Quick answer: U.S. citizens need a visa before traveling to Cameroon. The application starts online through Cameroon's e-Visa system, where you submit the form, supporting documents, and payment.
For most tourism and family trips, U.S. travelers use the short-stay visa. The current Embassy fee is $181.82 for ordinary processing or $272.73 for express processing. A short-stay visa can be issued with validity of up to 6 months.
Approval of the online application gives you a visa authorization with a QR code. Depending on where you live, the visa sticker is then placed in your passport at the Embassy in Washington, D.C., or at a Cameroonian border entry point.
Need Help With Your Application?
iVisa guides you through the form, reviews your application and uploaded documents, and submits the application to the Cameroonian authorities.
Our role: U.S. Passport Service Guide is not a government agency. We explain the requirements and show you how to apply directly or use a paid service. We may earn a commission from sponsored links.
On This Page
- Cameroon e-Visa requirements at a glance
- Which Cameroon visa should you apply for?
- Rules to double-check before applying
- How to apply for a Cameroon e-Visa
- What your e-Visa status means
- Where you receive the visa sticker
- Health and entry requirements
- Frequently asked questions
Cameroon E-Visa Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | What U.S. Travelers Need |
|---|---|
| Visa | Required before travel. Start the application online and obtain either a visa sticker or an approved visa authorization with QR code before departure. |
| Short-stay fee | $181.82 for ordinary processing or $272.73 for express processing. |
| Short-stay validity | Up to 6 months. The Embassy decides the validity period and whether the visa is single-entry or multiple-entry. |
| Passport validity | At least 6 months of validity remaining on the projected travel date for a short-stay visa. |
| Blank passport page | At least 1 blank page for the visa and entry processing. |
| Yellow fever | Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for the visa application and entry. The Embassy exempts infants under 1 from the application upload requirement. |
| Polio | Proof of polio vaccination is required when the visit lasts more than 4 weeks. |
| Flight reservation | A round-trip flight reservation showing travel dates and transit cities is required for a short-stay application. |
| Financial support | Provide a recent bank statement or the appropriate financial-support documentation for the person or organization paying for the trip. |
| Tourist accommodation | Hotel reservation, certificate of accommodation, or a qualifying invitation from a tour operator. |
Which Cameroon Visa Should You Apply For?
| Visa | Current Fee | Official Processing Target | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transit | Free for transit of up to 4 days | 1 to 3 business days | Passing through Cameroon on the way to another country. |
| Short Stay | $181.82 | 3 business days for an admissible file | Tourism, private visits, business trips, events, and other temporary visits of up to 6 months. |
| Short Stay Express | $272.73 | 24 hours for an admissible file | The same short-stay purposes when express processing is available and appropriate. |
| Long Stay | $272.73 | 3 business days for an admissible file | Qualifying work, study, family, or other stays that may require validity beyond 6 months and up to 1 year. |
There is no separate one-year tourist visa. Tourism falls under the short-stay category.
A long-stay visa can be valid for up to 1 year, but paying the long-stay fee does not guarantee that Cameroon will issue that length of validity.
Single or multiple entries: You can request the number of entries you need, but the Embassy makes the final decision on both the number of entries and the visa validity shown on the sticker.
Before You Apply, Double-Check These Rules
- Your passport will still have at least 6 months of validity on the projected travel date.
- Your passport name, birth date, number, and contact information are entered correctly. The Embassy warns that the information submitted online is treated as final.
- Your yellow fever certificate clearly shows the yellow fever vaccination, not just other vaccinations.
- Your flight reservation shows the full trip to and from Cameroon, including transit points.
- Your financial-support document matches who is actually paying for the trip.
- Your accommodation or invitation document matches the purpose of travel you selected.
- Each child has a separate application and the required parental documents.
- You understand where you will complete biometrics and receive the visa sticker after approval.
How to Apply for a Cameroon E-Visa
Applying directly through the official Cameroon e-Visa portal avoids an additional application-service fee. You complete the form, upload the documents, pay online, and monitor the application yourself. iVisa guides you through the form, reviews the application and files, and submits them to the Cameroonian authorities.
What to Prepare for a Short-Stay Tourist Application
- Passport bio page: A clear scan of the passport you will use for travel.
- Flight reservation: Round-trip itinerary showing travel dates, transit cities, and countries.
- Yellow fever certificate: A legible copy showing yellow fever immunization. If you cannot receive the vaccine for medical reasons, the Embassy accepts a signed and stamped medical exemption letter for the application.
- Financial support: A recent bank statement if you are paying for your own trip. Other arrangements require the appropriate sponsor or company documentation.
- Accommodation: Hotel reservation, certificate of accommodation, or qualifying invitation documentation.
- Minor documents: Birth certificate, parent or guardian identification, and notarized parental authorization when the applicant is under 18.
The Embassy recommends PDF files and allows a maximum file size of 5 MB. Unreadable or poor-quality uploads are not accepted.
Application Steps
- Create an account. Use the official Cameroon e-Visa portal and start a new visa application.
- Complete the form. Enter your passport, contact, travel, host, and purpose-of-trip information exactly as requested.
- Upload the documents. Add the passport page, itinerary, vaccination record, financial evidence, accommodation or invitation documents, and any other files required for your visa type.
- Review and pay. Check the application carefully before finalizing it. Visa payments are non-refundable.
- Monitor the portal. Check your account for the status. An approved visa authorization with QR code is downloaded from the portal; the Embassy says it is not emailed to the applicant.
- Complete biometrics and receive the sticker. Follow the instructions that apply to your residence location before traveling or at the Cameroonian border entry point.
When to apply: The Embassy lists a 3-business-day processing target for an admissible short-stay application and 24 hours for express service, but incomplete or inaccurate files can take longer. We recommend applying at least 3 weeks before departure rather than planning around the minimum processing time.
What Your Cameroon E-Visa Status Means
| Portal Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| PAID | Your application is pending. The Embassy says no action is required while it is under review. |
| Approved | The visa issuance authorization with QR code is available for download in your portal account. |
| On Hold | The file is incomplete or contains an inaccuracy. Edit the application, provide what was requested, and resubmit it through the portal. |
| Rejected | The application cannot be continued. A traveler who still needs a visa must submit a new application and pay again. |
Already applied? Log in to the official e-Visa portal regularly rather than relying on email for the decision. For application questions, the Embassy directs applicants to contact@evisacam.cm or support@evisacam.cm.
Where Do U.S. Travelers Receive the Visa Sticker?
This is the part of the Cameroon e-Visa process that is easy to misunderstand. The online approval and QR code are not the final visa sticker.
If you live in Washington, D.C.: After approval, download the visa authorization and go to the Embassy of Cameroon in person to complete biometrics and receive the visa sticker. The Embassy's current instructions list walk-in visa processing Monday through Thursday in the afternoon.
If you live outside Washington, D.C.: After approval, download the authorization and QR code. The Embassy says you may receive the visa sticker either at the Embassy in Washington or at a Cameroonian border entry point.
Biometric enrollment and visa-sticker issuance require the traveler to be physically present, including children. Bring the original passport, original yellow fever certificate, approved QR-code authorization, and printed copies of the documents uploaded with the application. The Embassy specifically warns that copies stored only on a phone are not accepted for this step.
Do not confuse this with an ordinary visa on arrival: You cannot simply fly to Cameroon and apply after landing. Before departure, you need either the visa sticker already in your passport or an approved online visa authorization with QR code.
Cameroon Health and Entry Requirements
Yellow Fever
Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry and is part of the e-Visa application. Carry the original WHO vaccination card when you travel. The Embassy's application rules exempt infants under 1 from the yellow-fever upload requirement and allow a medical exemption letter when vaccination is medically contraindicated.
Polio for Stays Longer Than 4 Weeks
The U.S. State Department says travelers staying in Cameroon for more than 4 weeks need proof of polio vaccination. Check the current vaccination timing requirements before departure.
Traveling With Children
For the e-Visa application, a minor under 18 needs a birth certificate, parent or guardian identification, and a notarized letter of support signed by both parents or legal guardians. The Embassy requires this authorization even when the child is traveling with the parent or parents. Different documentation applies when a parent has sole custody or cannot sign.
At the border, the State Department also advises carrying evidence of the child's relationship to the accompanying adult. When one parent travels with a child, carry a notarized consent letter from the absent parent or proof of sole custody.
Current Travel Advisory
The U.S. State Department currently lists Cameroon at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, with Level 4 Do Not Travel warnings for the Southwest, Northwest, and Far North Regions and for areas within 20 kilometers of the borders with the Central African Republic, Chad, and Nigeria. Review the current Cameroon travel advisory again before departure.
Cameroon E-Visa Frequently Asked Questions
No. You must apply before travel. Some approved travelers receive the physical visa sticker at a Cameroonian border entry point, but they must already have the approved online visa authorization and QR code before departure.
No. The QR-code document authorizes issuance of the visa. The physical visa sticker is placed in your passport after biometric enrollment at the Embassy or, for eligible travelers, at a Cameroonian border entry point.
The Embassy lists 3 business days for an admissible ordinary short-stay application and 24 hours for express processing. Incomplete or inaccurate files can take longer, so apply well before the trip.
The file is incomplete or contains an inaccuracy. Edit the application, add the requested information or document, and resubmit it through the portal. An unresolved file can be rejected, and the fee may be forfeited.
Yes. Each child needs a separate application and must appear in person for biometric enrollment and visa-sticker issuance. The visa application also requires additional parental documents.
Yes. Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for the visa application and entry. Carry the original vaccination card. The Embassy provides an application exception for infants under 1 and accepts a medical exemption letter when vaccination is medically contraindicated.
If you live in Washington, D.C., the Embassy's current instructions direct you to complete the visa-sticker step there. If you live outside Washington, D.C., you may receive the sticker at the Embassy or at a Cameroonian border entry point after obtaining the approved QR-code authorization.
Apply With iVisa
iVisa can review your form and uploaded documents before submitting the Cameroon e-Visa application.
How we checked this page: We compared Cameroon's current e-Visa rules with the January 2026 U.S.-specific instructions from the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington and current U.S. State Department entry guidance.
Last reviewed: August 11, 2026.
