Moving to Senegal: the complete checklist

Planning your arrival in Dakar? A move to Senegal comes down to six fronts: paperwork, shipping, housing, schooling, banking and healthcare. Here is the checklist, in the order things actually happen.

Three months out: the paperwork

The slowest part, so start it first.

• Passport valid six months beyond arrival, for every family member.
• Residence card: short stays are sometimes visa free, but settling long term means applying for a residence card once in Senegal.
• Change of residence certificate from the Senegalese consulate before you leave. It is the key to duty free clearance: without it, your container can be assessed as a commercial import.
• Detailed valued inventory, in French and signed: customs works through it box by box.
• Civil records, school reports and vaccination records, in several copies.
• Driving licence: yours is accepted for a while, then an exchange is needed.

Scan everything: you will be asked for the same documents five times over.

The mover: container, groupage or suitcases

• Sea groupage: you share a container. Six to ten weeks from Europe to the port of Dakar, plus clearance. The common choice for the diaspora.
• Full container: worth it beyond a furnished three room home.
• Air freight: fast, but for essentials only, a few boxes of clothes and documents.

Ask for a door to door quote and check what it covers: packing, insurance, freight, handling, customs clearance, delivery and reassembly. Clearance and terminal fees are paid on arrival. Many Dakar buildings have no lift, and carrying furniture to the fourth floor is charged separately.

Chipboard furniture suffers in the coastal humidity: between freight costs and local prices, rebuying in Dakar is often simpler.

Housing, neighborhood by neighborhood

Rent is negotiable, and the deposit usually runs to two or three months.

• Almadies, Ngor, Yoff: seafront villas and residences, easy access to the airport road. Top of the budget.
• Plateau: the administrative and business core, older buildings, tough for parking.
• Point E, Mermoz, Sacré-Cœur, Sicap Liberté, Liberté 6: the residential heart for families and expatriates, shops within walking distance, plenty of schools. Two or three bedrooms: often 400 000 to 900 000 FCFA a month.
• Ouakam: between the ocean and the Mamelles hills, in high demand.
• Parcelles Assainies, Guédiawaye, Pikine, Keur Massar: far cheaper, roughly 100 000 to 250 000 FCFA for a family apartment, longer commutes.
• Diamniadio and Rufisque: the new urban hub, along the toll motorway.

If you can, visit during the rainy season, July to October: that is when you see which streets flood. Check water pressure on upper floors and whether the building has a generator.

School, bank, health

School enrolment closes early, often in February or March for the October start. Dakar offers French curriculum schools, English speaking institutions, bilingual schools and the Senegalese public system. Ask the previous school for a transfer certificate before you leave.

For banking, expect to provide ID, proof of address and often an employment letter. Open a local account quickly: mobile money is everywhere, but rent and school fees still move by transfer or cheque.

On health, take out insurance covering Senegal and medical evacuation. A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on where you travel from, and malaria prevention stays sensible in the rainy season. Save the emergency numbers: 17, 18 and 1515.

Recommended addresses on SeneFinder

• Maxi-Move déménagement : Sacré-Cœur, moving company.
• QUICK MOVE SN : Sicap Liberté, moving company.
• WorldWide Movers Sénégal : Yoff, moving company.
• AZ MOVE & EXPRESS : Almadies, moving company.
• Dioum Transport Et Déménagement : Dakar, transport and moving company.
• Global African Movers : Dakar, moving company.

More logistics providers operate across Dakar: see all addresses.

Useful tools

• Route planner to estimate commutes between home, office and school.
• FCFA currency converter to compare quotes received from abroad.
• Practical guide: emergency numbers, transport and daily information.
• Read next: moving companies in Dakar and the diaspora guide to settling in Dakar.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a container take to reach Dakar?

From Europe, sea groupage averages six to ten weeks port to port, plus customs clearance and delivery. Air freight cuts that to a few days but costs far more per kilo.

Can I import my furniture duty free?

With a change of residence certificate, a detailed inventory and used personal effects, duty free clearance is possible. New appliances and vehicles follow different rules and are generally taxed.

Which Dakar neighborhood should a newcomer choose?

Point E, Mermoz and Sacré-Cœur balance schools, shops and commute times. Almadies and Ngor suit larger budgets, while Parcelles Assainies and Keur Massar suit families prioritising rent.