A valid U.S. passport and Togolese visa are required. Visas may be issued upon arrival at the international airport in Lomé and at the major Togolese border crossings with neighboring countries. Visas issued upon entry are limited to seven days (arrival counts as one day, even if arriving late evening) and can be extended at no cost during the seven-day period. Travelers must surrender their passport while Togolese authorities process the visa extension request. You will be turned away without the required two visa pages clear of any visas or stamps. The U.S. Embassy will not intervene for failure to comply with this entry requirement for Togo.

To apply for a visa at a land border or the airport, you must complete an application form, provide a passport photograph, and pay 15,000 West African CFA francs (FCFA), or the equivalent in foreign currency including dollars or Euros (ATMs dispensing FCFA are available only at the airport). With the exception of Aflao (Ghana) and Hillah Kondi (Benin) littoral border crossings, land border posts in Togo will not issue a visa upon arrival. Land borders are closed during elections in Togo and in neighboring Ghana and Benin and may also be closed for other reasons without notice. Register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to obtain up-to-date information on border closures.

All travelers are advised to obtain a visa from an embassy of Togo abroad when possible to avoid unnecessary hassle or delay. Such visas may be issued for a longer validity, including up to one year with multiple entries. To apply for a Togolese visa in the United States, you may contact the Embassy of Togo in Washington, D.C. at (202) 234-4212. The Embassy of Togo is located at 2208 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. If you are overseas, inquiries should be made at the nearest Togolese embassy or consulate. Visit the Embassy of Togo website for the most current visa information.

Documentation of Yellow Fever vaccination is required for all individuals entering Togo who are over one year of age. You will be turned away without the required World Health Organization yellow card with evidence of a current Yellow Fever vaccination. The U.S. Embassy will not intervene for failure to comply with this entry requirement for Togo. Visit the CDC website for detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions.

U.S. travelers should carry a copy of the passport at all times while traveling in Togo in case local officials request proof of identity and immigration status. U.S. citizens who exercise their Togolese dual nationality by evidencing a Togo residency card or passport upon entry should review limitations on the U.S. Government’s ability to provide consular protection while in Togo.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Togo.

Find information on dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction, and customs regulations on our websites

 

Medical facilities and services in Togo are severely limited, including in the major cities of Lomé and Kara. The standard of care, including basic medical services such as imaging or blood tests, is much lower than that of the United States and even neighboring Ghana. If you have a recurring or limiting medical condition that requires regular consultation or treatment by a medical professional, you should not travel to Togo. The United States Government does not pay for medical evacuations, and commercial flights may prevent you from boarding a return flight if you have recently suffered a medical crisis, such as a heart attack or stroke, while in Togo.

You should carry adequate supplies of any needed prescription medicines, along with copies of your prescriptions, the generic name of the drugs, and a supply of preferred over-the-counter medications. You may encounter shortages of routine medications, and supplies and counterfeit medications are a frequent problem.

Mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria, yellow fever, and dengue are widely occurring and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Prevention of bites, use of malaria prophylaxis when advised by a medical professional, and Yellow Fever immunization are important for even short-duration trips to Togo. While in Togo, you should:

• Stay indoors during the early morning and evening hours, keep windows and doors closed, and use air conditioning when sleeping if there is no mosquito net.
• Wear long clothing, especially in the evenings, and use insect repellents containing 20 percent DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535;
• Treat external clothing, such as jackets, mosquito nets, and tents with permethrin

Refer to the CDC website for health information for travelers to Togo.

For emergency services in Togo,

• Police – 177
• Gendarmerie – 172
• Fire (sapeurs pompiers) – 118
• Main Lomé Hospital Sylvanus Olympio – 22 21 25 01 (most suitable for trauma)

Ambulance services are mostly non-existent.

• Injured or seriously ill travelers may prefer to take a taxi or private vehicle to the nearest major hospital rather than wait for an ambulance.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid do not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance, and you will normally be required to prepay for medical services, including medical imaging and medicines.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas.

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. The Togolese government does not maintain a website with prohibited medications, but usually if the medication is legal in France, it is legal in Togo.

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of doctors and hospitals. We do not endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic.

Health facilities in general:

• Public medical clinics lack basic resources and supplies.
• Hospitals and doctors require payment “up front” prior to service or admission. Credit Card payment is not available.
• Private hospitals usually require advance payment or proof of adequate insurance before admitting a patient.
• Medical staff may speak little or no English.
• Generally, in hospitals only minimal staff is available overnight. Consider hiring a private nurse or having family spend the night with the patient, especially a minor child.
• Patients bear all costs for transfer to or between hospitals.
• Psychological and psychiatric services are limited, even in the larger cities, with hospital-based care only available through government institutions.

Pharmaceuticals

• Exercise caution when purchasing medication overseas. Pharmaceuticals, both over the counter and requiring prescription in the United States, are often readily available for purchase with little controls. Counterfeit medication is common and may prove to be ineffective, the wrong strength, or contain dangerous ingredients. Medication should be purchased in consultation with a medical professional and from reputable establishments.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration are responsible for rules governing the transport of medication back to the United States. Medication purchased abroad must meet their requirements to be legally brought back into the United States. Medication should be for personal use and must be approved for usage in the United States. Please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration websites for more information. 

Non-Traditional Medicine 

• U.S. citizens have suffered serious complications or died while seeking medical care from non-traditional “healers” and practitioners in Togo. Ensure you have access to licensed emergency medical facilities in such cases.

Water Quality

• In many areas, tap water is not potable. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe, although you should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Be aware that ice for drinks may be made using tap water. Do not swim or bathe in or drink fresh or brackish water in streams, rivers, waterfalls, or lakes in Togo. Both Guinea Worm and Schistosomiasis are common in Togo, and contracted primarily through exposure to fresh water, even if the body of water is fast moving or is partially salty.

Adventure Travel

• Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for more information about Adventure Travel. Most adventure travel in Togo involves the ocean – swimming, whale watching, fishing, surfing, and wind surfing. Travelers coming to Togo for ocean-based recreation should use caution when engaging in these activities in a new area. The undertow is extremely strong, particularly from January to May, across the entire Bight of Benin, which includes Ghana, Benin and Togo. Water depths are variable, and water that may appear shallow near the coast can suddenly deepen due to variations in sand or wave formations. Togo has no emergency capability to respond to swimmers in distress, near drownings, or stranded or capsized vessels.

General Health

The following diseases are prevalent:

• Malaria
• Yellow Fever
• Typhoid
• Dengue
• Travelers’ Diarrhea
• Rabies
• Meningococcal Meningitis
• Tuberculosis
• Schistosomiasis