Sub Saharan Africa

Chad
Still current at: 08 November 2009 Updated: 21 October 2009

This advice has been reviewed and reissued. The overall level of the advice has not changed.

(see travel advice legal disclaimer)

Travel advice for this country

Travel Summary

We advise against all but essential travel to the capital,N'Djamena and against all travel to other regions in Chad. Thepolitical and security situation remains uncertain, and can changerapidly. Rebel attacks cannot be ruled out. See the PoliticalSituation section of this advice for more details.
Thereis no British Embassy in Chad. There is an Honorary Consul inN'Djamena who can be contacted atmailto:ben.sibthorpe-honcon@fconet.gov.uk. In an emergency, you canalso obtain consular assistance through the British High Commission inYaoundé, Cameroon. If you are not registered with the British HighCommission you should register online at LOCATE or contact the main switchboard, 00 237 22 22 05 45.
Youshould carry identification at all times (either a residence permitand/or a certified copy of your passport). Failure to produce suchidentification can lead to detention by the police, or delays withnationality identification should you have to leave the country.
Thearea bordering Libya remains heavily land-mined and the border issubject to closure. The borders with Sudan and the Central AfricanRepublic (CAR) are also subject to closure at little or no notice.
Thereis an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks could beindiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates andforeign travellers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information.
We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

You should be aware that the long-standing policy of the British Government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British Government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Incidents of petty theft and theft from vehicles occur. There are also reports of armed robbery, sometimes targeting expatriates. Highway bandits are known to operate in Chad. There is a high level of banditry; much of it car–jacking, south of Goz Beida. You should take sensible personal security precautions. We recommend that you avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewellery in public and avoid isolated or poorer areas of towns. You should avoid walking around and travelling at night.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Chad Country Profile

There were clashes between the Chadian army and armed rebels in early May 2009, around the Am-Dam and Goz Beida area in eastern Chad. Ongoing rebel attacks cannot be ruled out, particularly in eastern Chad, though decrease in likelihood during rainy season (July-October).

Fighting previously broke out on 2 February 2008 between rebel forces who entered N'Djamena, and Government troops; a number of foreign nationals were evacuated from Chad as a result. Further rebel attacks occurred between 13 and 18 June 2008, but were confined to eastern Chad, around the Biltine and Am Zoer areas, and did not reach N'Djamena. The political and security situation remains uncertain, and could change rapidly. You should remain abreast of political developments.

Sudan and Chad maintain diplomatic relations, but tensions between the two countries remain high.

Local Travel

We advise against all but essential travel to the capital, N'Djamena and against all travel to other regions in Chad. If you decide to travel to Chad, you should exercise caution, seek local advice regularly, where possible, check this travel advice regularly and ensure you register with the British High Commission in Yaoundé, Cameroon. If you are in Chad you should remain vigilant at all time sand in particular, avoid travelling at night.

There is no British Embassy in Chad. If you are not registered with the British High Commission you should register on-line at LOCATE or contact the the main switchboard, 00 237 22 22 05 45.

As a result of the conflict in Darfur and inter-ethnic violence in the region, over 236,000 Sudanese refugees and 170,000 internally displaced persons live in and around camps in eastern Chad. The humanitarian situation is grave and the security situation extremely unstable, with reports of fighting spilling across the border and rebel activity in this area. Armed insurgent groups are committing acts of banditry and violence on both sides of and across the Chad/Sudan border.

The border between Chad and Sudan has been closed since 13 May 2008, and the security situation in the border area remains extremely unstable.

The border areas with the Central African Republic (CAR) in the south and the Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti provinces in the north remain dangerous. The area bordering Libya remains heavily land-mined. The borders with Central African Republic (CAR) and Libya are also subject to closure.

The tri-border area where Chad, Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR) meet is particularly dangerous.

Road Travel

You should avoid the area south of Goz Beida where there has been significant rebel activity. The area is also renowned for its roadblocks, which are frequently used to facilitate car-jackings, some of which have proved fatal.

For travel outside the capital, you require authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior, which is normally granted without difficulty after a few days. But roads are poor and often impassable during the rainy season (July-October), especially in the south. You should travel in convoy, keep doors locked and carry spare fuel and supplies. Due to the activity of highway bandits, you should not travel by road after dark.

Police checkpoints are common: you may be asked to show your passport, driving licence and vehicle registration documents.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

The European Commission has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the European Union. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel - European Commission Transport - Air.

For more general information see Airline Security.

Local laws and customs

Local laws reflect the fact that Chad is a predominantly Muslim country. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. For more general information see Travelling during Ramadan.

Penalties for the use and possession of drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence.

Homosexuality is not widely accepted in central African society and some sexual acts between members of the same sex are illegal.

Photography of military sites, government buildings and airports is prohibited. Other photography requires a government permit.

You should carry identification at all times (either a residence permit or a certified copy of your passport). Failure to produce such identification can lead to detention by the police.

For more general information for different types of travellers see our Your trip page.

Entry requirements

Visas

British nationals require a visa to visit Chad. To apply for a visa and to obtain further information on entry requirements, please contact the Chadian Embassy in Belgium at 52 Boulevard Lambermont, 1030, Brussels, Tel: +32 2 215 1975, Fax: +32 2 216 3526, Email: ambassade.tchad@chello.be; or the Chadian Embassy in France at 65 rue des Belles Feuilles, 75116, Paris, Tel: +33 (0)1 45 53 36 75, Fax: +33 (0)1 45 53 16 09.

Yellow Fever vaccination certificate

You will be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival in the country. Failure to do so may result in a further vaccination being administered, for which a charge is made.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Chadian Embassy in Belgium at 52 Boulevard Lambermont, 1030, Brussels, Tel: +32 2 215 1975, Fax: +32 2 216 3526, Email: ambassade.tchad@chello.be; or the Chadian Embassy in France at 65 rue des Belles Feuilles, 75116, Paris, Tel: +33 (0)1 45 53 36 75, Fax: +33 (0)1 45 53 16 09.

Health

Medical facilities in Chad are poor. Hospitals in N’Djamena are sometimes affected by strikes by Government workers. You need to keep in mind the possibility that medical services, stretched at the best of times, may be even less responsive than usual.

Malaria and water-borne diseases are common in Chad while outbreaks of cholera are known to occur. Meningitis outbreaks can occur throughout Chad, and are especially common in the south of the country, which lies within the African meningitis belt stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia. A measles outbreak was reported in eastern Chad in early 2009, resulting in over 600 cases.

You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Food purchased from local street vendors may not meet adequate hygiene standards.

If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Chad you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 180,000 adults aged 15 or over in Chad were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 3.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Chad and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is how we can help .

British representation

There is no British Embassy in Chad. In an emergency, you can obtain consular assistance through the British High Commission in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Consular Registration

You should register your presence with the British High Commission in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This is easily done by e-mail.

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Contacts

Cameroon, British High Commission, Yaoundé

Address:

British High Commission
Avenue Winston Churchill
BP 547

Telephone:

(237) 2222 05 45
(237) 2222 07 96

Fax:

(237) 2222 01 48

Email: BHC.yaounde@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT: Mon-Thurs: 0645 - 1145, 1300 - 1445
Fri: 0645 - 1245
Local: Mon-Thurs: 0745 - 1245, 1400 - 1545
Fri: 0745 - 1345

Website: http://ukincameroon.fco.gov.uk/en/

LOCATE: Register with us

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