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How To Get A Tourist Visa For Niger At The Embassy In Berlin, Germany
How To Get A Tourist Visa For Niger🇳🇪 At The Embassy In Berlin, Germany
When you’re suddenly on a lifelong quest to whackpack / backpack (in the old format) to every country you recognise, it just doesn’t get any easier. Visa blocks, visa failures, visa rejections, embassy shutdowns, changing governments, changing rules, lockdowns, mask loyalists, pandemics, wars, fake news mongrels and all other wacaday reasons start to barricade your adventure. Somehow, you’ll keep plugging away, for the love of travel.
“Moving, just keep moving” – Supergrass.
Here, in November 2024 I headed across the border from Poland into Germany in an attempt to secure a visa for Niger. The nearest Niger Embassy to my new base in Poland is of course in historic Berlin. Here we go…again.
Republic of The Niger flag
Where And What Is Niger?
Niger is quite the enigma. It’s a massive country! It’s central Africa, it’s western Africa, it’s northern Africa, it’s landlocked Africa and it’s Saharan Africa too. It is capitalled by lesser known Niamey. It borders 7 countries – Algeria, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali. Plus, it’s only 200 kilometres away from Cameroon and Togo, though it borders neither. This was sure to be a nuts trip.
Enigmatic Niger
Officially is is called The Republic Of The Niger. Niger covers a land area of almost 1,270,000 km2 (490,000 sq miles), making it the largest landlocked country in West Africa and the second largest landlocked nation in Africa behind Chad. Over 80% of its land area lies in the Sahara. It has a predominantly Muslim population of about 25 million, most of whom live in clusters in the south and west of the country. There are christians living here too which means that places serving alcohol do exist. The capital city is Niamey, which is located in Niger’s southwest corner along the namesake Niger River. The biggest international airport is here too, where we’d fly in to.
Arrival in Niamey, Niger
Arrival in Niamey, Niger
Who Needs A Visa For Niger?
The short answer is most of us. There are no visas on arrival or e-visas for the Northern Irish, the Polish, the English or even the Republic of Irish or the British. So head to your nearest Niger Embassy. In my case, it was the one in Berlin, Germany. I headed here with fellow global traveller Marek Bladowski from Poland and we enjoyed this adventure, as a trip bonus with a visa to nab.
How to get a Niger Visa In Berlin, Germany
Getting To The Niger Embassy in Berlin, Germany
I’ve whackpacked Berlin more times than most other cities in Europe. I think it’s 12 times now, since 2005. In that time, I’ve toured most of the sights, got my passport stamped at Checkpoint Charlie a load of times and had a fair few airport visits, bus delays, train breakdowns and Bratwursts.
Backpacking Berlin again
Backpacking Berlin again
Here is the address of the Niger Embassy in Berlin –
Address:
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday (check it when you go, we were there on a Monday at 9.00 a.m. and it was open, but it closes early some days).
The location of the Embassy Of The Republic of The Niger
At the Embassy Of The Republic of The Niger
Machnower Strasse is right by the Zehlendorf train station
Machnower Strasse is right by the Zehlendorf train station
Coffee and Croissant breakfast in Back Marie, Zehlendorf while we waited for the Embassy to open
Coffee and Croissant breakfast in Back Marie, Zehlendorf while we waited for the Embassy to open
Machnower Strasse is right by the Zehlendorf train station
Machnower Strasse is right by the Zehlendorf train station
Berlin Wannsee
Having wine and Thai food at Berin Wannsee
Our Hotel at Berlin Wannsee
Our Room at the Bonverde Hotel Wannsee in Berlin, Germany
How To Get The Niger Visa In Berlin, Germany
Very briefly, these are the things we needed in November 2024 –
- 61 Euros in cash (single entry visa)
- proof of flight into Niger
- proof of flight out of Niger
- proof of hotel in Niger
- one filled in application form (download this on their website and print it)
- two passport photos (oddly, the final visa doesn’t have a photo in it…)
- your passport
That is it. That is all you need.
How To Get The Niger Visa In Berlin, Germany
How long did it take to get the Niger Visa in Berlin, Germany?
Two weeks, it’s a “more or less” thing. It will depend on the time of year, season, holidays etc. If you want to pay 200 Euros, they can rush the visa through in 5 days for you. There was no option to get the visa online, or on the day, or on arrival. There is probably an option to post the passports but we weren’t willing to risk that, especially as Berlin borders Poland and can be done easily on a night bus. Two weeks later, I backpacked to Berlin again and got the visa.
Nightbus from Olsztyn to Berlin
Nightbus from Olsztyn to Berlin
How To Get A Tourist Visa For Niger🇳🇪 At The Embassy In Berlin, Germany
Two Weeks later with our visas at the Embassy Of The Republic of The Niger
Official Information On The Niger Embassy Website…
Here is the information in French on the Niger Embassy Website:
Toutes les informations sur une demande de visa
Composition de dossier de demande d’un visa:
- Le passeport dont la validité est au moins 6 mois à partir de la date de délivrance.
- Formulaire de demande de visa dûment rempli (2x) et signé par le demandeur.
- 2 Photos d’identité biométriques.
Procédure:
Téléchargez le formulaire de visa et remplissez.
Passer à l’ambassade et déposez votre dossier de demande
L’ambassade contrôle le dossier.
Vous pouvez aussi faire votre demande de visa sans effectuer le déplacement, le dossier complet de demande de visa peut- être envoyé par courrier recommandé à l’Ambassade.
Le renvoi de votre passeport est à votre charge.
Vous pourriez pour cela commander un service de courrier express, ou alors joindre à votre dossier une enveloppe portant votre adresse et suffisamment affranchie pour un envoie en recommandé.
- Visa entrée simple (3 mois) : 61 €
- Visa entrées multiples (3 mois ) : 100 €
- Visa Express: 200 €
Here is the information in English on the Niger Embassy Website:
All information about a visa application
Composition of visa application file:
The passport whose validity is at least 6 months from the date of issue.
Visa application form duly completed (2x) and signed by the applicant.
2 Biometric identity photos.
Procedure:
Download the visa form and fill it out.
Go to the embassy and submit your application file. The embassy controls the file.
You can also apply for your visa without traveling, the complete visa application file can be sent by registered mail to the Embassy. Returning your passport is your responsibility.
To do this, you could order an express mail service, or attach to your file an envelope bearing your address and sufficiently stamped for sending by registered mail.
File processing takes two (2) weeks.
Single entry visa (3 months): €61
Multiple entry visa (3 months): €100
Visa Express: €200
How To Get A Tourist Visa For Niger🇳🇪 At The Embassy In Berlin, Germany
And that my friends is it, we got our visas and we were ready to go backpacking in Niger, another brand new country on my jigsaw and for Marek too. Our thanks to Aisha from the Niger Embassy in Berlin and the staff of the Hotel 3 Univers in Niamey. More posts on backpacking Niger to come!
Backpacking in Niamey, Niger
Backpacking in Niamey, Niger