Sierra Leone Passport Guide — Apply Online
Sierra Leone runs passport issuance and renewal through a Passport Online process with the Immigration Department (SLID): you buy a voucher, apply online, then book biometrics. This guide sets out the three steps, the typical requirements, and what the site does — and does not — say about the photograph. Verified against the Sierra Leone Immigration Department (slid.gov.sl), October 2026.
How to apply
The Immigration Department describes the process in one line:
“Buy a voucher, apply online, and book biometrics for passport issuance or renewal.”
Under the heading Passport Online it breaks that into three steps:
| 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. |
So the voucher comes first: you buy it through approved channels before applying, and the voucher code is what unlocks the online form. The form is completed online, with the required documents uploaded, and then you book a biometrics appointment for capture and submission.
Typical requirements
The site lists a short set of documents that are typically required:
- 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.”
The passport photograph
The photograph is listed as one of the typical requirements, but the site describes it only as “as specified” — it publishes no millimetre size, background colour or pixel figure. Because there is no official format to copy, this guide does not repeat one. The photo sits inside step 2, as one of the documents you upload with the online form, so follow whatever the application form itself asks for. For the detail on the Sierra Leone photo requirement, see the Sierra Leone passport photo page.
60-second Sierra Leone checklist
- ☐ Buy your voucher first, through approved channels, and keep the code safe
- ☐ Complete the application form online and upload the required documents
- ☐ Book a biometrics appointment for capture and submission
- ☐ Have proof of citizenship, valid ID and your passport photo ready to upload
- ☐ No official photo size is published — follow the form, not an unofficial number
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a Sierra Leone passport?
Through the Passport Online process: 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 documents are typically required?
A birth certificate or proof of citizenship, national ID or valid identification, a passport photo (as specified), and supporting documents as applicable.
Do I need to attend in person?
Yes — step 3 books an appointment for biometric capture and submission, so you attend to give biometrics.
What size photo does Sierra Leone require?
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.
Can the requirements change?
Yes. 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 or background 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.