Safety and security

Terrorism

You should be aware that there is a high risk of terrorist attacks in Mauritania.

Kidnapping

There is a high risk of kidnapping in Mauritania so you should take particular care when travelling in this country:

• Get advice from your local contacts about staying safe
• Avoid travelling at night, particularly inter-city
• Avoid travelling alone
• When driving, ensure all car doors are locked
• Vary your routes and departure times – avoid patterns which could be tracked 
• Pay careful attention to local media for reports of kidnapping activities

Local laws and customs

Practical advice

• Read our travel advice, inform yourself before travelling and get advice locally when you arrive
• Remember, the local laws apply to you as a visitor and it is your responsibility to follow them
• Be sensitive to local customs, traditions and practices as your behaviour may be seen as improper, hostile or even illegal

Health

Get travel and medical insurance

Before travelling, the Department strongly recommends that you obtain comprehensive travel insurance which will cover all overseas medical costs, including medical repatriation/evacuation, repatriation of remains and legal costs. You should check any exclusions and, in particular, that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.

Vaccinations

Check what vaccinations you may need for your trip at least eight weeks before you travel. We can’t advise you on vaccinations, but you can get information about vaccinations from your local GP or an International Health and Travel Centre.

Evidence of vaccination (in the form of a certificate) can be a requirement for entry to some countries.

Medication

Make sure you bring enough medication for your entire trip and for any unexpected delays. You may wish to also bring copies of your prescription in case you lose your medication.

Entry requirements

Passports

It’s advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you when travelling to Mauritania and you should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times during your stay.

If your passport is lost or stolen while you’re abroad, we can help.

What we can do:

• Issue you a replacement passport that will let you finish your trip, or;
• Issue you with an emergency travel document to get you home.

We’ll do our best to help you as quickly as possible but this can take some time. Your location and circumstances may limit the help we can give you. As Ireland does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Mauritania there may be additional complications in processing and application for a new passport.

You should contact the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate to find out what you need to do to apply for a passport. They will also be able to advise you on the fees which apply.

More advice

Ireland doesn’t have an Embassy or Consulate in Mauritania so we can’t verify detailed travel advice to ensure that it’s accurate, appropriate and up to date. However, we encourage you to conduct your own research and to read these links to travel advice from other foreign ministries:

• UK: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Canada: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
• New Zealand: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Australia: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• USA: Department of State