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Antananarivo Entry Requirements

Antananarivo Entry Requirements

Visa, immigration, and customs information

Important Notice Entry requirements can change at any time. Always verify current requirements with official government sources before traveling.
Arrive at Ivato International Airport ready: passport valid six months beyond arrival, plus either the visa-free stamp, an approved electronic visa, or a consular visa already in place. Immigration runs around the clock, yet late-evening international banks swell the lines. Give yourself 20, 45 minutes. Before you board, double-check that your airline has forwarded Advance Passenger Information and save the e-visa PDF or print it, you'll need it the moment you step into Antananarivo. Officers almost always ask for proof of onward or return travel and sometimes want evidence of enough cash for the stay. A confirmed hotel or a local contact's number shortens the questions. After immigration, bags go through another scan. Keep prescription drugs in original bottles with labels facing out.

Visa Requirements

Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.

Visa-Free Entry
30 to 90 days depending on bilateral agreement

Passport holders from select neighboring and partner countries may enter without a visa.

Includes
Mauritius Seychelles Singapore Hong Kong (SAR China) Philippines

Entry granted on arrival. Extension possible at the immigration office on Rue Patrice Lumumba in Antananarivo.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA/eVisa)
30 days single-entry; 60 days double-entry available

Most travelers apply online before departure and receive an electronic visa linked to the passport.

Includes
United States United Kingdom Canada Australia EU member states Japan South Africa Brazil India China Russia
How to Apply: Log on to evisa.gov.mg, upload the passport bio page and proof of return ticket. The approval email lands within 48, 72 hours. Print the confirmation or park the PDF on your phone to flash on arrival in Antananarivo.
Cost: Mid-range fee payable by card. Slightly higher for 60-day option

The e-visa must be used within 90 days of issue. Overstays incur a daily fine settled at the Antananarivo airport immigration desk before departure.

Visa Required
30 days single-entry as standard

Citizens of countries without e-visa eligibility must obtain a sticker visa from a Madagascar embassy or consulate.

How to Apply: Hand over your passport, two photos, return ticket proof, and a hotel or host letter to the nearest embassy. Processing usually takes 5, 7 working days.

Embassies in Paris, Pretoria, Washington, and Bangkok handle most applications. No on-arrival visa issuance for these nationalities.

Arrival Process

Touch down at Ivato International Airport outside Antananarivo and follow the steady flow through health screening, immigration, baggage claim, and customs.

1
Health Screening
Temperature check and verification of any current health declarations.
2
Immigration
Present your passport, e-visa printout or visa-free entry, and answer the standard questions.
3
Baggage Claim
Collect your luggage. Free trolleys stand by. Walk out through the green or red customs channel.

Documents to Have Ready

Passport
Must be valid for at least six months and have two blank pages.
e-Visa approval or visa sticker
Printed or digital copy accepted at Antananarivo airport.
Return or onward ticket
Airline staff may also ask at departure airport. Immigration occasionally requests proof.

Tips for Smooth Entry

Have the hotel name and street address ready. Offline map screenshots save time if Wi-Fi crawls.
Keep small-denomination euro or ariary notes for the 15 000, 20 000 MGA fast-track porter fee if you want help with bags.

Customs & Duty-Free

Madagascar customs at Ivato enforces strict rules on imports to protect local agriculture and heritage.

Alcohol
One litre of spirits OR two litres of wine
Must be 18 years or older. Opened bottles count toward the limit.
Tobacco
500 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 250 g loose tobacco
Exceeding allowance triggers duty plus significant surcharges.
Currency
Declaration required if carrying more than EUR 7 500 or equivalent
Form available on arrival. Failure to declare can lead to confiscation.
Gifts/Goods
Personal effects up to MGA 200 000
New electronics and jewellery above this value must be declared and may attract duty.

Prohibited Items

  • Fresh fruit, plants, seeds, risk of agricultural pests
  • Counterfeit currency, illegal under Malagasy law
  • Ivory or rosewood products, protected under CITES

Restricted Items

  • Pharmaceuticals containing narcotics, require doctor's letter and Ministry of Health approval

Health Requirements

Madagascar requires proof of yellow-fever vaccination for travelers arriving from affected zones. Additional vaccines and malaria prophylaxis are strongly advised.

Required Vaccinations

  • Yellow fever, if arriving from a country with risk of transmission

Recommended Vaccinations

  • Typhoid
  • Hepatitis An and B
  • Rabies (for extended rural travel)
  • Routine boosters (MMR, DPT)

Health Insurance

Antananarivo private hospitals accept cash or international insurance. Carrying proof of complete coverage avoids large upfront deposits.

Current Health Requirements: Check the Madagascar Ministry of Public Health website and your own government's travel health page for any COVID-19 or post-outbreak updates before flying to Antananarivo.

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Important Contacts

Essential resources for your trip.

Embassy/Consulate
Find your country's embassy or consulate
Check your government's travel advisory website
Immigration Authority
Direction Générale de la Police aux Frontières
dmpf.mg, official e-visa portal and immigration notices
Emergency
Emergency services number
Dial 124 for police, 118 for ambulance, and 118 for fire services in Antananarivo

Special Situations

Additional requirements for specific circumstances.

Traveling with Children

Single parents or guardians need a notarized consent letter from the absent parent(s) plus the child's unabridged birth certificate. Immigration at Antananarivo may request both originals.

Traveling with Pets

Obtain an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture in Antananarivo at least 10 days before arrival. Current rabies vaccination and an endorsed veterinary health certificate issued within 5 days of travel are mandatory. Pets enter only via Ivato cargo section.

Extended Stays

Tourists wishing to remain beyond 60 days can apply for a 90-day extension at the immigration office in Antananarivo near the Isoraka district. Bring passport, two photos, and bank statements showing adequate funds.

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