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Country Specific Info.

The United States State Department produces Consular Information Sheets with health, safety and other country information for every country in the world. They are one good source of information, though you should look at multiple sources of information and take your own personal situation into account when selecting a country to study in.

The latest Consular Information Sheet for Senegal is below. We do not take responsibility for this information or edit it in any way. You can access the State Department travel site directly at: https://travel.state.gov/travel/

September 11, 2019

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Dakar
Route des Almadies
Dakar, Senegal
Telephone: +(221) 33-879-4000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(221) 33-879-4444
Email: DakarACS@state.gov

Destination Description

See the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Senegal for information on U.S. – Senegal relations.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Visit the Embassy of Senegal website for the most current visa information. Evidence of yellow-fever vaccination is required for entry into Senegal for travelers arriving from yellow-fever endemic countries.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Senegal.

Find information on dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction and customs regulations on our websites.

Safety and Security

Visit the U.S. Embassy Dakar website for current messages to U.S. citizens regarding safety and security.

Terrorism: Senegal has not experienced any recent terrorist attacks. Terrorist groups, such as the al-Qa’ida aligned Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), are present in West Africa and have specifically targeted westerners in the region. You should maintain situational awareness while traveling in Senegal.

Crime: Street crime, including robberies at knife-point and home burglaries, is very common in Senegal, particularly in urban areas. Beware of pickpockets, purse-snatchers, and thieves on motorized scooters. Robberies occur regularly along the Corniche d’Ouest, an area heavily frequented by tourists and westerners.

Scams, particulary internet romance scams, are common in Senegal. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State’s Fact Sheet on International Financial Scams.

See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information on scams.

Victims of Crime: U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault should first contact the U.S. Embassy and then the local police.

Report crimes to the local police at 17 or to the Gendarmerie at 800-00-20-20 and contact the U.S. Embassy at +(221) 33-879-4000. Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas.

We can:

Help you find appropriate medical care
Assist you in reporting a crime to the police
Contact relatives or friends with your written consent
Explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
Provide a list of local attorneys
Provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
Provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
Help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
Replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence: U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Swimming: An increasing number of children drown each year in the Atlantic Ocean in Senegal. Riptides can occur anywhere on the coast.

Do not swim in the ocean if you are inexperienced in swimming in water where very strong rip currents occur.
Do not dive into water of unknown depths.
Do not swim alone, especially at isolated beaches.

For further information:

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Call us in Washington at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
See the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
See traveling safely abroad for useful travel tips.

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Faith-Based Travelers: See the following webpages for details:

Faith-Based Travel Information
International Religious Freedom Report – see country reports
Human Rights Report – see country reports
Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

Special Circumstances: Senegal is generally a very tolerant society, with excellent relations between the approximately 95 percent of the Senegalese population who practice Islam and the remaining 5 percent that practice Christianity and other religions. Senegalese culture is conservative, however, particularly in rural regions. Be mindful of local social and cultural mores.

Personal Identification: Senegalese law requires all persons to carry valid personal identification at all times, and authorities may detain anyone, including U.S. citizens, who do not cooperate and provide identification. However, to minimize inconvenience in the event of theft, it is recommended that U.S. citizens carry copies, rather than originals, of their passports and other identification documents.

Currency: Senegal’s currency is the franc of the Communauté Financière d'Afrique (fCFA), which has an exchange rate fixed to the Euro. Senegal’s economy operates primarily on a cash basis. Credit cards are not widely accepted. Although ATMs are available in some areas (primarily Dakar), they are not always reliable and should generally be avoided. Mobile money services, using local cell phone accounts, are becoming more common. You may be able to transfer money from the United States using a commercial wire-transfer company.

LGBTI Travelers: Same-sex sexual relations are criminalized in Senegal. LGBTI individuals routinely face discrimination. Under Article 319 of the Senegalese criminal code, “unnatural acts” are punishable by imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of fCFA 1,000,000 (USD $2,000). While there have been none recently, several high-profile cases of arrest under these laws have occurred in the past.

See our LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of our  Human Rights report for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance. There are almost no accommodations made for individuals with disabilities in Senegal. The few that exist are inadequate or very different from what you will find in the United States.

Students: See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips.

Women Travelers: Rape is a crime in Senegal punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Senegal. However, it is rarely prosecuted. Spousal rape is not criminalized. Domestic violence which causes lasting injury is punishable by up to twenty years in prison and, when it causes death, is punishable by life in prison. However, the law against domestic violence is rarely enforced.

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is not specifically outlawed in Senegal and is commonly practiced in the south and southeast of the country.

See our travel tips for Women Travelers.

Health

Several hospitals and clinics in Dakar can treat major and minor injuries and illnesses; however, medical facilities outside Dakar are extremely limited, and unprepared to handle major injuries. There is inadequate inpatient psychiatric care and limited office-based psychiatric treatment in Dakar.

Water supplies often carry disease-causing microorganisms. U.S. citizens are encouraged to drink filtered or boiled water, particularly for babies under one year of age. Wash raw vegetables and fruits in a bleach solution before eating.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments.  See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage.

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

Always carry prescription medication in its original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.

The following diseases are present:

Malaria
Typhoid
Tuberculosis
Yellow Fever
Zika
Meningococcal Meningitis
Rabies
Measles

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

World Health Organization
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Drivers tend to exceed speed limits, follow other vehicles closely, ignore lane markings, and attempt to pass even when facing oncoming traffic. Roadways are poorly lit and poorly marked, and many sections have deteriorated surfaces. Due to limited street lighting, pedestrians are difficult to see at night. Drivers in both rural and urban areas may frequently expect to encounter and share the road with motorcycles, bicyclists, pedestrians, livestock, and animal carts. For information about automobile accidents in Senegal, visit the U.S. Embassy Dakar website.

While most main roads in Senegal are in relatively good condition for daytime driving, secondary roads are poor by U.S. standards. During the rainy season, many roads are passable only with four-wheel drive vehicles.

Traffic Laws: Traffic circulates on the right in Senegal. All drivers are expected to carry the following documents in their vehicles: (1) valid driver's license; (2) valid insurance papers; (3) vehicle registration/matriculation card ("carte grise"); (4) "vignette" tax disc for the current year; and (5) valid identification. Copies of U.S. passports must be clear enough to identify the driver of the vehicle.

Public Transportation: U.S. citizens should avoid using motorbikes, van taxis ("cars rapides"), and public transportation. Regulated orange-striped sedan auto taxis are safer, but make sure to agree on a fare before beginning the trip.

See our Road Safety page for more information.

Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Senegal, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Senegal’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

Maritime Travel: Mariners planning travel to Senegal should also check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts. Information may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard homeport website, and the NGA broadcast warnings.

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