8. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS
The following information on entry and exit requirements has been confirmed with the Senegalese authorities and, to the best of our knowledge, was valid on January 10, 2006. However, entry and exit requirements are subject to change.
It is the sole prerogative of each country to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. To obtain information on specific entry requirements, contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the country or countries to be visited. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties.
Foreign Affairs Canada’s Office of Protocol provides contact details for the Embassy of the Republic of Senegal and its consulates, where you can obtain further information on entry and exit requirements.
A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit Senegal. The passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the date of your expected departure from the country. Visas are not required for a stay not exceeding 90 days.
Tourist Visa: Not required
Business Visa: Not required
Student Visa: Not required
If you are settling in Senegal for more than 3 months, you must apply for a foreign national identity card.Travellers are required to carry proof of yellow fever and meningitis vaccination.
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Selling, altering, or allowing another person to use your passport is a criminal offence. It could lead to the laying of charges and imprisonment if convicted. It could also lead to the denial of future passport services.
Special and diplomatic passport holders should verify visa requirements for this and other countries, as they may differ from those that apply to regular passport holders.
Any adult travelling with children may be required to show evidence of parental/custodial and/or access rights. Foreign and Canadian authorities may also require evidence that the adult has the consent of the parents, legal guardian, and/or the court to travel with the children. Some countries may not permit children to enter or, in some cases, leave the country without proper documentation such as a letter of consent or a court order.
Although same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, many countries do not recognize them. Attempting to enter as a same-sex married couple may result in refusal by local officials. For more information, contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada.
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9. MONEY
The currency is the African Financial Community franc (CFA franc). High-quality counterfeit old CFA 10,000 and 5,000 franc banknotes have been discovered in circulation in CFA franc zone countries. Travellers should avoid offers of large amounts of banknotes in exchange for foreign currency from other than reputable exchange bureaus.
The following may be helpful in identifying false notes:
In the serial number:
a) the figure "4" is closed at the top on the genuine notes but open on the false ones;
b) the tips of the figures "6" and "9" feature a slightly enhanced curve on the false notes; and
c) the top of the figure "1" features a curved tip on the false notes instead of a straight one.
Notes bearing the series indicator "A" are believed not to be affected.
New bank notes (1,000 FCFA, 2 000 FCFA, 5,000 FCFA and 10,000 FCFA) were put into circulation in 2003. 1,000 CFA = 1.52 euro or C$2.50. Visitors interested in learning about the new notes are invited to review the Web site of the Banque centrale des États d'Afrique de l'Ouest (available only in French): www.bceao.int/internet/bcweb.nsf/French.htm.
Credit cards are rarely accepted outside major hotels, travel agencies, and airline companies. Credit card cash advances can be obtained, but are time consuming. Western Union offices offer cash transfers from Canada; one of their offices in Dakar is open 24-hours, 7-days a week. Traveller's cheques are accepted.
Check with your bank for information on ATM services in other countries. You can also check the VISA ATM locator page or the MasterCard ATM locator page for the addresses of ATMs around the world. Your bank can advise if you need a new personal identification number (PIN) for overseas access to your account. Credit cards and debit cards should be used with caution due to the potential for fraud and other criminal activity. ATMs should be used during business hours inside a bank, supermarket, or large commercial building. Leave copies of your card numbers with a family member in case of emergency.
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10. GENERAL INFORMATION
Senegal (capital: Dakar) is located on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and the Atlantic Ocean. Senegal almost completely surrounds The Gambia. The official language is French. Tourist facilities are widely available. International calls can be expensive. Internet and e-mail services and cellular telephone coverage are limited. Access to the Internet is possible through cybercafés, which are spread around Dakar but limited in other cities.
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11. TRAVEL MEDICINE PROGRAM
The Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) report on disease outbreaks that occur throughout the world. For the latest travel health advisories and related information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Travel Medicine Program Web site.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is currently monitoring an increase in cholera activity in West Africa. Further information on cholera and recommendations for travellers can be found on the Public Health Agency of Canada's Travel Medicine Web site as well as on the World Health Organization's Web site.
The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease. Travellers are reminded to ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations (e.g., tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and measles) are up to date.
Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Prescription medications should be kept in the original container and packed in carry-on luggage.
The Public Health Agency of Canada also recommends that travellers who become sick or feel unwell on their return to Canada seek a medical assessment with their personal physician. Travellers should inform their physician that they have been travelling or living outside of Canada.
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12. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION
Medical facilities are adequate in the capital, Dakar. However, medical facilities outside Dakar are limited.
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13. RETURNING TO CANADA
Please consult the Current Issue on returning to Canada.
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14. INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS
Provincial and territorial authorities in Canada are responsible for authorizing international adoptions. If you are thinking of adopting a child from another country, you must first obtain information about the adoption regulations of the province or territory in which the child will reside. While adoption is a provincial/territorial responsibility, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for allowing an adopted child entry into Canada. Entry can be refused if the child does not hold the appropriate immigrant visa. A visa may be denied, even if the adoption has already been completed. For more information contact CIC at 1 888 242-2100 (in Canada only), check the CIC Web site or contact your provincial or territorial government.
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15. TRAVEL TIPS
Please consult our Traveller's Checklist.
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16. HEALTH AND TRAVEL INSURANCE
Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses if you get sick or are injured while abroad. It may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs. Understand the terms of your supplementary insurance policy. Some credit cards offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage. Carry details of your insurance with you. Also, tell your travel agent, a friend or relative, and/or travelling companion how to contact your insurer. Get a detailed invoice from the doctor or hospital before you return to Canada. Always submit original receipts for any medical services or prescriptions received abroad. Most insurance companies will not accept copies or faxes.
Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. Before cancelling a scheduled trip, you should discuss the matter with your travel agent, your travel insurer, or the airline. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller.
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17. FOR MORE INFORMATION
TIPS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS TO SENEGAL
Recognizing a Business Scam
Business people, many of them experienced in overseas transactions, have lost thousands of dollars to scams. Occasionally, persons who have gone to Senegal to "finalize" deals have been threatened or assaulted. Local police and other officials have not provided assistance to those caught up in scams.
Caution should be exercised when contemplating any business transaction involving Senegal. The scams range from attempts to engage business people in fictitious money transfer schemes to fraudulent solicitations and fraudulent real estate transactions. The scams are very sophisticated and may take victims to staged meetings, often held in borrowed offices at overseas locations. The persons involved do their research and can often provide plausible, but non-existent, orders written on seemingly genuine government stationery, replete with official stamps and seals.
Senegal business scams are not always easy to recognize, and any unsolicited business proposal should be carefully scrutinized. There are, nevertheless, some indicators that are warnings of a probable scam. Look out for:
Any offer of a substantial percentage of a large sum of money to be transferred into your account in return for your "discretion" or "confidentiality";
Any deal that seems too good to be true;
Requests for signed and stamped blank letterhead or invoices, or for bank account information;
Requests for urgent air shipment, accompanied by an instrument of payment whose genuineness cannot immediately be established;
Solicitation letters or e-mails claiming that the soliciting party has personal ties to senior Senegal officials;
Requests for advance payment in U.S. dollars, in advance of transfer taxes or incorporation fees;
Statements that your name was provided to the soliciting party either by someone you do not know or by a "reliable contact";
These indicators are some of the most common hallmarks of West African scam operations. The list is not all-inclusive, as scam operators are constantly weaving new elements into their schemes. The best rule is to carefully check any unsolicited business proposal originating from Senegal or involving Senegalese before any funds are committed, before any goods or services are provided, or before any travel is undertaken.
How Do the Scams Work?
Senegal business scams are confidence schemes, designed to exploit the trust you develop in your Senegal partner and defraud you of goods, services, or money. The scams are flexible, and operators adapt them to take the greatest advantage of the target.
Solicitation letters or e-mails received in Canada may sometimes originate in countries neighbouring Senegal (i.e. Nigeria, Benin or Côte d'Ivoire), in Europe, or in North America; however, you may be requested to visit Senegal to finalize the deal.
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Trade Canada
Africa and Middle East Trade Division
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G2
Ask for the Commercial Officer responsible for Senegal at (613) 944-4000. If you already have a contact name, you can also fax your request at (613) 996-9709.
Embassy of the Republic of Senegal
57 Marlborough Avenue,
Ottawa, ON
K1N 8E8
Tel.: (613) 238-6392
Fax: (613) 238-2695
Criminal Operations Branch
Economic Crime Directorate
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0R2
Tel.: 613-998-6050 or 613-998-6069
Fax: 613-993-4299
PhoneBusters National Call Centre
P.O. Box 686
North Bay, Ontario
P1B 8J8
Tel.: 1 888 654-9426 or 705-495-8501
Fax: 1 888 654-9426 or 705-494-4008
Web site: www.phonebusters.com
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18. ANNEX
N/A
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