Madagascar Visa Guide for Chinese Citizens: Visa Types, Documents and Process

Unlike Mauritius, Madagascar does not offer visa-free entry to PRC ordinary passport holders. Fortunately, the bar for short tourist and exploratory trips is low: you can apply in advance through the official e-visa system or get a visa on arrival at the airport. Long-term residence is where it gets complicated – to work, invest or join family, you must apply for a “transformable visa” before you travel and then convert it into a residence visa after arrival. There are many steps, they are handled in French, and the rules change often.

This guide covers the main visa types for Chinese citizens travelling to Madagascar as of October 2026, the short-stay process, documents, fees, routes to long-term residence and common questions. Fee information on Madagascar’s official visa site changes frequently, and some rules may have changed since the change of government in October 2025. Everything we could confirm is sourced below; where we could not verify something, we say so. Please double-check with official channels before you travel.

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Madagascar?

Yes. According to the Chinese MFA’s List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption, the China–Madagascar agreement entered into force on 4 November 2023, but it covers only China’s diplomatic, service and public-affairs passports and Madagascar’s diplomatic and service passports. Holders of ordinary PRC passports still need a visa.

Short visits are made on a tourist e-visa. Madagascar’s official e-visa website (evisamada.gov.mg) says citizens of all countries are eligible: you can apply online between six months and 72 hours before departure, download a landing authorisation once approved and show it at the e-visa counter on arrival, or apply directly at the e-visa counter when you land – the price is the same either way. According to travel media citing a notice on the official portal, e-visa fees from 16 February 2026 depend on the length of stay: EUR 30 for up to 15 days (previously EUR 10), EUR 35 for 16–30 days, EUR 40 for 31–60 days and EUR 50 for up to 90 days. Be ready to show a return or onward ticket; overstaying may lead to detention or deportation.

Because the portal is open to all nationalities, this applies to PRC ordinary passports too. The UK government’s entry guidance (updated September 2026) still describes a visa-free stay of up to 15 days with a 10-euro fee, which no longer matches the official portal; go by the portal. Changes to watch in 2025–2026: the February 2026 price rise for short e-visas; after the mass protests of late September and early October 2025, a transitional government was established on 17 October, and entry and residence rules may be adjusted; and since September 2026, according to the UK guidance, travellers who have been in or transited through an Ebola-affected country in the previous 21 days may be refused entry (exemptions include Malagasy nationals, foreign residents and holders of valid work or student visas, who must quarantine for 21 days at an approved location at their own cost), and all travellers must complete a health declaration and be screened on arrival.

Visa types at a glance

Short-stay visa step by step

1. Check your passportAt least six months’ validity on entry and at least two blank pages
2. Book return flights and accommodationYou may be asked for a return or onward ticket
3. Choose how to applyApply online through the official e-visa system between six months and 72 hours before departure, or apply at the airport e-visa counter on arrival (US dollar or euro cash is useful)
4. Prepare health documentsTravellers from countries with yellow fever risk need a vaccination certificate; a polio vaccination may also be required in some cases
5. ArriveShow your passport, visa or approval, and tickets, and pay any fees
6. Extend if neededApply to the local immigration authorities before your visa expires; total stay up to 90 days

Document checklist

For a short tourist or business visit you will generally need:

• A valid passport (at least six months’ validity, at least two blank pages)
• A return or onward ticket
• A hotel booking or accommodation address
• A printout of your e-visa landing authorisation (if applying online)
• Cash for the visa fee (US dollars, euros or ariary)
• A yellow fever certificate (if arriving from a risk country)
• For business visits: an invitation letter from a local company

For a transformable visa, the checklist published by the Embassy of Madagascar in London in January 2026 is a useful guide: a signed application form, a recent photo, your original passport, a return ticket or itinerary, proof of payment of the visa fee, a police clearance certificate issued within the last six months, an invitation and letter of support (or a lease) plus the host’s ID and proof of address, and a yellow fever certificate if you were in an affected area in the six days before travel. Work, investor and family categories usually add employer or company documents, marriage or birth certificates and so on; follow the checklist of the Embassy of Madagascar in China. Chinese documents generally need to be notarised, then legalised by the consulate, with a French translation. See our guides to the police clearance certificate, notarisation and legalisation and the pre-departure medical check; if your passport is close to expiry, start with Getting or renewing a passport.

Fees and processing times

E-visa fees depend on the length of stay and are the same online and on arrival. According to travel media citing a notice on the official portal, the rates from 16 February 2026 are:

The UK guidance says on-arrival payments can be made in US dollars, euros or ariary. Extensions in Madagascar are charged separately under local immigration rules, and the fee for a transformable visa is set by the embassy.

E-visa applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before departure; processing times are as stated on the official site. Transformable and residence visas pass through the embassy, the immigration authorities and other offices, so allow at least one to two months and have your employer or a local lawyer follow up.

Work and long-stay visas

Long-term residence in Madagascar works in two steps: first, apply for a transformable visa at a Malagasy embassy before you travel – it is valid for one month; second, within one month of arrival, take the originals of the documents you gave the embassy to the Immigration and Emigration Service of the Ministry of the Interior to convert it into a long-stay visa and apply for a resident card, then renew on time. The Embassy of Madagascar in Germany states plainly that a tourist visa cannot be converted into a long-stay visa, so you cannot enter as a tourist and switch status later.

• Workers: the local employer or Chinese company arranges a work authorisation for the employee, who then applies for a worker residence visa. For staff posted by Chinese companies, HR normally handles this centrally.
• Investors: after registering a company and making the investment, apply for an investor residence visa with the company documents. According to local press, since October 2024 investor visas have been handled at the one-stop shop of the Economic Development Board of Madagascar (EDBM), while work authorisations for foreigners go through EDBM’s E-work platform.
• Renewal: residence visas must be renewed before they expire; late renewal can mean fines or even being told to leave.

For company registration, foreign ownership and labour law, see Doing business in Madagascar and Working in Madagascar.

Student visas

Few Chinese students study in Madagascar. If you plan to enrol at a local university, get your offer first, then ask the Embassy of Madagascar in China about the conditions and documents for a long-stay student visa. Local universities teach mainly in French and Malagasy, so assess your French before enrolling.

Family reunification

Spouses and minor children of workers or investors who hold a residence visa can generally apply for family residence, usually also starting with a transformable visa before travel. Marriage and birth certificates must be notarised, legalised and translated into French. Because conditions and fees for each category change frequently, confirm the checklist with the embassy or a local lawyer before applying.

Investment, digital nomad and retirement options

Investor residence is Madagascar’s main “investment visa”, tied to registering a company and actually investing. We found no dedicated digital nomad visa for remote workers in Madagascar, and could not verify current conditions for a retiree category; if you want to live there as a retiree, ask the Embassy of Madagascar in China directly.

By comparison, neighbouring Mauritius has a Premium Visa, retirement residence and property-linked residence with clearly published conditions – see our Mauritius visa guide.

Where to apply in China

Short-stay tourist visas can be obtained online or on arrival, so there is no need to visit the embassy. Transformable visas and other long-stay visas are applied for at the Embassy of Madagascar in Beijing. Ask the embassy directly whether Madagascar has consular offices in other Chinese cities and how consular districts are divided.

Common reasons for refusal and how to avoid them

Short-stay visas or entry are commonly refused because of a passport with less than six months’ validity or too few blank pages, no return ticket, a missing yellow fever certificate, an unclear purpose of visit, or a previous overstay. Long-stay visas are refused or cannot be converted mostly because of incomplete files, documents that were not legalised or translated, or a work authorisation that was not completed.

The Chinese Embassy in Madagascar warned in September 2026 that Malagasy immigration officers may check your purpose of travel, itinerary and supporting documents, and may refuse entry if the purpose is unclear, documents are missing, your travel record looks irregular or illegal work is suspected. Carry a return ticket, hotel booking or formal invitation that matches your stated purpose, and never hide your itinerary or submit false documents.

From visa to permanent residence and citizenship

Most foreigners who live in Madagascar long term keep their status by renewing residence visas on time. We have not yet been able to verify the conditions for long-term or permanent residence, or for naturalisation, from official sources; follow the latest rules from the Malagasy authorities, and see Residence in Madagascar for more.

Remember that China’s Nationality Law does not recognise dual nationality: acquiring a foreign nationality means automatically losing Chinese nationality – see Dual nationality and China’s Nationality Law. For the country overview, living costs and safety, see Moving to Madagascar.

FAQ

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Madagascar?

Yes. The China–Madagascar mutual visa exemption agreement covers only diplomatic, service and similar passports. Ordinary passport holders need a visa, which can be obtained online as an e-visa or on arrival at the airport.

Can I get a Madagascar visa on arrival?

Yes. The official e-visa website says citizens of all countries can get one at the airport e-visa counter on arrival, at the same price as online (from February 2026, EUR 30 for up to 15 days and EUR 50 for up to 90 days). Applying online in advance saves queuing time.

How do I get a work visa for Madagascar?

Your employer first arranges a work authorisation; you apply for a transformable visa at the Embassy of Madagascar in China before travelling, and convert it into a worker residence visa after arrival.

How long can I stay on a Madagascar visa?

E-visas are available for 15, 30, 60 or 90 days, and extensions in Madagascar can bring the total stay to a maximum of 90 days. Living there long term requires a residence visa.

Sources

1. Chinese MFA: List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption (accessed October 2026)
2. UK FCDO: Madagascar entry requirements (accessed October 2026)
3. UK FCDO: Madagascar safety and security (accessed October 2026)
4. MOFCOM Country Investment Guide: Madagascar (2025 edition) (accessed October 2026)
5. Chinese MFA: Madagascar country profile (accessed October 2026)
6. Madagascar official e-visa website (evisamada.gov.mg) (accessed October 2026)
7. Travelnews (South African travel trade media): Madagascar triples e-visa fee (February 2026) (accessed October 2026)
8. Embassy of Madagascar in London: transformable visa checklist (January 2026) (accessed October 2026)
9. Embassy of Madagascar in Germany: tourist visa requirements (accessed October 2026)
10. Chinese Embassy in Madagascar: safety reminder for the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays (21 September 2026) (accessed October 2026)
11. L’Express de Madagascar (local press): investor visas moved to the EDBM one-stop shop (October 2024) (accessed October 2026)