How to Apply for a Sierra Leone Visa in Atlanta : visasupply.com

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States. Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states. The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States and has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country. The metropolitan area includes the municipalities of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Chamblee, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Tucker, Lithonia, Decatur, Clarkston, Conyers, and several others. Atlanta is home to immigrants from Sierra Leone and many others that have Sierra Leonean roots. Some immigrants came to Atlanta as students and enrolled at one of the dozens of college and universities found in the area, while others came as refugees during the civil war that ended in 2002. Of course, the state of Georgia has deep historical ties to this part of the world, as this was the home of many African slaves that were brought to the Sea Islands to cultivate rice. Atlanta is also home to many nonprofit organizations like the Center for Disease Control, The Carter Center, and other groups that provide services in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone is a West African nation of 7.1 million people that sits along the Atlantic Ocean and borders Liberia and Guinea. English is Sierra Leone’s official language, but Krio (an English-based creole language brought to the country by freed slaves from North America) is the language spoken on the streets of Freetown—the nation's capital and most-populous city. Sierra Leone is composed of several ethnic groups including Mende, Temne, Limba, Kono, Mandingo, Krio, and others. This is a poor country whose economy depends on mining and agriculture, but it is also a country of rich fertile land with tremendous opportunities. The government of Sierra Leone is encouraging Americans and Sierra Leonean returnees to open businesses and make investments into the country. With the rise of at-home DNA tests to determine genealogy, many Americans are discovering their ancestral connection to Sierra Leone, creating opportunities to develop their tourism industry as more people travel here. Sierra Leone has even offered full citizenship to those Americans with DNA test results linking them to one of the country’s ethnic groups. Not only do visitors come here to learn about their heritage, but they also come for the beautiful white-sand beaches and mountains.

Obtaining a Sierra Leone Visa from Atlanta

Visas for Sierra Leone are issued by the Sierra Leonean government in the United States. The government of Sierra Leone is represented by the embassy located in Washington, D.C. To apply for a Sierra Leone visa from Atlanta, you can appear in person at the embassy or you can send the required application documents by US Mail, FedEx, or UPS to this address:

Embassy of Sierra Leone
1701 19th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009-1605

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Sierra Leone embassy website and ensure your application and all supporting documents are accurate. Here is the link to the embassy website with detailed information: Visa Services | Republic of Sierra Leone Embassy in United States of America (embassyofsierraleone.net). You will also include a self-addressed USPS (US Postal Service Express Mail or Priority Mail), FedEx, or UPS prepaid envelope (please make note of the tracking number) along with a money order or cashier’s check made payable to “Embassy of Sierra Leone” to pay the visa fee (cash payments or personal checks are not accepted). The visa fee for U.S. citizens is $160 and the processing time will take about one week to process plus transit time. If you need the visa faster, there is an option to pay an additional $50 to have the visa processed in one or two days. If you absolutely must have the visa processed in one day, we suggest appearing in person at the embassy or hiring a visa agent to assist with the process.

Other things to consider:

It may be possible to obtain a single-entry visa on arrival at Lungi International Airport (Freetown), however, it is recommended that you obtain a visa in advance at the embassy before your trip to ensure smooth boarding on your departing flight and easy-entry into the country. Americans will be issued a 3-year multiple-entry visa by the embassy.
Your U.S. passport must be signed; the signature page of your passport is located opposite the data page that has your name and photo.
All visitors to Sierra Leone are required to have a valid World Health Organization (WHO) card with yellow fever vaccination. Please use the following link from the Center for Disease Control website to find the nearest clinic offering the yellow fever vaccine: Search for Stamaril yellow fever vaccination clinics | Travelers' Health | CDC
It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before any international trip in case of medical emergencies. We advise getting the Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan.

Emergency Assistance for Sierra Leone Citizens in Atlanta

If you are a citizen of Sierra Leone living in the Atlanta area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the embassy in Washington, D.C. by calling + 1 202-939-9261 or by email at info@embassyofsierraleone.net. The embassy can help with an Emergency Travel Certificate if you need to travel back to Sierra Leone. You can find more information on the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the United States website: Emergency Travel Certificate | Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the United States (embassyofsierraleone.net). Sierra Leonean passports are issued by the Immigration Department in Freetown. Please check their website for more information: Ordinary Passport - Sierra Leone Immigration Department (slid.gov.sl).

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Atlanta or anywhere in the state of Georgia and have difficulty applying for a Sierra Leone visa, or require assistance with this process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company. We are a private agency in the city of Sandy Springs (located about 15 miles north of downtown Atlanta) providing Sierra Leone visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents. Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Sierra Leone government. Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans.

We provide the following Sierra Leone visa services for our customers:

Sierra Leone Visitor / Tourist Visa
Sierra Leone Business Visa
Sierra Leone Diplomatic Visa
Sierra Leone Official Visa