What's Illegal inCôte d'Ivoire?

The single thing worth knowing first: West African economic hub. Drug penalties strict. Photography of military restricted. Northern border with Burkina/Mali has security advisories. Currency CFA franc. It is the kind of rule that looks minor at home and becomes a serious problem at the border or in public, which is exactly why it tops this page.

Within recreational substances, Côte d'Ivoire treats Cannabis/Weed and CBD oil as off-limits. Carrying or doing any of these can mean confiscation, fines, or detention depending on the case — and a foreign prescription, habit, or "I didn't know" rarely helps once you are stopped. Each entry below links to the official source it is checked against, with the verified ones marked.

Two things travelers regularly get wrong about Côte d'Ivoire: Côte d'Ivoire (the official name) is preferred over 'Ivory Coast' in international correspondence; and ECOWAS visa-free movement applies for many West African nationals; tourist visas required for most others. Assumptions like these are how otherwise careful visitors end up in trouble, so it is worth checking the specifics rather than guessing.

One important caveat: Same-sex relations are not formally criminalized but social conservatism is strong; public conduct should be discreet. Laws and their enforcement can shift between regions and over time, so treat this page as a sourced starting point and confirm anything borderline against the official links before you rely on it.