Togo is a country located in Africa, West Africa, to be precise, with an official language called French. French is one popular language worldwide, so it wouldn’t be mind-boggling to find your way around with translators in human or bot form.
The one exciting thing about Togo’s location is that it just not is located in West Africa but has favourable seasons. A one-time visit to Africa with Togo in mind equals comfort. It is a beautiful place with people whose purview of tourists stand out as homely, friendly, and accommodative.
So, what now, won’t you try out applying for a visa to visit Togo today? You should.
One will not just have toured (from whatever region or continent one comes from) into Africa. Still, one would get to benefit from culture and custom so diverse yet holds Togolese together as a people so few in population, with about an estimated 8,608,444 as of 2020.
Eligibility for a Togo Visa
As tourists, what comes at the back of your mind when you map out a place, nation, or continent you hope to visit?
Beauty
Beautiful scenery and the ability to effectively communicate and transit freely with the locals of a place is what tourists hope to be received with.
I bet, yes, this is the first thing that comes to mind. Togo affords that. But first, to gain/get a visa into Togo, there are few rules or a number of processes to follow or to be clarified on/about.
The eligibility to enter Togo balls down to having your passports ready and authenticated, especially for these nationals: Australians, Britons, E.U, U.S.A, Canadians. Following Togo immigration rules, these nationals must have their passports, and visa’s ready in advance.
For people coming in from Romania, they are exempted from visa. Still, for other nationals excluding those aforementioned, who need both passports and visa is done in advance, these can be done at Togo consuls (i.e., embassies) in home countries, beforehand or upon arrival.
Knowing this: visas applied upon arrivals take more time as immigration officers might cause necessary delays at the airport.
Note: nationals obtaining visa-upon-arrival will be issued their visa’s but will have to certify that their stay within Togo will be the max, seven days. And if you plan on lasting longer than seven days in Togo, you should make visa applications in advance.
Types of visa and how much they cost
Like said earlier, a visa upon arrival will cost 30USD.
Single-entry visa, persons or tourists who book visa-in-advance will expend a cost of 50USD for a max of thirty days or 75USD for ninety days.
For a multiple-entry visa — which means that a person can travel in and out of Canada from any country they immigrate from, pending the validity of expiration of their visa — a tourist will pay 65USD for thirty days and 85USD for ninety days.
In clearer terms, a multiple-entry visa means that a person flying into Canada from Togo can make travels as long as he or she is legitimate as many times as they want.
That said, a single-entry visa means a person can enter Canada from, let’s say, Togo, once, pending on the validity of his or her visa.
Now, let us get back to the point. There are only two types of visas into Togo:
- Visa on arrival, and
- Single-entry, multiple-entry tourist visa (all paid in advance).
Here is a simple way you can apply
Whether you are applying on arrival or in advance, make sure to visit a Togolese consulate in your home country. Or, you can simply use the embassy’s official website for ease of time. Be it that you are in a country where it is hard finding a Togoleseconsulate, an alternative today is that you use their official website to make your booking.
Why we all need a Togo visa
With its capital, where the seat of government is at Lomé, Togo has countless sites to see, like the Lomé (popular) cathedral.
If your mission in Togo is to view ancient drawings, paintings on the wall, and sculptures, this cathedral should be given a thought upon visiting Togo. That aside, there are several other interesting places to visit in Togo, like the Kalie palm tree burst. Here there are voodoo wood carvings and interesting ceramic creations.
In Koutammakou, there is an assortment of thatch houses depicting Togo’s history, depicting where most Togolese locals live.
With this, if you are hoping to take very indigenous pictures, this site, which gives a nostalgic feeling to the people of Togo, can be your number two spot.
Togo Ville is where ancient documents between the German hegemony and Chiefs of Togo were made so that Germany can extend their appendages till Togo. An appendage is a plan to extend a nation or territory in context into another land.
Right until today, these documents lay there in archives for tourist world-over to come to see.
Agbodrafo is known for its lakes and pools. It is prominent for its Hotel Le Lac resort. If you like jet skiing, this place is for you also. It is said that on the other side of this town, which on the map is to the south, the Atlantic Ocean can be seen. You can watch the sea reach the banks and watch sea waves, too.
Aneho has lots of boats lying on the Salt-sea shore. In history, this part was known for the famous slave trading.
Fazio malfakassa national park is Togo’s largest. It has thick forests, woodlands, etc.
Keran national park houses various animals and flourishing wildlife. The main attraction is the elephants drawing water with their trunks from a water side for an average of one day.
Fosse aux lions national park is best for hiking and game journeys, based on strict supervision. A tour guide must be added. Here, lions and again, elephants can be seen in lakes.
Sokode is a town of rivers. The Kpongjo, Kpandi, and Na rivers channel through this town.
Kara comes before Fosse Aux Lions and Keran. It is a relaxation spot. There is farm products to buy, as much as you want, you can get. There are voodoo trinkets to see too, and if you choose to buy, you can.
Bassar has an abundant yam product. There is famous fufu made in this town. Posterity holds it as a remarkable delicacy.
Mango has a prominent hospital of hope. This is a Christian new mission through health to that area. Apart from that, Mango serves as a stop spot to relax before getting to the Keran National Park.
Atakpame is more than three hundred years old. It had existed as a small community and still exists up to this day. Imagine the variety of histories this place carries. It is unimaginable till you visit.
Tsevie is a small town whose palm oil products remain the highest in all of Togo. Away from business and trade, they are festive people. There are dance festivals, religious holiday times, and the street blow up in jolly during this period/s.
How many international airports does Togo have?
For tourist world-over to gain access into a place, it is mandated of this specific purpose of international airports to be built, commissioned, and set in good working condition to accommodate visitors.
With this, Togo has the:
- Niamtougou International Airport
- Kolokope Airport
- Akpaka Airport
- Djangou Airport
- Lomé-Tokoin Airport
- Sansanné-Mango Airport
- Sokodé Airport.
Frequently asked questions about Togo
Is it that Togolese citizens speak French and not English at all?
This question is unlikely as everywhere around the world where we have indigenous languages spoken, English is spoken there as a supplement too.
So with this, it is best to say, no, they do not speak only French, even though French is the official language. English is spoken there too.
What days are the consuls open for both physical and online applicants?
Every working day. However, make sure to have a valid I.D. with you.
How long before I expect the issuance of my Togo visa to me?
Normally it is on or before seven days if there are no irregularities from your part or theirs at the Consul, or online.
How long before the expiry of a Togolese passport?
Following instructions, after every five years, the validity of a Togolese passport expires, and this means that renewal must be done at any Togolese consul near you.
If I am moving with my family, do I go with them all to the Consul, including kids?
Yes, why not? Yes. Every intending visa applicant must be at the Consul, whether young or old because biometrics will normally be taken
What if I’m sick or for one reason or the other can’t get my visa myself? Can I send someone to the Togolese Consul in my home country for the collection of my visa?
Yes, you can. Anyone can help, but this person has to come with a valid document that has your signature. This document will also state the name, contact, and address of this third party. Again, just like you, they must have a valid I.D.
Covid-19 guidelines
- Everyone must be diligent in the adherence to the wash your hand, sanitize your hand, mask-up, and be socially distant from people rule.
- Don’t travel out of your home country if you are sick. However, before traveling into Togo, make sure to do a 1 to 3-day test. Make sure to have this test in your home country before visiting.
- If there is or are sick persons on your plane into Togo, make sure to mask-up. Make sure to report this case to relevant health agencies. Make sure to not come in contact with this or any sick person.
- Maintain a 3 to 6 feet space from them. Avoid shaking hands with them.
- Resist to urge to adjust at all times, your nose mask as this can cause infection.
- Always consider if the location you are traveling to has travel bans or restrictions.