Sierra Leone Passport Documents & Checklist
Sierra Leone issues and renews passports through the Immigration Department (SLID) using a Passport Online process: buy a voucher, apply online, then book biometrics. This checklist sets out the three steps, the documents typically required — including the passport photo — and what the official site does not publish, so nothing is guessed. Verified against the Sierra Leone Immigration Department (slid.gov.sl), October 2026.
How the process works
The Immigration Department describes it in one line:
“Buy a voucher, apply online, and book biometrics for passport issuance or renewal.”
| STEP 1 — Buy voucher | Purchase through approved channels and keep your voucher code safe. |
| STEP 2 — Apply online | Complete the application form and upload the required documents. |
| STEP 3 — Book biometrics | Select an appointment date/time for biometric capture and submission. |
The voucher comes first: buy it through approved channels and keep the code safe, then the online form unlocks. The required documents are uploaded with the form, and the biometrics appointment is booked for capture and submission.
Documents to prepare
The site lists a short set of typical requirements. Prepare these before you start:
- Birth certificate / proof of citizenship
- National ID / valid identification
- Passport photo (as specified)
- Supporting documents (as applicable)
It adds a caution worth taking at face value:
“Requirements may vary by application type. Use official guidance and approved channels only.”
So the four items above are the baseline; the exact set can differ by application type, so confirm against the form you are completing.
The passport photograph
The photo is listed as one of the typical requirements, described only as “as specified”. The site publishes no millimetre size, background colour or pixel figure, so this checklist does not repeat one — the photo is uploaded in step 2 with the other documents. Follow whatever the application form asks for, and see the Sierra Leone passport photo page for the detail.
What the site does not publish
Because the requirements are given only in outline, this checklist leaves the following blank rather than quoting an unofficial figure: the photo size, the fee, and the processing time. The site itself directs applicants to “official guidance and approved channels only”.
60-second Sierra Leone checklist
- ☐ Buy your voucher through approved channels; keep the code safe
- ☐ Complete the application form online
- ☐ Upload the required documents
- ☐ Birth certificate / proof of citizenship
- ☐ National ID / valid identification
- ☐ Passport photo (as specified) — no official size, so follow the form
- ☐ Book your biometrics appointment for capture and submission
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for a Sierra Leone passport?
A birth certificate or proof of citizenship, national ID or valid identification, a passport photo (as specified), and supporting documents as applicable.
How does the application work?
Through Passport Online: buy a voucher, apply online, and book biometrics for passport issuance or renewal.
What is the first step?
Buy the voucher through approved channels and keep your voucher code safe — then complete the application form online.
What size photo do I need?
Not published. The site lists a passport photo “as specified” but gives no millimetre size, background colour or pixel figure, so no official size can be quoted.
Do I have to attend in person?
Yes — step 3 books an appointment for biometric capture and submission.
Are the requirements always the same?
No. The site notes that requirements may vary by application type and advises using official guidance and approved channels only.
Source note: the three-step Passport Online process, the typical requirements list and the caution about varying requirements are from the Sierra Leone Immigration Department, slid.gov.sl/passport/ (checked October 2026). No photo size, fee or processing time is published there; the photo is listed only as “as specified”.
Related: the Sierra Leone passport photo page, the full photo size chart, the backgrounds guide, and the passport photo checker.