Moving to Sierra Leone
Visas and residency, citizenship, tax, company and banking, cost of living and the places to live in Sierra Leone, in one place.
Western AfricaThinking about moving to Sierra Leone?
Here's how long you can stay, the ways to live there for good, what you'd pay in tax and what everyday life costs, each figure from an official source.
In this guide, I'll show you:
- How long you can stay, by passport
- How long citizenship takes
- How tax works, with the rates
- What it costs, and the internet and safety
- The basics: capital, currency and languages
Pick your passport at the top of the page, and the stay rule shows for you.
TL;DRKey takeaways
Sierra Leone at a glance
How long can you stay in Sierra Leone?
It depends on the passport you hold.
Here's the rule for the most common ones:
US passport- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 90 days
UK passport- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 90 days
EU passport (German)- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 30 days
Canadian passport- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 90 days
Australian passport- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 90 days
Indian passport- Rule
- Visa on arrival
- Stay
- 90 days
For any other passport, pick yours at the top, or see every country on the visa-free countries map.
Citizenship in Sierra Leone
Naturalization takes about 5 years of residence.
Dual citizenship is allowed, so you can keep your passport.
Work out your own timeline with the second passport calculator.
Tax in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone taxes foreign income only when you bring it into the country.
See where it sits among every country on the territorial tax map.
The main rates:
- Corporate tax – 25%
Where you're a tax resident usually comes down to days.
Count yours with the 183-day rule calculator.
Company and banking
Compare the banks and cards that work for people abroad in the bank account finder.
Move money for less with the money transfer comparison.
Many people who live abroad run a US LLC instead; check yours with the US LLC for non-residents checker.
Cost of living in Sierra Leone
Everyday prices in Sierra Leone are about 24% of US prices.
That's the World Bank's price level for 2023: its purchasing power conversion factor divided by the exchange rate.
That makes it one of the cheaper places to live on a foreign income.
Convert what things cost with the currency converter.
Is Sierra Leone safe?
The US State Department rates Sierra Leone Level 2 ("Exercise increased caution", updated 2025-09-15), the same level it gives France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Levels 1 and 2 are both everyday travel; the US only asks you to reconsider a trip at Level 3. Some advisories are stricter for parts of a country, so read the full advisory before you go.
For a second view, the UK has no warning against travel.
See every country's level on the travel advisory map.
Internet in Sierra Leone
In M-Lab's open speed tests across Sierra Leone over the last 12 months, half came in above 4 Mbps download.
The fastest quarter of lines came in above 24 Mbps, closer to a good fiber connection (5,031 tests).
Test your own line when you arrive with my internet speed test.
Sierra Leone: the basics
| What | Sierra Leone |
|---|---|
| Capital | Freetown |
| Currency | Sierra Leonean leone (SLE) |
| Languages | English, Mende, Timne |
| Population | about 7.7 million |
From GeoNames' country data (CC BY 4.0).
More tools for Sierra Leone
- Passport index and compare passports
- Time zone overlap calculator for calls with home
- eSIM finder for data when you land
- Card fees abroad calculator before you spend
Sierra Leone FAQs
Visa on arrival, for 90 days.
Pick another passport at the top of the page to see its rule.
It depends on your passport.
Pick yours at the top of the page to see the days, and whether you need a visa first.
Not that I've found in official sources as of 2026-09-29.
The digital nomad visa finder lists every country that has one.
About 5 years of residence.
Yes.
Check that your own country allows it too.
Sierra Leone taxes foreign income only when you bring it into the country.
Check the details with a tax adviser before you move.
Everyday prices are about 24% of US prices, by the World Bank's price level for 2023.
Rent in the biggest cities can be higher than that suggests.
The US State Department rates it Level 2.
Levels 1 and 2 are everyday travel; read the full advisory for any regions it warns about.
Half of M-Lab's tests there came in above 4 Mbps download over the last 12 months.
The fastest quarter of lines passed 24 Mbps.
The Sierra Leonean leone (SLE).
The main languages are English, Mende and Timne.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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