anyone travelling for employment, research, volunteering or long-term study needs a different category arranged in advance through a Malagasy embassy, and the requirements are considerably more involved.
Visa on Arrival at Ivato and Other Airports
Visa on arrival is issued at international airports including Ivato at Antananarivo, Nosy Be, Toamasina and Antsiranana. For most nationalities it is granted immediately at the counter with no advance application.
Payment is in cash. Ariary, euros and US dollars are typically accepted, and card payment is not available at the counter. Bring the correct amount in notes, since change can be a problem and there is no reliable way to draw cash before clearing immigration.
The main drawback is the queue. Arriving passengers from a full flight all process at once, and the wait after a long-haul arrival can be substantial. The visa itself cannot be extended beyond its tier at the airport, and it is issued for single entry.
The Madagascar eVisa and How to Apply
The eVisa is applied for through the official government portal and is the more predictable route. You create an account, enter passport and travel details, pay by card and receive an electronic authorisation by email.
Processing is quoted at up to 72 hours, with most approvals arriving inside 24 to 48. Applications should be submitted at least three days before travel to allow for that. Print the approval and carry it, since immigration officers ask for a paper copy.
Four duration tiers exist: 15, 30, 60 and 90 days. The 90-day option was reinstated after a period of suspension. The eVisa is single entry, and the fee matches what you would pay at the airport counter, so there is no online surcharge.
eVisa. Applied for online three or more days ahead, paid by card, approval by email. Gives certainty before you fly and avoids uncertainty about cash at the counter. Requires a working card and a printer.
Visa on arrival. No advance action needed, issued at the airport counter, paid in cash. Suits last-minute travel and travellers without card access. Means queueing after a long flight and carrying the exact fee in notes.
Both use the same queue at the airport and cost the same. If an eVisa application is rejected, which is uncommon and usually down to incorrect passport details, you can still apply on arrival.
Passport Requirements and Blank Pages
Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. This is enforced, and travellers have been refused boarding at their departure airport for falling short.
Blank pages are the requirement people overlook. Sources cite between two and three blank pages, so treat three as the safe figure. If your passport is close to full, renew before travelling rather than risking it.
Damaged passports cause problems at Malagasy immigration as they do elsewhere. If yours has water damage, a loose cover or torn pages, replace it first.
Six months validity and three blank pages. Two requirements that cost nothing to check and end trips when they are not met.
Documents You Need at Immigration
Beyond the passport and visa, immigration officers commonly ask for proof of onward or return travel. A booked flight out of the country is the standard evidence, and travellers arriving on a one-way ticket should expect questions.
Proof of accommodation is requested at times, whether a hotel booking, a tour operator confirmation or an invitation letter if staying privately. Having the first night’s booking printed is sensible even if you are travelling loosely afterwards.
You may be asked to demonstrate sufficient funds for your stay. This is rarely pressed for standard tourist visits but is part of the formal requirement. A completed application form and a passport photograph are needed for the on-arrival route.
Yellow Fever and Health Entry Requirements
Madagascar is not a yellow fever endemic country and vaccination is not required for most visitors. It becomes mandatory only if you are arriving from, or have recently transited, a country where yellow fever is present.
That catches more travellers than expected, since routings through parts of East and West Africa can trigger the requirement. If your itinerary includes a stopover in an affected country within the six months before arrival, carry the certificate.
Other vaccinations are recommended rather than required. Hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are the usual advice, with rabies considered for longer or more remote trips. Malaria prophylaxis is a separate matter and worth discussing with a travel clinic well before departure, since Madagascar carries risk across most of the country.
Visa Extensions and Overstaying
Extensions are possible in-country through local immigration offices, and the eVisa can be extended up to the 90-day maximum. Apply before your current visa expires rather than after, since retrospective applications create difficulties.
The extension fee is paid in Ariary at the immigration office and the process takes time, so allow several days and expect paperwork. Visas issued on arrival at the airport cannot be extended in the same way.
Overstaying carries penalties including fines and complications on departure. Given how straightforward extension is if handled in time, there is no good reason to let a visa lapse.
Customs Rules and What You Cannot Export
Madagascar restricts the export of several categories of goods, and this catches tourists more than it should. Rosewood and other protected timbers are prohibited outright. Precious stones require documentation. Vanilla is subject to quantity limits.
Wildlife products are the serious one. Exporting tortoises, chameleons, lemur products or anything derived from protected species is illegal and prosecuted. Shells, coral and sand taken from beaches and marine parks fall under the same restrictions, so leave them where you find them.
Cultural artefacts and fossils also require permits. If a vendor offers you something that looks like it might be restricted, assume it is and decline.
Arriving in Madagascar and What to Expect
Ivato airport at Antananarivo handles most international arrivals. The process runs visa counter, immigration, baggage, customs, and can take an hour or more when several flights land together.
Police checkpoints are common on roads throughout the country, particularly on the RN7 and in the south. Carry your passport or a clear copy at all times, since you will be asked for identification. This is routine rather than a cause for concern.
Change money at the airport or a bank rather than with street changers, who offer poor rates. Ariary is a closed currency, meaning you cannot obtain it before arriving and should spend or exchange it before you leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Madagascar visa cost?
Fees changed in February 2026, when the shortest tier tripled to around 30 euros or 35 US dollars. Longer tiers of 30, 60 and 90 days cost progressively more, with figures commonly cited between roughly 35 and 60 dollars depending on duration. Reporting is inconsistent on whether very short stays remain free, since embassies and airport counters have not always applied changes simultaneously. Check the official government eVisa portal for the current schedule before travelling, and bring cash if using the on-arrival route.
Should I get the eVisa or the visa on arrival?
The eVisa if you can. It gives you certainty before boarding, avoids any question about having the right cash in the right currency, and costs the same. Visa on arrival suits last-minute trips and travellers without card access. Both use the same airport queue, so the eVisa does not save time on landing.
How long can I stay?
Tourist visas cover up to 90 days, issued in tiers of 15, 30, 60 or 90. Choose the tier that covers your trip with margin, since extending in-country takes time and paperwork. Visas are single entry, so leaving and returning requires a new one.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
Only if you are arriving from or have recently been in a country where yellow fever is present. Madagascar itself is not endemic. Travellers routing through parts of Africa should carry the certificate, since transit can trigger the requirement. Check your full itinerary rather than just your departure country.
How far in advance should I apply for the eVisa?
At least 72 hours before arrival, which is the stated processing window, though most approvals come through within 24 to 48 hours. Applying a week or two ahead removes any pressure. You will need to print the approval and present it at immigration.
Can I extend my visa once I am there?
Yes, through local immigration offices, up to the 90-day maximum. Apply before your current visa expires. The fee is paid in Ariary and the process takes several days. Visas issued at the airport counter are treated differently and normally cannot be extended, so choose an adequate tier at the outset.
What can I not take out of the country?
Rosewood and protected timbers, wildlife products of any kind, tortoises and reptiles, shells and coral from marine parks, and unpermitted fossils or cultural artefacts. Precious stones need documentation and vanilla is subject to limits. Buying any of these from a vendor does not make exporting them legal.
Is the process difficult?
No. Madagascar’s entry requirements are simpler than many countries in the region. The common failure points are passport validity, blank pages and not carrying cash for the on-arrival counter, all of which are avoidable with a check before departure.
Planning Your Trip
Visa rules here are simple in structure and volatile in detail. The structure has been stable for years: eVisa or on arrival, tiers up to 90 days, six months passport validity. The fees have moved recently and may move again, which is why confirming against the official portal shortly before departure matters more than trusting any guide.
Booking Your Madagascar Trip
The safari companies and tour operators listed on this website put trips like this together for a living and know which camps, guides and routes actually deliver. We are an independent guide to Madagascar; we do not book or sell tours ourselves.
When you are ready, arrange your safari, tour or holiday with one of the recognised operators listed here. Tell them your dates and what matters most, and a real person, not a form, will handle the itinerary, park bookings and logistics for you.