British High Commission Freetown
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-21)

The British High Commission in Sierra Leone maintains and develops relations between the UK and Sierra Leone.

Find out more on our UK and Sierra Leone news page (https://www.gov.uk/world/sierra-leone/news).

We also provide services to British nationals living in and visiting Sierra Leone. You can access UK government services while in Sierra Leone (https://www.gov.uk/world/sierra-leone).

If you’re travelling in Sierra Leone, see our Sierra Leone travel advice (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sierra-leone).

Getting help

If you cannot get the support you need from local services, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can help British people abroad.

We prioritise emergencies and people who are vulnerable, for example, if someone’s:
- ill, injured, or involved in a crime
- with a British person who’s died
Get help from FCDO (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/sierra-leone/british-high-commission-freetown).

Get an emergency travel document

You can apply for an emergency travel document (https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document) if you’re abroad and your passport has been lost or stolen (https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport), damaged or expired, and you can’t get a new or replacement passport (https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport) in time to travel.

Apply online for an emergency travel document (https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document).

If the person needing the emergency travel document is under 16, a parent or guardian should apply on their behalf.

If you are travelling in more than 3 weeks, check if you can get a new or replacement passport (https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport) in time to travel.

If you are not a British citizen or have not had a British passport before

If you’re not sure, check if you’re a British citizen (https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizen).

If you’re not a British citizen but think you may be eligible, contact us to apply for an emergency travel document (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/sierra-leone/british-high-commission-freetown).

Other consular services

Notarial and documentary services

For legal reasons, we’re unable to carry out notarial acts in Commonwealth countries. This includes certifying documents as true copies of originals, administering oaths or taking affidavits. For these or other notarial acts, you should contact a local notary (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sierra-leone-list-of-lawyers).

See the full list of notarial and documentary services for British people abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/documents-for-british-people-abroad).

Consular fees

See the full list of consular fees (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consular-services-fees).

Visa enquiries

Visa applications for the UK can only be made online via the apply to come to the UK page on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk). Visit the page for more information about the application process, including payment detail.

VFS is our commercial partner for UK Visas and Immigration in Sierra Leone. They operate the UK Visa Application Centre in Freetown. Read more information on the VFS website (https://visa.vfsglobal.com/sle/en/gbr/news/vfs-global-vac-in-sierra-leone) and in our guidance on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration) on making a visa application.

If you have a query related to visas, call us on xx-xxxx-xxxx, available 24 hours, Monday to Friday. Calls cost £1.37 per minute on top of your standard network charges.

Development work in Sierra Leone

The UK and Sierra Leone have strong ties built on decades of strong diplomatic, defence and development work. Our current investment in Sierra Leone acknowledges the conflict affected past and continued fragility, focusing on enhancing human capital through investments in education and health, supporting sustainable economic development and strengthening governance and accountability to consolidate stability and security.