Immigration law in Gambia

The legal framework includes the Immigration Act Cap.16:02 from 1965, amendments through 1996, the Immigration Rules, the Refugee Act Cap.16:04 from 2008, the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1965 and the Constitution of 1997 as amended to 2018. The Immigration Bill 2026 had reached committee stage on July 15, 2026, but it had not replaced the existing framework as a source of current rights and duties. A traveler generally needs a valid passport and a Yellow Fever Card. A visa is required for nationalities that are not exempt, and applications normally go through a Gambian mission, an accredited representation or, where available, visa on arrival. The Immigration Officer makes the admission decision, so visa approval alone does not guarantee landing or entry. Visit and business stays usually last no more than 90 days and do not authorize employment. The GID may also require a health certificate and evidence of sufficient means. ECOWAS citizens benefit from visa-free entry and regional rights concerning residence and establishment. The 2014 ECOWAS Supplementary Act removes the 90-day limit as a matter of regional law, but an implementation gap means that GID practice may still require a Residence Permit after up to 90 days. GID information for non-ECOWAS nationals indicates up to 56 days before a residence-permit application. A person should therefore confirm the applicable period and permit procedure directly with the GID before the initial stay expires. The main residence categories are Residential Permit A for residence without employment, Residential Permit B for residence with employment and Residential Permit C for residence with unskilled employment. Permit A requires good character and sufficient means and does not allow paid or unpaid work or business activity. Permit B is connected to the approved employer and purpose; changing jobs or adding work normally requires approval. The GID service overview currently focuses mainly on A and B permits. Dependants can be recorded on a resident permit, while an adult child generally needs an independent status. A valid permit may allow re-entry without a new visa. A non-Gambian generally needs written consent from the Director General before operating a business or practising an occupation. An employer also needs consent to employ a foreign worker, although the Immigration Rules provide exceptions for some government and United Nations employment. A valid Residence-and-Work Permit is required for authorized employment. The GID manages expatriate-quota functions. After dismissal, the employer reports the change and arranges repatriation. A worker may submit a written appeal to the Minister concerning status regularization, with the relevant temporary arrangement lasting no more than three months. An investor or person operating a personal business needs written approval from the Director General; a temporary residence-and-work permit may last three months and each extension may last no more than three months. Applications and renewals go to the GID or a designated office. Typical evidence includes a passport, identity and status documents, and an attestation from an embassy or High Commission. A Permit B application additionally requires a Gambia Revenue Authority payroll-tax receipt. Renewal normally requires the previous permit, the prescribed form and fee, payment through Vista Bank and authentication by a Justice of the Peace. The process can include an interview, nationality and document checks, fingerprints and a photograph, followed by verification, printing and distribution. The GID does not publish a fixed processing time. Published GID fees are non-refundable and may change. The listed fees are GMD 3,100 for an ECOWAS Permit A, GMD 3,600 for an ECOWAS Permit B, GMD 5,700 plus GMD 2,500 for an Alien Card for a non-ECOWAS Permit A, and GMD 7,700 plus GMD 2,500 for a non-ECOWAS Permit B. A Non-Gambian ID Card is listed at GMD 750. Older figures from other government services differ, so the amount and validity period should be confirmed with the GID before payment. The Gambia Commission for Refugees (GCR) decides refugee status under the Refugee Act 2008. An application can be made directly to the GCR, the nearest authorized officer, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or the United Nations Development Programme. An application made to a foreign official should be forwarded to the GCR within seven days. The form is generally in English, interpretation is free, and the applicant has an opportunity to be heard. The GCR should issue a written decision within 30 days after receiving the application and give reasons for an adverse decision. An appeal to the Minister is available within 21 days, and the applicant may remain while that appeal is pending. After a final negative decision, at least 30 days are available to obtain admission to a third country with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Recognized refugees receive a Refugee Identity Card and may qualify for a Convention Travel Document. The law provides access to wage or self-employment, movement and residence, and social amenities, subject to security, public-order and mass-influx restrictions. Non-refoulement protects against return to a place where the person faces the relevant protection risk under the Refugee Act and applicable international obligations. Refugees must comply with Gambian law. Citizenship can arise through birth, descent, marriage or registration, or naturalization. Birth in The Gambia alone does not automatically confer citizenship; the constitutional conditions include at least one Gambian parent. Descent concerns a person born outside The Gambia with at least one Gambian parent, subject to the constitutional requirements. Registration through marriage requires marriage to a Gambian and normally at least seven years of ordinary residence; a similar seven-year residence condition applies after the marriage ends. Naturalization generally requires at least 15 years of continuous ordinary residence, full age and capacity, good character, an intention to remain permanently and the ability to support the applicant and dependants. The application can require permit and Alien Card copies, a 19-question form completed by two responsible people, Form 20, a life history, four passport photographs, a marriage certificate where relevant, birth certificates for a spouse or children, a Police Certificate of Character and business-registration evidence. Birth registration is not the same as proof of citizenship. Naturalization generally involves renouncing another nationality and taking an oath, while dual citizenship and restoration remain subject to constitutional limits. The current system does not provide a separately evidenced general permanent-residence or indefinite-leave service. Residence permits remain time-limited, tied to status and potentially revocable, so long-term settlement usually requires a citizenship process rather than arising automatically from residence. No separate general residence integration or language test is established; citizenship applications instead focus on identity, residence, character, life history and financial support. The law allows entry prevention or arrest in cases such as prohibited-immigrant status, lack of means or a public-charge risk. The Minister may issue a Deportation Order for grounds including conviction under the Act, prohibited status, tax offences or withdrawal of status. Breaches involving permits or passes can be criminal offences. The Minister may revoke a permit on the Director General's recommendation, and the Act describes that decision as final and not challengeable in court. The available framework does not establish a general administrative appeal for visa or residence refusals; the position on judicial or constitutional review requires case-specific legal advice. The refugee appeal within 21 days is a separate, expressly stated remedy.