Italy to Sierra Leone visa requirements

Italian passport holders need a visa for Sierra Leone. The recommended route is an eVisa applied for online before travel via the official portal evisa.sl; visa on arrival is also available to EU nationals at major entry points, but airlines may refuse boarding without a pre-arranged visa. A holder of an ordinary Italian passport is NOT visa-exempt for Sierra Leone and must hold a valid visa for tourism. Sierra Leone is in West Africa, not the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply. Two channels exist for Italian (EU) citizens: (1) an electronic visa (eVisa), introduced in 2019 and issued via the official government portal at evisa.sl, and (2) a visa on arrival, available to all EU member-state nationals at Freetown International Airport (Lungi) and the Jendema and Gbalamuya land borders. The eVisa is the recommended option: it is obtained before departure, gives a printable approval, and avoids the risk of an airline denying boarding (carriers may refuse passengers who lack a pre-arranged visa). The standard tourist eVisa is single-entry, permits a stay of up to 30 days, and the visa document is typically valid for use within about 90 days of issue; the in-country stay can be extended once at the Immigration Department in Freetown. The government eVisa fee is in the region of USD 80, with some facilitation services charging USD 100 for non-Africans. Processing is generally a few business days. A passport valid at least 6 months, a passport photo, proof of onward/return travel and accommodation are required. Always apply through the official evisa.sl portal to avoid overpriced third-party agents.