Immigration and visas
- Visas, visa extensions, and entry stamps
- Residence permits
- Work permits
- Passport services for nationals
Owned by: The Gambia Immigration Department (under the Ministry of Interior).
Public services reference
Public services in The Gambia
This page is a quick orientation to common public services in The Gambia: which institution handles what, and which documents come up most often. E-Gambia is not a government website. Every procedure should be confirmed with the relevant ministry, agency, or embassy before you act on it.
Service categories
Most enquiries fall into one of the categories below. Each card describes the type of procedure and the typical institution that owns it.
Business registration
- Company and business-name registration
- Tax identification number (TIN)
- Operating licences and sector permits
Owned by: Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, alongside the Gambia Revenue Authority and GIEPA.
Civil registration
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates
- National identification
Owned by: the General Registrar's Office and related civil-registration bodies.
Health
- Public clinics and referral hospitals
- Vaccination and travel-health advice
- Emergency response numbers
Owned by: Ministry of Health.
Education
- School enrolment and certificate verification
- Scholarship and study-abroad processes
Owned by: Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.
Land and property
- Land registration and title work
- Building and development permits
Owned by: Department of Lands and Surveys, with local councils for development control.
Ministries and where they sit
This is a non-exhaustive list of ministries and bodies that come up most often in public-service questions. Always check the latest organisational structure on the official source before relying on names.
| Institution | Areas of responsibility |
|---|---|
| Office of the President | State affairs and overall executive coordination. |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad | Diplomatic missions, consular services, diaspora affairs. |
| Ministry of Interior | Police services, immigration, civil registry, prisons. |
| Ministry of Justice | Legal affairs, courts liaison, attorney general's office. |
| Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs | Tax policy, public finance, customs (via GRA). |
| Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment | Business registration policy, trade, industrial development. |
| Ministry of Tourism and Culture | Tourism licensing, cultural affairs, heritage sites. |
| Ministry of Health | Public health, hospitals, vaccination programmes. |
| Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education | Schools, teacher training, basic education policy. |
| Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology | Universities, scholarships, research policy. |
| Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy | Telecommunications, digital services, ICT policy. |
| Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) | Tax administration and customs. |
| The Gambia Immigration Department | Visas, residence permits, border control. |
| The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) | Investment promotion, export support. |
| The Gambia Tourism Board | Industry oversight, destination promotion. |
| Department of Lands and Surveys | Land registration and survey services. |
How to use this directory
Confirm before you act
Forms, fees, and processes change. Names of ministries occasionally shift after reshuffles. Use this page to identify the right institution, then cross-check the current procedure with that institution directly.
Plan around office hours
Most public offices in The Gambia are open Monday to Thursday into the late afternoon, with shorter Friday hours in many cases for prayers. Build a small buffer into any same-day plan.