How to Apply for a South Sudan Visa in Nashville

The African nation of South Sudan is the youngest country in the world – and one of the least visited.  Armed conflicts, ongoing humanitarian crises, and lack of tourism infrastructure have kept South Sudan off most tourists’ bucket list.  However, the country does welcome a stream of businesspeople, charitable workers, and even some adventurous travelers from the Nashville area.

Landlocked South Sudan borders the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.  The geographic area of western and central Africa south of the Sahara Desert is known as the Sudan.  From 1896 to 1954, the United Kingdom and Egypt exercised joint control of the Sudan until the new Republic of the Sudan achieved independence in 1956.  Arab Muslims dominated the northern part of Sudan, while African Christians and other groups dominated the south.  After two civil wars, South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011.  However, continued ethnic violence and another civil war plagued South Sudan before a new coalition government was formed in 2020.

The Republic of South Sudan has more than 11 million people and its population ranks as one of the youngest in the world, with more than half of its residents under 18 years of age.  English is its official language, although several indigenous African languages are more commonly spoken.

South Sudan ranks among the world’s poorest countries and is considered the least developed nation globally, according to the Human Development Index.  Droughts, floods, famine, civil violence, and armed conflicts between the government and various rebel groups continue to plague the country.  The U.S. State Department warns, “Do not travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.  Violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings, is common through South Sudan, including {the capital city of} Juba.” (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/south-sudan-travel-advisory.html)

Those challenges have delayed the new republic’s development into the 2020s. “When South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, it was hoped that oil revenues would fuel the economy of the world’s youngest country,” FDI Intelligence reported (https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/11d8c8a4-d20b-5419-9e27-5e3a7999465c). “But corruption and cycles of violence in the years that followed undermined its development progress and worsened its humanitarian situation.”

Little wonder that South Sudan ranks among the 10 least-visited countries in the world.  Most visitors from the Nashville area come to the country to tackle the country’s humanitarian needs, including volunteers and employees of charitable organizations and religious groups.  The European Commission’s humanitarian aid operation estimates that about two-thirds of South Sudan’s population required urgent assistance in 2023.  More than four million people have been displaced during the conflicts, including some 2.3 million who have fled to neighboring countries.

“Some 7.8 million people continue to experience high levels of acute food insecurity, with thousands living in famine-like conditions,” the EC continued (https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/africa/south-sudan_en). “The security situation is deteriorating, with increased sub-national violence resulting in civilian casualties, new displacements, and a very insecure environment for aid workers.  South Sudan is the most dangerous country in the world for humanitarian staff, according to the United Nations.” The U.S. government is South Sudan’s largest humanitarian donor, providing emergency food, health care, water, and other services, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Oil and agriculture are the main drivers of the South Sudanese economy, with more than 80% of residents relying on farming for their livelihood.  Oil accounts for most of the country’s exports and 90% of government revenues, with timber and mining playing a smaller role.  The country has only tapped about 10% of its 3.5 billion barrels in oil reserves, providing business opportunities for foreign firms in infrastructure and energy projects.  However, U.S. oil companies cannot drill for oil in South Sudan due to political restrictions.  Also, the U.S. State Department and the Commerce Department have issued advisories cautioning businesses and investors about the legal and financial risks of doing business in South Sudan due to corruption among government officials and their family members who control many companies (https://www.state.gov/south-sudan-business-advisory/).

While tourism accounted for just 1.8% of the country’s GDP in 2013, the Association for the Promotion of Tourist to Africa (APTA) reported, the World Travel and Tourism Council projects it will rise to 4.1% by 2024 (https://apta.biz/2023/12/05/south-sudan-wants-in-on-tourism). “However, the lack of tourist infrastructure, inadequate air access, and safety and security issues have severely hampered the industry,” APTA stated.  Still, government officials have begun actively promoting tourism, the report continued.  Leaders citied its rich cultural heritage; unique landscapes; and historic sites related to European colonization. “South Sudan is home to 64 ethnic groups and 14 national parks and protected areas, along with the world’s second largest animal migration – of white-eared kob and tiang antelope,” the report continued. “The country also boasts one of the world’s largest wetlands in the Sudd region, a 320km wide and 400km long area home to nearly 400 species of birds.”

Most visitors from Nashville will come to the capital city of Juba, where the country’s first five-star hotel, the 154-room Radisson Blu, opened in 2022.  Africa’s fastest-growing capital is home to more than one million people.  Juba also contains the Nyakuron Cultural Center and the mausoleum of rebel leader John Garang, plus access to overnight trips to the Mundari cattle camp on the River Nile. “It’s definitely not an easy destination to visit, as the country is definitely not ready for tourism,” travel blog Anna Everywhere noted (https://annaeverywhere.com/traveling-to-south-sudan).  Despite safety concerns, the report added, “It’s possible to travel to South Sudan as a tourist though…even if there’s really no real tourism in South Sudan.”

South Sudan Visa Requirements

Citizens of the United States and other countries are required to obtain a visa to visit South Sudan.  The main requirements are holding a valid passport and proof of yellow fever vaccination (i.e., WHO yellow card) is also required.  In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that visitors obtain vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia, COVID-19, and influenza. (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/south-sudan/travel-facts)

The country is also under a “do not travel” advisory from the U.S. State Department due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.  For more information about the advisory and general passport requirements, visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthSudan.html.

The primary requirement for a visa is that your passport be valid for at least six months from your date of entry and contain no less than two blank pages.  If your passport does not meet these requirements, you will need to renew it before applying.

The Republic of the South Sudan currently offers Nashville area residents both a traditional paper visa and an electronic visa (or e-Visa).  You can contact South Sudan’s embassy in Washington, D.C., in person or apply by mail for a paper visa, or apply for the e-Visa online.

Applying for a Visa through the Embassy

Residents of Nashville can obtain visas from the South Sudan Embassy in Washington, D.C. by using the form available at https://www.ssembassydc.org/visa-services.  Print off an application form for each member of your party, fill out the various fields, and sign it.

You can appear in person at the Washington embassy, mail your application package to the embassy, or use a courier service such as Visa Supply to handle your documents.  Requirements for the visa are:

  • Passport valid for at least six months beyond the date you would enter South Sudan.
  • Signed paper application for each person, printed from the link above.
  • Two passport-style photo (2 inches by 2 inches).
  • An official letter from your organization or an invitation letter from someone in South Sudan that explains the reason for your trip.
  • Although not required for the visa, we recommend purchasing international medical insurance to cover accidents, injuries, and illnesses while traveling in South Sudan.  International medical insurance from GeoBlue can be purchased from Visa Supply online through the following link: ⇒Order Now.

Fees vary by country of origin.  The fee for U.S. applicants is $160 for a single-entry visa. (The embassy can currently only issue multiple-entry visas for diplomatic and official passports.) Fees can only be paid with a money order payable to The Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan.

The visa is typically issued within five business days.  If you decide to mail your application and supporting documentation, you will need to provide a self-addressed return envelope (UPS, USPS, FedEx) with sufficient prepaid postage for return service.  Mail your application, passport, and other documents to:

Embassy of the Republic of Sudan
2210 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20008

 

Applying for a e-Visa Online

Residents of Nashville can also apply for an electronic visa online at https://www.evisa.gov.ss.  Create an account, fill out the online application, attach your supporting documents, and pay the fees. (Fees for single- and multiple-entry e-Visas can be found at https://www.evisa.gov.ss/eligibility, where they are listed for each country eligible to travel to South Sudan.) If your application is approved, you can download your e-Visa PDF within 72 hours.

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Nashville or anywhere in the state of Tennessee and have difficulty applying for a South Sudan visa, or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing South Sudan 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 government of South Sudan.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. We provide the following South Sudan visa services for our customers in Nashville:

  • South Sudan Tourist Visa
  • South Sudan Business Visa
  • South Sudan Visit Visa
  • South Sudan Official Visa
  • South Sudan Hotel Accommodations