Chad
Important COVID-19 Travel
Under current UK COVID-19 restrictions, you must stay at home. You must not travel, including abroad, unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so. It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and other leisure purposes.
Check the rules that apply to you in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you intend to travel to the UK from abroad, including UK nationals returning home, you must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 3 days before departure. If you do not comply (and you do not have a valid exemption) your airline or carrier may refuse you boarding and/or you may be fined on arrival.
Before you return to the UK you must provide your journey and contact details. You must self-isolate when you enter the UK from any foreign country except Ireland, unless you have a valid exemption.
When you enter England from abroad (except Ireland), you must follow the new requirements for quarantining and taking additional COVID-19 tests. For those travelling from a country on the banned travel list you will be required to quarantine in a hotel. Different rules apply for arrivals into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are legally permitted to travel abroad, check our advice on your country of destination. Some other countries have closed borders, and may further restrict movement or bring in new rules including testing requirements with little warning.
Summary
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to:
the whole of Chad based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks
In addition and for security reasons the FCDO advises against all travel to:
- areas within 30km of all borders, except for the capital N’Djamena (where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel)
- within 30km of Lake Chad and the parts of Kanem and Lac regions to the west of the towns of Mao and Bol
- the regions of Ennedi, and Tibesti
- the region of Borkou, except within 30km of the town of Faya Largeau (where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel)
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
- all remaining parts of the country including the capital, N’Djamena and the town of Faya Largeau.
Travel to Chad is subject to entry restrictions
- Airports have re-opened for commercial flights. All passengers from the UK are banned from entering Chad until further notice due to the new COVID-19 variant
- All international travellers need to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate dated no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Chad
- If you enter Chad and are planning to stay for 7 days or more, you will need to surrender your passport, quarantine at home for 7 days and take a COVID-19 test on the seventh day. Passports will be returned upon presentation of the COVID-19 test receipt. If you’re staying in Chad for less than 7 days you will not need to quarantine
Preparing for your return journey to the UK
If you’re returning to the UK from overseas, you will need to:
- provide your journey and contact details before you travel
- check if you need to self-isolate on your return
If your return journey to the UK transits another country, you should check whether it is subject to a travel ban or any other additional requirements. If so, contact your travel provider.
Check our advice on foreign travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and sign up for email alerts for this travel advice.
If you’re planning travel to Chad, find out what you need to know about coronavirus there in the Coronavirus section.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the FCDO’s guidance on foreign travel insurance.
For information about COVID-19 vaccines, see the Coronavirus page.
A state of emergency remains in place for the Lake Chad region.
Before considering any travel, take professional security advice. You should follow your employer’s security advice and make sure the correct Chadian authorities are aware of your journey, you have in place the right permits if need, and you hold comprehensive travel insurance.
The number of reports of car-jackings on roads outside N’Djamena has increased, including during daylight hours. You should use a police or military escort when driving outside the capital, and carry working communications equipment. See Crime
Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Chad. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. There’s a threat of retaliatory attacks following the French intervention in Mali and due to Chad’s involvement in the regional fight to counter Boko Haram. There is a heightened threat of kidnap in Chad. See Terrorism
Consular support is severely limited in Chad as the UK Government Office in N’Djamena does not provide consular services. If you’re in Chad and need urgent help from the UK government, call +237 222 220 796. If you cannot reach us on this number, call +44 1908 516666 (if abroad) or +44 207 008 5000 (if in the UK).
The British High Commission in Yaoundé, Cameroon, can provide limited consular support to British nationals.