Mauritania
Student visa and residence permit steps, timing and proof of funds for Mauritania.
Foreigners apply online for an entry visa through the ANRPTS website; the application is transmitted to the authorities and, once validated, is printed and presented for boarding and entry. The agency states that sticker visas are discontinued and replaced by online visas. Passports must be valid for at least six months. For longer stays, a residence card is issued; for study purposes the agency lists an enrolment statement (certified by the supervising ministry for private institutions) plus a travel document valid for more than six months. A student-specific entry visa category, fee and processing time are not described on the pages reviewed. Canada's travel page states that student visas are required and that the e-visa portal is the official application route.
Travel advisories, sanctions and payments
As of 2026-10-26: UK FCDO (updated 19 Oct 2026) advises against all travel to eastern Mauritania, within 25 km of the Mali border, and against all but essential travel in Tiris Zemmour, Assaba, Hodh el Gharbi, Gorgol, Guidimaka and parts of Adrar and Tagant, plus within 25 km of the Western Sahara border (with exceptions). Germany's Auswaertiges Amt has a partial travel warning (page dated 26 Oct 2026, unchanged since 12 Aug 2026): border areas with Algeria and Mali; remote Sahara/Sahel areas; terrorism and kidnapping risk; fuel-saving measures including night driving bans. Canada (updated 9 Oct 2026) advises avoiding non-essential travel and all travel to Tiris Zemmour, the Hodh regions and areas east of the Zouerate-Ouadane-Tidjikja-Kiffa-Selibaby line. US State Department (page read 2026-10-26): Level 3 'Reconsider travel', date issued 18 Aug 2026, citing terrorism, crime and limited health infrastructure; Do Not Travel to military-restricted areas, areas north of the Tropic of Cancer and within 60 miles of the Mali and Algeria borders. Turkiye MFA: no Mauritania notice in the official advisory list read on 2026-10-26.
Nationality-specific notes: turkiye: Turkiye is not among the 11 countries listed by ANRPTS as having mutual visa-exemption agreements with Mauritania (Mali, Gambia, Niger, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Tunisia, Libya, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, Chad, Burkina Faso), so the online visa route applies as far as the list shows. No Turkish-specific student rule found. Mauritania's higher-education minister signed a cooperation MoU with Turkey's YOK in July 2026 (MESRS news).; russia: Russia is not on the ANRPTS mutual-exemption list; no Russia-specific student rule found.; kazakhstan: Kazakhstan is not on the ANRPTS mutual-exemption list; no Kazakhstan-specific student rule found.; ukraine: Ukraine is not on the ANRPTS mutual-exemption list; no Ukraine-specific student rule found.; azerbaijan: Azerbaijan is not on the ANRPTS mutual-exemption list; no Azerbaijan-specific student rule found.
Information on this page is compiled from official sources and was verified on the date shown. Fees, dates and visa rules change often; check official sources before applying. Empty fields have not been verified yet; ask our advisor for the current information.
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