Meeting in the Council of Ministers on Thursday, September 11, 2025, the Burkinabe government approved a report introducing free visa fees for citizens of African countries. From now on, no national from the continent will have to pay to obtain an entry visa for Burkina Faso.
“This waiver of visa fees for nationals of African countries will also help promote tourism, Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso’s visibility abroad,” the Council of Ministers’ statement said.
After the meeting, the Minister of Security and Police Commissioner, Mahamadou Sana, emphasized that with this measure, which aligns with the pan-African vision of Head of State Ibrahim Traoré, “Burkina Faso reaffirms its strong commitment to strengthening the historic bonds of brotherhood among African peoples.”
Free visa does not mean visa-free
The minister clarified, however, that free visas should not be confused with a visa exemption. Following the announcement, numerous posts circulated on social media claiming that Burkina Faso had completely lifted visa requirements for Africans…
African nationals must still apply for their visa online through the portal www.visaburkina.bf. Each application will be reviewed, and if approved, the visa will be issued free of charge.
“I want to stress here that free does not mean exempt. When we say free, it means that applications must still be submitted online, reviewed, and, if accepted, then any African national who applies through this channel will receive the visa free of charge to enter Burkina Faso,” explained Mahamadou Sana.
According to the minister, this measure serves two main goals: to facilitate the free movement of people and goods across the African continent, and to strengthen the process of African integration.
For now, no official start date for this policy has been announced. As of September 12, 2025, Burkina Faso’s official electronic visa portal still requires African nationals to pay processing fees.
