How to Get Visa for Sudan
There are many ways how to get visa for Sudan, but all will require some patience. There are scarce information online, either outdated or embassies have poor websites that lack useful information. If you are planning to get visa for Sudan start planning early at least one month before departure.
When I was planning my trip to Sudan, did a lot of research, came across some information online, so along with my personal experience of getting Sudan visa here are also other options I discovered on the Internet.
Getting Sudan Visa in Egypt (Cairo, Aswan)
If you plan overland trip from Cairo, you can get visa for Sudan in Cairo and Aswan. According to online forums all nationalities except Americans can get visa for Sudan in Cairo or Aswan. Cost of USD 100, though this requires a “letter of introduction” (or written statement that such letters do not exist) from your own embassy, and some embassies may be reluctant to issue anything of the sort.
The main exception is Americans, who currently cannot get a Sudanese visa in Egypt (or in most other countries) without “entry permission” from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is difficult and time-consuming to obtain (though may be possible with the help of a tour operator within Sudan).
Aswan Office for Sudan Visa
Al Sadat street (Tareek al Khazzan) Al Rudwan Mosque. Tel: 0972307231
In other words: the new location is close to the (El) Al Rudwan Mosque at the junction of (El) Al Sadat street and Tareek al Khazzan. GPS coordinates are: N 24.055176, E 32.883164 (source: Lonely planet forum) Visa cost 50 USD.
Getting Sudan Visa From Vienna Sudanese Embassy
Some nationalities, like Slovenians (me), Slovaks and Austrian residents, must get visa for Sudan at Sudan Embassy in Vienna in advance. If you cant deliver documents personally, you can send by mail all required documents, application form, passport photos and visa is ready between 7 to 14 days.
Update 2017 – Obtaining Sudanese Visa in Vienna is possible only in person as they are now taking fingerprints from applicants
I was impatient, so I personally contacted Sudanese Embassy in Vienna by phone and was lucky to to arrange getting visa for Sudan in the same day. This is not their regular policy, so contact them directly before travelling to Vienna.
Documents required for visa for Sudan in Vienna- I had to present:
- 2 passport photos
- Filled in visa application form
- Proof of booking ( hotel booking confirmation – it is required to present booking confirmation for entire stay in Sudan, but after I explained them that will be backpacking and can plan so far in advance, they accepted one week booking for a hotel in Khartum) or invitation letter from Sudanese resident or company. For tourism purposes hotel booking is enough. At least in Vienna.
- Passport that has to be valid at least six months after arriving to Sudan without Israeli stamp in it!
For me, getting visa for Sudan was super easy. Sudanese embassy is open from 9 to 4 PM Monday to Friday, but if you plan to come in person, it is advisable to make an appointment.
Visa for Sudan in Vienna costs 70 Euros. Since I arranged visa for Sudan on my own, I can easily extend my stay in Sudan in Khartum office.
Additional note: The best thing is to contact Sudan Embassy in Vienna is by phone. Their website is terrible, at the moment of writing its hacked! Phone number in Vienna: +431-7102343-15 Ask for Maria! They are also responsive by emails, but you might wait for answer for few days. Email : Consulate @ sudanivienna. at Address: Reisnerstraße 29, 1030 Wien, Austria
How to Find Sudan Embassy in Vienna
Sudan Embassy in Vienna is in area of the city where other embassies are, from main railroad station (Hauptbahnhof) take metro to Rennweg – the first top from railroad station. If you need to overnight in Vienna while hunting visa for Sudan, I found a room on Airbnb in the same street as embassy, Reisnerstraße – in a neighbour building.
Those nationalities that are under jurisdiction of the Embassy of the Sudan in Berlin can read more here
Arranging Visa For Sudan With Help Of Local Agent in Khartoum
Arranging Visa For Sudan With help of local agent in Khartoum is probably the best solution for US residents and all nationalities that would have trouble arranging visa for Sudan on their own. This is more expensive option but probably the most convenient.
Acropole hotel in Khartum can arrange tourist visa for you for additional cost of course, get you invitation letter and take care of all bureaucracy. In this case you can fly to Khartum airport, and get visa on arrival.
The cost of Tourist Visa through Acropole hotel is 180 USD paid to hotel for service, plus additional 150 USD (for US passport holders) paid at the airport upon arrival, non Us passport holders pay 100 USD at the airport.
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Total cost 330 USD plus 17 % VAT for US residents
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Total cost for all other nationalities 250 USD plus 17 % VAT
Airport Authorities accept only U.S. dollars, all Bank notes of U.S. dollars should be edited after year 2006.
- Passport should be valid for at least SIX months and without Israeli Immigration stamps.
- For those who need a letter of invitation addressed to the Sudanese Embassy, Acropole hotel needs first an advance payment and can serve only to tourists.
For Acropole hotel to get you exclusively a tourist visa or letter of invitation you have to provide all required documentation to hotel at least 30 days before arrival .
You will have to email a clear scanned passport copy to hotel, and guest must stay at Acropole hotel for the entire period of his stay in Sudan and can travel outside Khartoum only to archeological sites. In this case Acropole hotel is responsible for you in Sudan. Hotel is also obligated to register each guest, registration with Ministry of Internal Affairs cost additional 83 USD.
Sudanese Visa in European Passports Requires Obtaining Visa For Travel to United States
Although more than 30 countries can stay in US visa free up to 90 days, game changed for those EU nationals who hold Sudanese visa in their passports. Due to new US visa rules, Europeans who have Sudanese stamp in their passport from last 5 years ( after March 1 2011) will have to obtain visa for travel to United States. Visa exemptions will be made by one on one interviews with applicants on US embassies.
This sounds like hard work so hopefully your journey made it worthwhile. I’m astonished by how expensive some countries visas are now but shouldn’t complain as the Uk apparently levies expensive fees too. Look forward to seeing more posts on sudan
This is the charm of Sudan. Everything takes a bit of effort, starting with visa, but once you are there , you forget all these red tape bureaucracy. Totally worth it.
I so appreciate finding posts like these for not so known visa policies. It can be very stressful trying to figure out the different processes and requirements. I always like to read other people’s personal experience as well. I am sure that your experience and research will benefit a lot of people.
Thanks Chantell, i hope this post is gonna be useful. so far i got positive feedback on my email.
Wow — thank you for this helpful guide. It’s good to know there are several options for visas!
Than k you for this practical guide, sometimes it is so hard to find visa information and it changes all the time.
I wrote it as i spend a lot of time to get al proper information. Specially Sudanese embassies are very non responsive sometimes.Hope it helps to other readers.
I didn’t realise how difficult (and expensive!) it is to get a visa for Sudan. Why is it more expensive for USA passport holders than anyone else? Do you happen to have any information for Australian passport holders?
I think because Sudan and USA dont like each other very much:) its politics, its the same in Tanzania, 50 uSD for everyone and USA travellers pay 100 USD.
Pravkar sem si začel urejati vizo za Sudan in na netu takoj naletel na različne informacije v zvezi s sudansko ambasado na Dunaju. Upam, da vaše informacije še držijo, tako da jih bom lahko izkoristil oz. uporabil.
Hvala in lep ozdrav
Tasič Anton
Pozdravljeni, naceloma so informacije azurne, najbolojse pa je vedno vprasati pri viru, se pravi mejl na avtrijsko predstavnistvo, ali pa kar poklicati.